| The first skill to win a WSOP bracelet or any | | | | "Are you one of the typical players who plays tight |
| tournament is: | | | | early-on in an event, or waits for premium hands |
| Playing to win and not just to cash. | | | | before raising pre-flop, or believes you can always |
| Before you enter a no limit poker tournament you | | | | outplay my opponents, or calls pre-flop raises with A-K |
| must put yourself in the right mind frame. If you are like | | | | rather than risk getting knocked out or thinks that you |
| most poker players you have heard Pros tell you: "In | | | | got knocked out only because of a bad beat?" |
| order to win, you have to survive." | | | | If any of the above sounds like you, you are not alone. |
| In fact, you may have read many books and articles | | | | Because that's how most players approach the game. |
| telling to play it safe early on, avoid confrontations | | | | It is why most players never win a no limit poker |
| unless you have a big hand, try to wait out and survive | | | | tournament with 100 or more players. It is why most |
| to make the final table. This is the advice that will keep | | | | players never have enough chips to get past one bad |
| you a loser. Guaranteed. | | | | beat. |
| Here is a simple test to see if you have what it takes: | | | | Have you heard the expression, "Making the wrong |
| You fly into Vegas with friends to watch the WSOP | | | | play at the right time?" It means that someone made |
| Main Event with a $10,000 buy-in. After a night of | | | | the wrong decision on a hand of poker, but still won. It |
| partying, you wake up in the afternoon and discover a | | | | happens all the time. It is why poker is a game of |
| ticket to enter the tournament. You suddenly recall that | | | | chance. |
| last night you got drunk and paid $10,000 to compete in | | | | The next time you play in a tournament, focus on the |
| the WSOP Main Event! | | | | rewards of winning, not the penalty of losing your |
| You rush to the Rio and take your seat as the director | | | | buy-in. |
| announces, "Shuffle up and deal." You are on the big | | | | In his book Making the Final Table Erick Lindgren wrote: |
| blind with the blinds at $100-$50. You have $20,000 in | | | | "You want to be a great poker player? Stop thinking |
| chips. The player under the gun shoves all-in, and the | | | | you're better than the randomness of the game. |
| small blind moves all-in as well. With two players all-in | | | | Embrace the randomness. Let people think you're a |
| on the first hand, you are ready to muck when you | | | | wild risk taker. And start taking advantage of those |
| look at your cards and find pocket Aces. What should | | | | afraid to risk their own chips." |
| you do? | | | | Get out of your comfort level. You are not a WSOP |
| Play it safe and fold, or risk all your chips and your | | | | bracelet winner yet. |
| $10,000. | | | | But you can be one if you understand that the way |
| If you hesitated, you need to adjust your mental | | | | you are playing now is not the right way to win a |
| approach to tournament poker. You must push. You | | | | poker tournament. Use your chips as weapons. Make |
| must take the risk of getting knocked out on the first | | | | bets that will put fear in the mind and heart of your |
| hand. You are even a favorite to triple up! | | | | opponent. Be a risk taker, not a safe player. And |
| Tournament poker is not about survival. Tournament | | | | maintain that aggressive mindset throughout the |
| poker is about accumulating chips and winning. Usually | | | | tournament. |
| one win in a tournament pays for months of buy-ins | | | | Next: Entering a tournament poker event with a |
| for the same event. | | | | plan--when will you play tight, loose, aggressive, solid, |
| Ok, that was an easy test. | | | | etc. |
| But ask yourself this question: | | | | |