Getting ready for the WSOP

Posted on May 12, 2005
Filed Under Poker

Well, the World Series of Poker starts in only a few weeks. I’ll be playing in one of the $1,500 buy-in, No Limit Hold ‘em events to be held on June 3rd. I’m trying to work myself up for it so I’m playing my best possible poker by the time the event rolls around. I’ve spoken a few times with one of my poker buddies who is acting as my coach. He’s played in large tourneys with big buy-ins before so I really value his input. Since he lives in L.A. and I live in Vegas, it’s not like we can just get together whenever we want, so it’s not as ideal a situation as I would hope for, but, still a great, great help.

I’ve been pretty happy with my live poker play lately. I go in with a basic plan for how I’m going to play in the specific tournament and adjust my plan along the way. A great example happened in a home-game tourney last Sunday. There were 5 of us playing and only 1st place earned cash. On the first hand, we had an AA vs. KK all-in pre-flop that knocked out one player. The winner of that hand took out the other 2 players with big hands in less than 10 minutes. So, I’m now faced with a 4:1 chip disadvantage. I realize that the only way to win this is play ultra aggresive. On the 2nd hand of heads-up play, I was dealt 4 and 5 of spades. I make a small raise before the flop. On the flop, an ace and a queen show up. I bet again. On the turn was a 7. I bet again. On the river was a 3. With no straight or flush possibilities I decided I have to bluff big at this pot to win. So I risk almost all my chips with a bet on the river. After a few seconds, the other guy folded. I immediatly turned over my cards to show him the bluff and I tell him, "I’m showing you this so that when I bet big again, you think I’m bluffing again." With the mountain of chips I have to climb, I figured I needed every advantage I could come up with.

About 3 or 4 hands later, I’m dealt Ace King. I put in a raise about the same size as the raise with the 4 and 5 of spades. The flop came with a King and not much else. I check, he checks. The turn was another blank. I put in a small bet, he calls. The river is another low card. Again, no srtaight or flush possibilities, so I WAY over bet the pot and go all-in. He thinks for a minute and then calls. I turn over my hand and he mucks his cards. I’ve now closed the gap and we are about dead even in chips. It doesn’t take me more than 10 or 15 more minutes to complete the comeback and win.

I’m looking to play in as many warm up tourneys as I can before the WSOP. I’d like to play over at Sahara and perhaps at Luxor. I should also check if there is going to be any satelite tourneys for some of the WSOP smaller events. I think I’ll do that…

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