Poker Wednesday Sometimes Happens on a Friday

In previous columns I have mentioned the weekly poker discussion group that meets on Wednesdays in Las Vegas to share poker knowledge. The group continues to grow and thrive, and we have incorporated guest speakers as well as field trips and a "show and tell" feature into meetings. World-class players have met with us and shared their poker tips and tales, as have TV stars who happen to play poker, and local cardroom heroes. Our group has grown to more than 25 on some meeting days. I still maintain that a study and/or meeting group is one of the best ways to improve your game. Other ways include reading as much of the poker literature that is available (in print and on the web) as possible, and going to seminars and lectures. Also, monitoring discussions on the newsgroups and finding a mentor are great ways to improve your play and understanding of the game.

In this column I will share with you one of the greatest poker weapons available. There is a plethora of poker classes and structured learning opportunities available, and most are excellent. In fact, there is not one that I would not recommend. I particularly want to recommend a special seminar that will take place on Friday, July 5 (the day prior to the start of the Orleans Open) at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It will be a tremendous learning opportunity, and one that I hold near and dear to my heart. I am referring to the second annual World Poker Players Conference, or WPPC, organized by Card Player Cruises. It is a full day of poker seminars presented by an elite group of poker authors and world-class players, designed to give both the novice and experienced player a valuable learning experience. The WPPC provides an opportunity to meet, rub elbows with, learn from, and ask questions of your favorite players. Last year's inaugural conference was a resounding success, with approximately 300 players attending. The event should be even bigger and better this year. So many top players and coaches wanted to participate that narrowing down the list of speakers was very tough.

The 2002 WPPC speakers list reads like a who's who of poker. All have committed to presenting attendees with a wealth of powerful winning concepts, as well as secrets that have made them great players. Card Player columnist Roy Cooke and World Series of Poker bracelet holder Daniel Negreanu, also a Card Player columnist, will lead off the day by presenting their ideas on winning hold'em strategies. Then, Card Player Publisher and WSOP bracelet winner Barry Shulman will share tremendous tournament tips to help you improve your tournament play. As we all know (we do, don't we?), tournament play and live play differ substantially, and some of the glaring differences will certainly be discussed. Next up, a seminar entitled "How to Win at Omaha Eight-or-Better" will be given by world-class player and gaming strategist Mark Gregorich and Card Player Cruises partner Mark Tenner. These two gentlemen are Omaha specialists, and plan to expose some of the myths and fallacies that have long made Omaha a scary game for novices and a great financial opportunity for the savvy player. WSOP world champions Phil Hellmuth and Russ Hamilton will follow them to the stage with their secrets to winning in no-limit hold'em play. Certainly, we will hear some amazing stories. These seminars should be informative for you, whether you are a novice or recreational player, a semipro, or a pro.

A rapid-fire "tips from the pros" session will follow with some chat from Card Player columnists Greg Dinkin and Warren Karp. Tournament specialists Jack Fox, who recently won the championship event at the Reno Hilton's World Poker Challenge, and Kathy Liebert, the winner of the PartyPoker Million, also will participate on this panel. To wrap the day up – as if your mind won't already be on overload – there will be a question-and-answer session featuring three WSOP bracelet holders and authors: Tom McEvoy, Mike Sexton, and Linda Johnson.

So, you ask, what can I do to improve my game? For starters, you should seriously consider attending this full day of poker education. You are bound to learn some concepts that will improve your hourly win rate. This conference will give you the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the pros, as well as network and make some new friends who share your common love of poker. Who knows, you may even form your own Wednesday afternoon poker group. For additional information regarding pricing and ticket availability, please see the ad for the WPPC in this issue, or call the Card Payer Cruises office at (702) 655-0919 or (888) 999-4880. In future columns, I will discuss some of the information presented at the WPPC, so bring your notepad and prepare for the quiz. Class dismissed.

As always, I will personally answer all of your poker-related questions and comments, and welcome your column ideas.