Released over the weekend on PocketFives Trainingwas a brand new series from David Randall (pictured), better known as GhettoFabolousin the online poker world. Part 1 of his video series, which you can watch a sample of by clicking here, covers topics like the benefits of flatting versus 3betting, playing hands deep-stacked, and squeezing.

Randall sat down with PocketFives to unveil a concept he calls Big Picture Mentality. By the way, PocketFives Training provides top-of-the-line MTT training from instructors like Randall, Mike Gags30Gagliano, and Jon sketchy1 Eaton.

PocketFives: Can you describe your new video to us? What can viewers expect to see?

David Randall: It’s a video of my $1K buy-in PokerStars SCOOP Main Event run. I got really deep in it, 50th place. It’s one of the longest hand history videos I’ve ever done at 800 hands. I utilize a new instructional concept that I’ve been using with my students called BPM, or Big Picture Mentality.

BPM is the process of which spots to select. I think a lot of tourney regs are good at picking spots, but what often happens with good players is they have too many spots and spew. BPM is focused on controlling aggression, monitoring your image, and taking the necessary steps to win a tournament. That’s the concept I introduce in this video.

PocketFives: Where did BPMcome from?

David Randall: It came from a downswing I went through. I was playing a really high-variance style. When you pick every spot, you’re subjecting yourself to a lot of awkward and bad situations and other players will notice that. To make the adjustment, I created this concept. Image control is so important and it’s something that’s underestimated. Everyone is aware of everyone else’s image, but they lose track of what their own image is, especially situationally.

The first step of BPM is to identify how I’m going to get chips at a table. At some tables, it’s opening 80% of hands. In the $1K SCOOP, that probably won’t work and people will adjust. Sometimes the answer is 3betting every open, which you also can’t do in a $1K SCOOP event. You have to come up with an answer, and the answer is in that video.

PocketFives: How’d you get involved with PocketFives Training originally?

David Randall: PokerPwnage originally hired me in early 2008. I was one of the original grassroots instructors at the site. I was approached by herschelw (pictured) and he offered me a position. I had done a couple of private lessons with a few people because I enjoy teaching.

When I put out a couple of early videos, they got a great reception and I was getting a lot of PMs. That gave me the fuel to keep doing it. I like having the ability to help people perform a skill they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Once I got into it, I was off and running from there.

PocketFives: What do you want viewers to take away from your latest video?

David Randall: I want them to take away the BPM concept, specifically the way I integrate it in that specific tournament. I want people to see how I implement that strategy on the highest level. For example, there are a ton of spots where I say, “This would be a standard 3bet spot, but I’m going to pass. It’s not necessary for me to win the tourney and the number of chips I’m collecting won’t change my stack. It’s more important for me to protect my image than get caught 3betting light.”

PocketFives: What do you think makes an informative poker training video?

David Randall: I’ve been watching a lot of videos lately and see the same thing over and over again – it starts to get stale. The instructor will go through a hand history and approach each spot, spot by spot. They all say the same thing.

Nowadays, everyone can find spots. Every reg has that capability. So, I ask myself, “What separates people apart?” A lot of people said Holdem Manager. I don’t believe that because most of the top players in the world I know don’t use Holdem Manager. If a lot of them can get there without it, Holdem Manager can’t be the answer. That’s where I developed the BPM concept.

PocketFives: Can you tell us about your life post-Black Friday?

David Randall: I’ve spent a lot of time playing live cash games. There’s a game in Columbus, Ohio I play in. I’ve also traveled to casinos to play live tourneys and cash games on the side. I also have a residence in Windsor, Canada. I’ve also gone to Mexico and Ireland.

Before, I’d wake up in my boxers and grind a session. Every day was the same, but it’s not like that anymore. In order to survive in this industry, you have to be chameleon-esque. You have to figure out new ways to make it unless you want to move permanently out of the country.

PocketFives: Why Windsor?

David Randall: I got together with a few cash regs I know and we went up and got a place in Windsor. If I want to go up for the weekend, it’s only a two-hour drive from my house. Signing up for new poker sites was easy too and I started playing on iPoker and PokerStars. Speaking of PokerStars, that was a process. It was three to four days to get everything reactivated. You have to dedicate three to four days, minimum, to get that process completed.

PocketFives: Can you tell us about your World Series of Poker plans?

David Randall: I’m looking forward to the shootouts. Everyone says that’s the easiest way to win a bracelet and I’d have to agree. Last year, I made it to the second round and got two-outed by stamdogg (pictured). I’m also looking forward to all of the $1,500 events because for whatever reason, I’m comfortable in those and have gotten there in the past. I think the fields at the WSOP are incredibly soft, but the softest fields in the Series still have an okay structure. With 4,500 in chips and an endless field of fish, the $1,500 events provide great value.

PocketFives: Why is a shootoutthe best opportunity to win a WSOP bracelet?

David Randall: In a shootout, you basically have to win two good-structured sit and gos and you have a shot at a bracelet. It has the same structure as a $1,500 event, but it’s a sit and go. You only have to beat 18 players and you’re down to the final table. I remember the first round I won, I was playing heads-up and we were about 70 big blinds deep. It’s the same concept as a sit and go, but it’s so much more deep-stacked that it plays more like a tourney.

Learn all about BPM from Randall by signing up for PocketFives Trainingtoday.