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“Preparing To Play”
Al Spath
PSO Dean and Instructor

There are many things to consider, remember and do once
you are at the casino aside from getting a seat at the table:
•Table Stakes
•String Bets
• Going All-In
•Splashing The Pot
•Protecting your Cards (hand cuffing)
•Time
•Acting in Turn

8. Don’t Discuss Hands While In
9. Tipping
10. Cashing Out

However, what you do “on your way” to the
casino might be just as important as your play
at the tables.

“The Drive”
Most of us have a commute to and from the casino and
many of us misuse this time.
What do you do?
•Use the cell phone?
•Use your MP3 or listen to XM radio?
•Bring along a passenger and talk about last nights TV show or
poker game?

I would recommend none of the
aforementioned distractions:
Your mind needs to be on the task at hand.
 Why are you going to the casino or home game?
What do you want achieve?
It can’t be to participate and lose; it must be to win, so why
aren’t you preparing yourself to WIN!

Preparation starts when you cut out the
distractions:
Turn off the radio
Leave the cell phone off
Travel alone
Begin to focus on playing that day.

So how do you begin, what should you be
focusing on if not listening to Rod Stewart or
Christine Aguilera?
I start by identifying the game I am going to play that day
It could be No Limit, Limit, Omaha, Stud, whatever.
Am I playing a tournament, cash game, satellite; I need to
have a strategy.

What resources have I brought?
What is my current bankroll?
How much did I bring today?
What limits can I play comfortably?
What is my GOAL today?
•How much do I intend to win?
•How long do I have to play?

What has been my experience at this casino or
home game in the past?
Have I won before?
What is the level of the competition?
Is the environment favorable to me (more on this later)?

What tactics have I used previously that
seemed to work well?
Was I more aggressive?
Was I more passive?
Did I establish a table image that allowed me to be trickier?
Was I beaten and exploited by my opponents playing a
certain way?

What is my frame of mind (while driving)?
Turn around and go back home if sick, tired, or upset over
anything.
Playing under duress (worrying, upset over a bill, a fight
with a spouse) is a recipe for disaster.
Being upbeat, thinking positive, ready for action is the only
way to enter a casino.

What mental exercises can you do?
You can first think super positive:
•I’m going to play my best poker today.
•I’m going to win X amount and enjoy the competition.
•I’m going to maintain my emotions, even through tough
times or bad beats.
•I’m not going to allow anyone to put me on TILT.
•I’m going to remain in the zone, thinking I can outplay
anyone, knowing I can’t win every hand I enter.

What actions (or preparations) should I employ
at the tables?
When I get my seat, what am I looking for at the tables?
•Do I know any of my opponents?
•Do I have a prior read on any of them?
•Where is my seat located, how do I need to protect my
cards?

•Who is seated to the right of me and to the right of them,
and I must watch how they play more closely?
•Who is to the left of me and left of that person, they are
targets (blinds) that I need information on to amass chips.

What else is important as I observe the first
hour?
Who stacks their chips neatly, colors all aligned?
Who has chips scattered everywhere and in no stacks
generally?
Who is playing tight, who is loose, and who seems solid
when they do play a hand?

Don’t forget, others are watching you, what is your image
right now?
•Are you appearing tight?
•Have you been aggressive?
•Are you stealing blinds?
•Have you bluffed in proper position?

I remind myself of “Tells” to watch for at the
table:
Who pounds chips on the felt when they announce a bet?
Who smoothly moves their chips into the pot?
Who looks away while calling a raise?
Who stops talking, whistling or moving when they are in a
hand?
Who over bets pots?

Who makes min raises?
Who talks out loud when they are stumped facing a raise?
Who flashes cards (I just love them)?
Who does not have their emotions in check, easily pushed
into a fury?
When do opponents give away their strength?

Picking your fight with the right person
After I have played quite awhile (although the table can
change), I should know who is weak, who is strong, who I can
bluff, who is not bluff-able (the calling station), and who I
must have stronger hands against, with excellent position,
and hopefully a chip lead over.
•Who constantly picks off the blinds?

•Who raises in late position (LP) when first in, no matter
what?
•Who will defend in the blinds?
•Who is a walk-over?
•Who is someone to respect when they do play a hand?
•Who will bluff with middle pair, a draw, or a busted hand?

Remember, you are driving along and have a lot
to think about in preparation to play:
Are you still listening to the radio?
Are you still on the phone?
Have you thought about everything above and are ready to
play your best?

Preparation is not only the day of the event!
Did you get enough sleep?
Did you eat a lite meal?
Were you able to leave the house without worrying about
anything that was undone?
Did you remember your lucky charms?

When I drive I like to think about positive
results:
I think about scooping entire pots!
I think about stealing blinds!
I think about raising in position instead of calling!
I think about re-raising rather than folding!
I think about laying down a hand I’m not certain about!

I think about changing my game as the tournament or even
ring table moves along!
I think about avoiding conversations and friendliness with
those to my left I am about to rob!
I think about making nice with those to my right who might
raise me!
I think about position, position, position!
•I want to act last.
•If I am acting first, I want a better hand.
•If I don’t have position; how can I get it (check raise)!

The drive home, relish the win, savor the thrill
of victory, and most of all:
Learn from your mistakes!
Think about how you might have played the hand different.
•Could you have won more with that premium hand?
•Could you have lost less, got away from the hand earlier?
•Was there a way out earlier, without losing chips?

•Were there times a bluff was incorrect?
•Should you have semi-bluffed a few extra times?
•Did you play to many “hunches” with favorite cards?
•How often did you lay down a potential winner?
•Did you remember to value bet the river when the action
dictated it?

•What did others think of my plan?
•Did I catch myself giving a “tell?”
•Did I play my best game; was I sharp, changing speeds,
making proper moves at the right time?
•Did I live up to my “own” expectations today?
•If I failed, where did I make my biggest mistake, or were
there lots of avoidable mistakes today?

Take time to congratulate yourself on the drive
home for achieving success today.
Remember the feeling, it feels good, it’s worth repeating.
No one likes to lose, but if we do, we must learn from it as
well, you certainly paid for that pleasure

I’d like to thank you all for listening and special
thanks to Brian (TOO2COO at PSO) for helping
me with this PowerPoint presentation.

This concludes my presentations, any questions?

The Home of Future Champions

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