Nick is a cash game player, content creator and part of 888poker’s Stream Team. Each week he shares his thoughts and experiences as a player dedicated to the daily grind. This week he’s ready to make his play for the biggest title in poker: that of World Champion at the WSOP Main Event…
In the last few weeks, I told the story of my dream run in the WSOP Main Event in 2022 (see part one and part two of my story). As you’re reading this I’ll be sitting down for Day 1C of this year’s showpiece, hoping to mark the beginning of another wild ride in the best tournament in the world.
Anyone that follows me will know that I am by no means a tournament player, but playing the Main Event is by far my favorite part of the year. Despite being hopelessly understudied and failing to make any meaningful run in the 888Live events I’ve attended over my time with the brand, I still have an (almost certainly misplaced) confidence about my chances.
That’s because the Main Event is so much more than just a poker tournament, it challenges every facet of your being in the most grueling structure ever conceived. I strongly believe that you can be a phenomenal poker player and struggle immensely with the hurdles that this event throws at you. Playing your A-game for its entirety just isn’t reasonable, but you can hope to deal with the pressure and mental strain better than your opponents to give yourself an edge.
Manage your time and plan ahead
Simple things like eating become difficult, because the tournament runs for the best part of 11 hours a day with all but one break being 20 minutes. And even still, during the dinner break, everywhere is so crowded that you can find yourself struggling to get back to your table on time for the restart. Managing your time and planning ahead can be the difference between a relaxing hour off and dangerously high blood pressure.
Hydration is also key, and after learning my lesson in 2022, last year I made sure to stock my hotel fridge to the brim. The water dispensers are quite often empty due to the sheer number of people playing the tournament, and going a 2-hour level without a drink is far from ideal. The lights are also intensely bright, and as a sufferer of migraines, I have no choice but to don the sunglasses for the duration of my stay.
While some aren’t a fan of players wearing shades, I’ve learnt that you really need to put yourself first when it comes to this tournament. Wear comfortable clothes, take your time if you need to and just generally do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel at ease. And, as I spoke about last week, do whatever it takes to secure the bag if you’re lucky enough to still be in around the bubble.
The structure suits cash game players
Last year, I also played a bunch of events and a ton of cash games before finally playing the Main. By the time I got to it, I could feel that I wasn’t in peak condition and wasn’t playing my best as a result. This time I arrived a few days before the event, and didn’t enter anything else. I’ll be making vlogs both for my channel and with 888poker, and I want to give my full focus and attention to giving it all I’ve got.
What gives me the most confidence is the famously deep structure. I’ve made it through Day 1 in both years I’ve played so far, and I put that mostly down to how comfortable I am with deep-stacked play, being a cash game player my whole career. You start with 300 big blinds (bb) and, generally speaking, a lot of Day 1 play is above 100bb, which suits me down to the ground. Whether I can capitalize on that is a different story altogether, and many better players than me will fall by the wayside on the first day.
But I’m at least hopeful that my experiences so far will stand me in good stead to give a good account of myself. At the end of the day, the most I can do is my best, and regardless of what happens I’ll be making sure to enjoy every minute.
Good luck me!
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