Your First WSOP

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Physical Comfort at the WSOP

The WSOP main event is a grind, mentally and physically. Should you be lucky enough to survive an entire day of play, you could easily end up in the same seat for six two-hour levels, punctuated only by short breaks. Get plenty of rest in the time leading up to the tournament, and bring some snacks and water with you, as you may need to spend nearly your entire break waiting in line for the restroom.

If you are relatively new to playing live poker, feel free to play a tight, straight-forward game for the first hour or so as you get your bearings. Practice handling your chips, looking at your cards without giving off any physical tells, vocalizing your actions, and studying your opponents. This may not be optimal poker strategy, but it is better than making a costly mistake as a result of your inexperience.

If you find yourself mentally exhausted towards the end of the day, it is similarly better to tighten up and avoid putting yourself in situations where you may have to make a tough decision. Again, you may be passing on some marginally profitable opportunities, but you do not want to risk mistakenly calling a big bet because you failed to see that the river had paired the board.

Next: Psychological Comfort (or lack thereof 🙂 – notice a pattern?) at the WSOP

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