Training for the WSOP

I've got a little over two months to get my game in shape for the WSOP. And since I'm still confined to the house, my training will consist of three things for now:

1. Playing tournaments on the internet.
2. Reading good No Limit tournament Hold 'Em books.
3. Studying old WSOP shows and World Poker Tour episodes.

I've done all three since I won the satellite. Before I left AZ, I picked up Doyle Brunson's Super System 2 and it is pretty informative so far. Brunson is a legend in the game, essentially the Arnold Palmer of poker, except he can still compete at the highest level. He's a two-time WSOP main event champ so his insights are remarkable. I will devour everything he has to say about tournament no limit Hold 'Em.

My TiVo is now jam-packed with poker shows and I'm studying them to see how the pros play and, as crazy as this sounds, to look for tells, because any of these pros could end up at my table at any point. I think I found a small but significant tell on Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari that I could actually use if I ever get involved with him in a pot.

Finally, I'm playing on the internet. On Monday I entered a tournament with 246 players and finished in 35th place, just five spots out of the money. I was happy with my play and I would have been guaranteed a money spot until my pocket aces got cracked by running hearts on the turn and river to make a flush that beat me. That didn't knock me out, but it took a huge chunk of my stack. But I can't complain--I played well and took a bad beat. It happens. On Tuesday morning, I played in another similar tournament with 209 players and finished 42nd. This time around, I just never really got into a groove. I got hurt on one hand when I made a big pre-flop raise with pocket queens and got two callers. The ace that came on the flop was not good for me, and the loss on the hand put me in pretty bad shape. I hung around for several more levels but just never got any cards and couldn't double up even once, eventually going out with mediocre suited connectors. Again, I was satisfied with my play but it wasn't good enough. And if I'm not cashing in cheap internet tournaments, I'm certainly not ready for the WSOP Main Event. I need to get better, and that's my goal for the next two months: to get my game in the best shape ever.

The knee is doing better too. I can finally limp around and put some weight on it, although I still use the crutches. The wound is healing up and I can now get into and out of the back seat of a car with no help. And the exercises are working--it's starting to feel stronger. I think by sometime in June I'll be good to go. And I'll certainly be healthy enough to sit at a card table.