How To Prep Like a Pro for WSOP

I would recommend focusing mostly on getting the preflop ranges down for early stage and ICM spots. I would do a lot of ICM study to be prepared for potentially big spots coming up. If you feel very strongly about your preflop game, feeling you are already prepared enough but still have some extra time, I would recommend using the GTO Wizard trainer for 100bb cEV and simply train a lot of deep-stacked postflop gameplay to also get good intuition for building stacks early.

Mathias Maasberg

For tournaments, go over some ICM and short-stack situations and brush up on preflop; there is a lot of edge there. For live cash, try to nodelock some basic player profiles you expect to face (i.e., people who don’t check-raise, people who underbluff, etc.) and see the adjustments, come up with some basic, ready-made exploits.

Uri Peleg

I think it’s really valuable to get comfortable with nodelocking or building trainer drills for defending against fairly common betting lines (e.g., half pot flop, ⅔ pot turn). I would also recommend that people put some energy into studying ICM25 or bubble sims since WSOP pays 15% of the field, which means that the sims in our archive are pretty accurate in terms of the types of bubble spots you’ll get into.

Matt Hunt

At this point, with the series coming up fast, I’m going to go against the grain and recommend not spending significant time cramming in last-minute studying in an attempt to learn new things. It’s hard to digest lots of new tactics at the last minute and be able to implement them without practice before a big series. The few times I tried this, I had the worst series results in my 25 years of playing, even though I went in thinking I was the most prepared I’d ever been! So, my advice is to do deep study work in the off-season, and as the series approaches, limit “study” prep to doing short drilling sessions on fundamentals you’ve already been working on with the GTO Wizard trainer. Think of it like a gymnast who does all the training months and years ahead of the Olympics. They don’t add a complicated new maneuver to their floor routine just weeks before the big games. At this point, plan to work with the strengths and prep you already have, and instead, focus most of your energy on planning your trip, with the goal of optimizing all the material conditions you need to be able to perform your best (i.e., a hotel room near the events, or a quiet space far away from the strip? What are your food needs?). Think about every detail you need to be comfortable and rested, and in particular, carefully plan your schedule.

Dr. K

In preparation for this year’s WSOP, I will be learning mostly short-stack preflop play for different depths and maybe watch some videos on ICM fundamentals.

Donk Orleone

Being well-prepared for specific events can make a huge difference. Since time is always limited, you want to focus on studying spots that:

• Occur frequently

• Have the highest potential impact on your win rate

• Make you feel uncomfortable or uncertain

For live games, this might include multiway pots, single-raised pots from out of position, or deep-stacked spots, especially if you’re planning to play cash games.

A powerful tool to prepare for live play is GTO Wizard AI, which allows you to nodelock your opponent’s strategy.  This will massively help you to adjust to all the different player types you will encounter at the WSOP. 

But preparation isn’t just about technical study. It also includes taking care of your body and mind. Establishing a healthy routine, prioritizing sleep, diet, and exercise, will help you maintain focus and stamina, especially if you’re playing longer sessions than usual.

Vanja

In terms of strategy, I avoid consuming large amounts of new information just before the series starts as I believe that we as humans need time to digest, experiment, and polish all we have learned in order to turn it into a sharp weapon. The time to study for Vegas is now, not the week prior to flying there. Considering the fields in Vegas being full of recreationals and weaker players, I focus on playing with nodelocks to sharpen my exploits, mapping out different playing styles, and learning how to respond in each scenario.

What works well for me when preparing for live events is to write down and visualize my perfect day at the series. What time should I wake up? What should I do to be in the best condition possible emotionally, mentally, and physically? What should I do once the chips are in the bag to get well-rested for the next day? How should I plan rest and recovery throughout the whole series? Setting up my mind the right way helps me execute better in all aspects: game selection, play, and recovery.

Stoyan Obreshkov

I personally think satellites are a waste of time, if the game is too big for you to play, I don’t think it’s worth it to spend much energy and money trying to get into it, because most likely you will end up not playing optimally anyways (due to the emotional investment that will cloud your judgment). However, for very big games with great structures like the main event, it is worth spending some time to try to satellite in, but I would only reserve a limited amount of resources. Other than that, I think it is quite dependent on the individual what games to play. Generally, the bigger the field, the better. And obviously also, the better the structure, the better.

Mathias Maasberg

“…structuring when you play around recreational players is central to the most common approach to game selection.”

“Some tournaments don’t overlay in the actual event, but they do overlay in the satellites…if you are a value hunter, pay attention to the satellites too—often they are the best-kept secret in the whole festival.”

Barry Carter

If the game you’re playing isn’t amazing, you’re in the wrong game. And often, the highest stake game at the casino is much worse than one stake lower.

Uri Peleg

Don’t play dailies; the rake is insanely high, and the structures are terrible.  Satellites can be decent value if you’re well-studied in the format, but rake is high in those too. I would say to ensure you research non-WSOP events available around Vegas, there’s a great selection.

Matt Hunt

What is your goal for the trip? Is your priority to make money? Is it less about the financial aspect but more so about enjoying the experience of playing in the biggest series for the first time? If the goal is to have fun and take shots, and you budgeted and are fine with losing all of your entry fees, YOLO and play all the big events! But, if the goal is primarily to make money by playing MTTs, I recommend playing a schedule of mostly soft, smaller field events that many pros will skip and that will have anywhere from 250 or fewer runners up to 500, as you reduce variance considerably since you are more likely to run deep in smaller fields than in huge ones. You can often guess the number of runners based on the guarantee for the event, as operators usually set it at a number they are confident enough players will enter to surpass their guarantee. I would recommend side events under $1000 outside of the WSOP, particularly ones that run at the same time as events that will be very appealing to pros elsewhere. If you also want to take a few bracelet shots, mix those in with a larger number of small fields to have the best shot at reducing variance. For those who qualify to play them, seniors and women’s events present some of the best opportunities to play small to medium size fields with fewer pros. Mixed game events also present great opportunities for fun and variation with smaller field sizes where it’s possible to have significant edges if you know tournament theory well. But even if you are only interested in NLHE and don’t qualify for restricted events, there will be so many tournaments happening at the same time every day in Vegas that there will always be good options to consider.

Another important way to reduce live variance is selling pieces of the events you will play. My bankroll is mostly for online play, so the significantly larger buy-in size of live events can sometimes be too risky. As part of my (online) bankroll plan, I keep in mind a rough average buy-in size when I plan my sessions. Overall, the key metric I use currently is a session buy-in limit, which is the maximum amount of money I will risk per session. I never play a session above 2.5% of my bankroll, and often keep it to 2%. Since I have to use the same bankroll for live events, I take my own action on all entries below my session limit, and then I sell pieces to events that have an entry fee higher than my session limit to reduce my exposure to at or below my session limit. Selling pieces might be difficult for newer players, but as you make friends and connect with other players, tactics such as selling or swapping pieces can significantly help with reducing variance.

Dr. K

As far as I know, bigger fields are universally softer than anything else. Cash games around events depend a lot on the specific casino as to whether they get softer or harder, but they usually get bigger during the WSOP.

Donk Orleone

Before arriving in Vegas, take time to research the tournaments you want to play. Most casinos publish their full summer game schedules weeks in advance, allowing you to plan ahead of time.

The fields during the WSOP, especially in low- and mid-stakes events, tend to be very soft. This opens up great opportunities for taking shots. Playing satellites into bigger events, increasing your average buy-in, or taking a few bullets for higher-stakes cash games might be a good idea during the WSOP.

That said, it’s crucial to stay within your bankroll. Don’t take risks that could put you in recovery mode for months if things go wrong. Your personal risk tolerance matters here: If you’re comfortable with aggressive bankroll management (BRM) and can handle the emotional swings, this could be a good time to take aggressive shots. When you can’t stomach large swings as well as the aggressive BRM type player, sticking to your average live buy-ins or games with a slightly smaller field to reduce variance might be the better approach. A lot of casinos offer smaller field events running at the same time as large WSOP events. Selecting a poker room you feel comfortable in is also a factor you shouldn’t underestimate. Spend some time early in your trip exploring different rooms.

Vanja

In terms of scheduling, I believe people underestimate how important rest and recovery are. Most players go to Vegas and they get swallowed by the desire to win and change their lives, fuelled by the big prize pools, never-ending action, and soft fields. However, I believe that when you are going for a longer grind, you should approach it as a marathon rather than a sprint, planning well and keeping a constant pace throughout the series, optimizing sleep, movement, nutrition, and often checking with yourself for possible adjustments. It is easy to forget about rest when you are chasing losses or when you feel pumped by the dopamine of a deep run, but sticking to a routine has always worked for me to stay fresh, even in the last weeks of WSOP. The last weeks are when I thrive, while everyone is tired and tilted, I just feel my edge increasing with each day that passes and brings us closer to the Main Event.

Stoyan Obreshkov

For longer stays of one month or more, I would definitely recommend renting a house or apartment instead of staying in a hotel. Being on the strip for longer than a month gets really exhausting in my opinion. But for shorter stays than that, being in a hotel right at the strip is of course very convenient. For food, I personally love the Grand Lux at the Venetian or Palazzo the most. That is where I eat there most often whenever I can. It’s not too pricey by Las Vegas standards, plus the food and service are great.

Also for a longer stay, I’d recommend implementing days off to do something other than poker. Watching a show on the strip, just chilling, or anything else. Otherwise, it becomes too much of a grind, and it is easy to get burned out in Vegas.

Mathias Maasberg

Don’t be intimidated by other people who look like pros; most of the players in Vegas aren’t very good! Assume people are bad until proven otherwise. Most casinos have a “poker player discount” if you play enough hours per day at their poker room, so check in advance and you can get a nice price. It’s definitely worth going for higher-end hotels if you can afford them, as they are very special.

Uri Peleg

Just follow what’s enjoyable. Don’t focus too much on extracting every dollar of EV. If you’re enjoying the experience, you’ll play better. Reducing costs is tough; you definitely have to prepare for an expensive trip.

Matt Hunt

Las Vegas can be overwhelming, especially on your first visit. You don’t need to see everything in one night, and you don’t have to grind 16 hours a day. Start by asking yourself: “What do I want to achieve during this trip?”

If you’re here with a more professional mindset, there are four areas to focus on:

Vanja

When looking for a place to stay, I like to avoid hotels. Staying away from the big, noisy crowds and flashing lights helps me find peace of mind when I need it the most. I like sharing a house with friends who have the same vision, so we push each other to stay consistent during tough moments. Healthy habits are easier to sustain when you are in the right environment!

Stoyan Obreshkov

One of my first memories from Vegas was of the night my wife and I flew back. We had a 6 a.m. flight, so we decided to stay and play poker all night with our suitcases next to us rather than pay another night for the hotel. I ended up running amazing at a random 200NL table and won 1,200$, and the second I got up, three people asked for a seat change to get my “lucky” seat.

Uri Peleg

WSOP is my favorite time of year as a poker player. I look forward to it every year. I’m always really grateful that living in Vegas gives me the chance to participate every summer.

Matt Hunt

The first summer I played any WSOP events, I used the strategy described above and had a very successful summer: I mostly played mixed game side events at non-WSOP venues as well as some NLHE dailies, and I only played a few carefully selected larger field WSOP events. I wound up having an incredible week where I won an event at the Venetian, and then was back at the tables the next day for the WSOP women’s event, which I final tabled. 15 years later, I still organize my schedule primarily around smaller fields online and live, with 5–10% of my entries in soft, larger fields. This continues to work out well to reduce variance and risk.

Dr. K

My first few trips to Vegas were chaotic. I had no routine, played too many hours without resting, didn’t exercise, and tried to grind non-stop. I thought playing as much as possible was the key to success. The reality? I was constantly playing my B or C-game while feeling drained and wasn’t enjoying the trip at all.

Most players go through this phase, and it’s a valuable learning experience. But if you can skip that part and learn from others’ mistakes instead of your own, it’ll save you time, money, and frustration.

Las Vegas is a unique place. Taking a day off, seeing a show, or sharing a fun night out with friends can make your trip more memorable. Chasing results with tunnel vision can backfire. Plus, don’t forget that your overall experience matters just as much as your win rate.

Vanja

Now, I embrace the mistakes I made back then and see those as opportunities to learn and grow so that I can enjoy life fully on and off the tables!

I remember back in 2017, I got to the last day of the Monster stack 1/20 in chips, playing for 1.1 M$ on top, which at the time was about 10 times my bankroll. Some unfavorable card distribution got me to a middle stack with 11 left when I got it in AK vs AJ for a big pot and lost. I remember my knees feeling weak the moment I stood up from the table, but I wasted no time going straight to the cashier to register another tournament, chasing that dopamine high. As a result, I lost 20–30k in the next few days and became extremely exhausted in the last weeks. I don’t remember much from that summer, jumping from one tournament to another with no days off, and I think it could have gone better if I had a better plan.

Stoyan Obreshkov