Preparing for WSOP 2003

[balt999]

I'm Planning on taking a shot at the WSOP this year....not the main event (Unless I win a seat). I would like to play in some of the $1,500 events (No Limit and Pot Limit Hold Em, and Stud Hi Lo).....My question is what's the best way to prepare of these type of events...I've already transferred a big chunk of my Paradise Bankroll to PokerStars, and have exclusively played their online tournaments and cutdown my online live play
considerably....Is this a good way to prepare for WSOP or should I play mid-level tournaments like the ones offered in LA (i.e. the upcoming Winning O the Green)...

Thanks in advance...

[J.Brown]

I tend to have this same problem/question every year myself. I think that playing live tournaments would be a much better solution for several reasons. You have much more to deal with, eating, being comfortable for long periods of time, being away from home, dealing with live people, cards, and chips. All of these things are not small considerations especially if you have been playing exclusively online. Even if it is painful, get out into the brick and mortar cardrooms, play some tournaments, and treat them all like they were the main event of the wsop. I think that will be much better training than anything else. good luck--J.Brown

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I'm thinking about heading out to Vegas for the $1,500 NLHE, too. To get ready, I'm playing the weekly tournaments at Foxwoods & Mohegan to get ready (and hopefully to add to my bankroll). I'll also play in at least one event at the New England Poker Classic at Foxwoods in April. I've been playing in tourneys on Stars, too. I was at a table with you there earlier this week. Still a chance to win the buy-in to the WSOP main event there, too, but that requires 3 straight great performances. Maybe I'll run into you in Vegas.

[sam h]

I would advise playing as many live tournaments as possible, especially if you can find any within your bankroll that more closely mirror the structure of the WSOP events in terms of the amount of time for each level, the relationship between blind size and stack size, and the absense of rebuys. The problem is that you want to play quite a few, and most live tournaments with small buyins will tend more towards the 20 minute levels, 10X the BB stacks, lots of rebuys, etc type structures. It would probably be a good idea to lay out the cash to play in a couple events like the Winning O the Green that are more expensive but more closely approximate the WSOP milieu.

Good luck!

[Mash]

How long are the levels at the WSOP? What size stack does each WSOP tourn start with? For example if you enter in the $1500 event do you start with T1500?

[balt999]

I'm probably going to play the $1,500 NLHE so we definately have to see each other...Are you going to try to win a seat in the main event??

[sam h]

I have never played in a WSOP event, so I cannot give you specific answers to these questions. But I know that the levels are longer than in most tournaments and the stack sizes are relatively large compared to the blinds, putting more of a premium on playing well on the later streets. Perhaps if you started a thread on this topic some of those who post here that have experience in the WSOP can give you better answers.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I'm going to keep trying on PokerStars, but if I can place well enough in the New England Poker Classic at Foxwoods, that might make my decision for me. When do the satellites for the WSOP main event start?