As The Big Event Nears
Once more, the scent of the World Series of Poker Main Event is in the air and poker aficionados everywhere are gearing up with hopes of fame and fortune. As the final days draw near, a lot of professionals are looking at game videos and analyzing previous hands in preparation. So what should the rest of us be doing? Here are some thoughts from my experience working with pros… and no I won’t give you any names.
Look at the Game Films
Okay, let’s talk about tells. Looking at available videos of the top players you may run into is always useful. Now that hole card cameras are commonplace, we can get inside the head of the player to a greater extent than ever before. This is like knowing what the pitcher is going to throw or which play the coach has called in to the quarterback. It’s time well spent to review these videos. It may seem like a lot of work, but think about it: This will help you to better prepare and anticipate what potential opponents will do. Additionally, a move that you might see one player make could be successful enough that other players replicate the same action.
First and foremost, when watching these videos, you are looking for tells. A hint from an ex-FBI agent: Watch the videos at twice or four times the actual speed. This way, the tells will jump out at you. You will readily see the signs of discomfort (hard swallows, facial touching, compressed lips, neck touching) and low confi dence displays (chin tucked in, shoulder near ears, hand wringing, heaving chest) because they will jump out at you at this speed like a caricature.
Books
Go through your library of books on tells and just look at the pictures (here are two of my personal favorites: Read ‘em and Reap or What Every Body is Saying by Joe Navarro). Take a look at Mike Caro’s book also, it is a classic. Use this information to prime your thinking about tells. Even professional researchers will read each other’s materials because we forget. This is the best way to stay up with things you have read before and keep current with the literature. If you have kept your past copies of BLUFF, there are plenty of articles about tells. If you go to my web sites JNForensics.com or NavarroPoker. com, additional information is available which you may find helpful.
Poker Camps
It’s amazing how popular the poker seminar has become. The cost truly shouldn’t matter because attending a poker camp will pay for itself in a short period of time if you take enough away from it. Having taught at the WSOP Academy for the last fi ve years, I can attest that these classes will take you from good to exceptional. When you are being taught by giants such as Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Howard Lederer, Joe Hachem, and others, how could you not have a tremendous advantage? This kind of training is invaluable and tilts chance in your favor overwhelmingly. Find a seminar that focuses on large field multi-table tournaments and you’ll be more prepared than ever for a shot at the biggest bracelet in the world.
A look in the mirror
Preparing for the Main Event is a tough task, and while you may focus the majority of your time on your opponents, you need to take a look at yourself as well. Think about your own tells. What is it about your play that communicates what you may have? What are your common habits to pacify your nerves? Why do you act in a certain way in certain situations? Are you giving away too much?
Always remember that in poker we are constantly transmitting whether we are weak, marginal or strong. We may think no one notices, because we believe we have poker faces, but there is no such thing as a poker body. Somewhere it leaks out. Have someone watch you or just set up video camera and train it on yourself while you play with friends. Review your video from an objective standpoint. Don’t cut yourself any slack. Being honest with yourself will give you the most valuable information as you prepare and I’d guess that you’ll be surprised at how much information you are leaking.
Well, that’s it! If you are thinking of winning, then you have to prepare like a winner. As Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” Go prepare and best of luck this WSOP.
