Plan Ahead

The 2014 PokerStars European Poker Tour event in Barcelona reminded me of the importance of planning ahead. I have been punished numerous times in the past by failing to plan ahead. This time, I succeeded while watching other players fail.
Long before you go to a poker tournament, it is important to get in good shape. If you happen to play poker every day for a week, you may not find much time to work out. If you are in excellent shape before arriving to a poker tournament, taking that week off from working out will not be too detrimental. However, if you are already out of shape, compounding your frailty by sitting in an uncomfortable chair for a week is not a good idea. Before this tournament series, I made a point to get in excellent shape because I knew I would spend a ton of time at the poker table. Even though I didn’t put in near as many hours working out in Barcelona as I would have preferred, I still felt fine.

Assuming you are traveling to a different time zone to play a tournament series, it is important to get on the right sleep schedule before arriving to that location. Seeing how Barcelona has a six-hour time difference compared to the east coast, I made a point to wake up at around 4 a.m. for a few days before arriving in Barcelona. This allowed me to fly into Barcelona at 10 a.m. local time, hop in a tournament, and play to the best of my ability.

Especially when a tournament venue is likely to be crowded, as most EPTs are, it is important to buy in to the events you plan to play at least a day in advance. There were numerous events at this series that required lots of players to be alternates, even if they registered more than an hour before the tournament was set to begin. In my opinion, if you are an alternate, you made a huge blunder unless you busted a tournament then decided to hop directly into another one, which may or may not be advisable. There is a ton of value to be won by playing deep stacked with weak players. If you are sitting on the sidelines waiting for your number to called, you aren’t winning any equity. I assumed the first two side events would be gigantic. I made a point to register online well in advance, guaranteeing my seat was reserved. Sure enough, both events had countless alternates.

I suggest that everyone carry a few things with them to the table that they may need while playing. For example, I bring my Blue Shark Optics glasses, headphones, a notebook, a pen, and some food. Since I can’t carry all of these things, I put them in a bag. Since that bag is decently large, I also take a canister of green tea, a water bottle, an iPad, a jacket, and a few other things. If you have everything you could possibly need with you at all times, you will rarely find yourself in an uncomfortable situation at the poker table.

I am shocked by the number of players who do not keep track of their results on a daily basis. While it is important to know whether or not you are winning or losing in your particular game, it is mandatory to know where you stand when it comes time to pay your taxes. If you simply keep a spreadsheet listing all of your poker play and a folder with all of your poker-related receipts, you will have everything you need at the end of the year. I learned my lesson the hard way when I first filed my taxes as a professional poker player. Since I had few records, it was a nightmare trying to figure out which events I played. I now make a point to keep diligent records on a daily basis.

I have only briefly touched on all of the things you can do ahead of time to make your life easier in the future. As in all aspects relating to poker, you should think ahead and figure out things you can do to make your life better. If you only do what is easiest in the moment, you will certainly encounter hardships in the future. ♠

Jonathan Little, 2-time World Poker Tour champion has won more than $6 million in tournaments since 2006. He is sponsored by 3bet.com, Instapoker and BlueSharkOptics and teaches poker at FloatTheTurn.com and www.JonathanLittleSecrets.com. Follow him on Twitter @ JonathanLittle.