Poker Plans

Poker plans.

24 hours in a day is not enough time. Not for me, at least. I’ve learned this very quickly in my first semester of college away from home. Budgeting my time has quickly become an asset in my life and I am still learning how to do it effectively. Unfortunately for me, poker has not been a priority in my life as of late.

I feel that poker is best played when there is a desire to play. Although I always crave a good game of poker, I’ve slowly been rounding the corner and doing a bit of growing up. Poker has taken a back seat in my life, at least for now. Fortunately for me, poker is a patient passenger. It never asked if we’re there yet, it doesn’t have to stop to use the bathroom, and it never changes the radio. Poker respects the tune of my life right now, bobbing its head up and down to the beat that the radio reflects.

At some point though, poker will reemerge in my life as an important facet. I anxiously await this day. This day, more likely than not, will be sometime this coming summer. I will have no classes and only one job 4 to 5 days a week. My agenda will be cleared and I will be living a stress free two and a half months at home in West Palm Beach, Florida. Beaches, babes, and poker. The life.

I don’t know about you, but when I go on a road trip, I don’t just jump in the car in drive. No. I’ve got a plan. When I return to the game, I want to hit the felt with my full potential and make this summer the most profitable poker experience possible. With poker buckled in to the passenger seat of this adventure, it knows where we’re going and how to get there.

Bankroll:

The first step is to replenish all of my poker bankrolls, both live and online. I want to have exactly 100 average tournament entries in my accounts online (roughly $200-$300 per site). This will ensure that I can continue to play within my range of tournaments on a regular basis. As for live poker, I plan to carry about anywhere from 15 to 20 buy-ins for 1/2NL, which is roughly $1,500 to $2,000 dollars. Typically, 20 buy-ins is a bit short for online poker, but my variance is lower in live poker and I feel I have an edge over most players at my tables.

Schedule:

The second step is to plan out a set schedule of play on my poker days. This involves choosing the best tournaments on any given day and planning my average buy-in for the day. I will also monitor my total buy-in’s for the day, always aiming for a set number that is to be determined based on tournament availability. Having an open and flexible work schedule makes this very possible and a key to my success. I also plan on playing a certain number of hours of live poker per week. These will obviously fluxuate with my work schedule and poker room hours, but I will aim for a minimum of 5 hours per week.

Lessons:

I will also plan to make a triumphant return to my poker coach. While in Palm Beach, I receive the help of a professional poker player and coach named Tristan Wade. Tristan is a professional multi-table tournament player with over one million dollars in career earnings as of 2009. Tristan has been a huge mentor in my poker life and will continue to benefit me as a reach and exceed my poker goals. His insight is invaluable and with him on my side, my summer should be a big step in my poker career.

Exercise and Diet:

One of the advantages of living at home is that I can eat healthier at no cost to me. My family is happy to provide my meal when I am home, which normally leads to a much healthier diet. This revamped diet along with recreation and exercise will keep my mind and body fresh. A healthy body and mind is paramount for any serious poker player. When your mind is distracted by a poor nights rest, a bad diet, or a lack of fitness, it can be hard to concentrate on other things. In poker, your mind is your most valuable tool. Treat it right, respect it, and it will be your adversary.

Long Term Goals:

This summer will mark the one-year countdown to the 2011 World Series of Poker. The 2011 series will be my first year of eligibility and I plan to make my way to Vegas and participate. I am going to incorporate a percentage based savings system in order to help fund a portion of my tournament buy-in’s for the events. The WSOP has been gracious enough to offer a new set of $1,500 tournaments this year and will continue to do so. I plan on playing between one and three of these tournaments in order to try and increase my WSOP funs to meet the $10,000 Main Event buy-in. If I do not reach my 10k goal, I will deposit the funds in to a savings account and use the funds for the next series.

All in all, this summer has promise. I am long over-due for a break from school and the hustle bustle of college. I plan to embrace my time away from the academic world and attack the game with full rigor.