by Mark A. Seif

It is for sure the most exciting time of the year for serious poker players! The World Series of Poker kicks off with a $25,000 buy-in, No Limit Hold’em event, followed by two events (usually) each day until the main event. In all, there are 58 events. Each of these WSOP tournaments is a grueling marathon that takes place over three days usually, and this goes on for five weeks! Simply put, in order for you to have any chance of making a deep run in these huge field events and winning a ton of money along with the most coveted piece of poker jewelry in existence, you must be prepared – very prepared. So this piece (and some subsequent ones) will focus on just that, preparing for the WSOP. For this first instalment, I will focus on getting your mind and body ready for the big challenge.

You should make sure to get plenty of rest in the days leading up to the WSOP. It’s also a good idea to set your sleep schedule to coincide with the times you will be playing. In other words, if you are staying at the Rio or close by, try to go to sleep around 3 am and wake up in time to be ready to play by noon. That’s right, a typical day will last from noon to 2-3 am. You need to be sharp the whole time so condition your mind and body to be awake, alert and focused during those hours.

Eat healthy and do not over eat. Try to stay away from turkey because it contains L-tryptophan and that will make you drowsy and tired. Bring healthy snacks with you to keep your energy (blood sugar) levels constant. Also, during the dinner break, make sure to eat lightly, and again avoid steaks and turkey so as not to have a post dinner let down in energy.

Even a minimal amount of stretching and exercising is hugely beneficial during the day. Also make sure to oxygenate all day. Take huge deep breaths periodically and practice that as often as you can. Your brain and body need that extra oxygen. It will help you stay sharp.

While this may sound terrible, it’s super-important to be selfish! No distractions. No business matters. No family matters. No calls. No e-mails. Absolutely no parties and minimal socializing. You are at war and this is not the time to be lolly gagging. You can party your pants off when you become the World Champ and win $10 million!

We’ll talk more next time about focus and hard work at the table. Until then, start to plan especially how you will take steps to achieve the above goals. Take care and happy prepping.