My Trip To The Wsop Academy

[dna4ever 2]

A few people have asked me to post a trip report from my trip to the WSOP Academy a few weeks ago. I suck at writing so I'll hit the high points.Was lucky enough to get to goto this event as a reporter/web guy for the Hardcore Poker Show since I do their website.This Academy was specifically a tournament academy. The instructors for this particular event were Annie Duke, Joe Navarro, Mark Kroon, Alex Outhred, and Mark Gregorich.There were about 80 people in attendance which was a pretty good crowd. It was a two day seminar and each day was split up into about 3/4s of a day of seminars and 1/4 of a day of live hand demonstrations with the pros where we would play a hand and then analyze the reasoning behind every decision. At the end of the first day was a free roll tournament in Caesars poker room, I played pretty well making it down to the final 27, 3 tables and blinds started to escalate and made a button move at the wrong time with TQo and Pro Mark Gregorich woke up with AK in the BB and held.Biggest question people asked was "Is it worth the money?". If you play poker at all for a living or semi-serious profession then I would say ABSO-FRICKING-LUTELY. The concepts and detail and 12th level of thinking that was discussed was incredible. Joe's seminar on tells was amazing and I personally made several extra bets (I'm a limit player) at the poker table after listening to him speak where I would raise in situations where I picked up several tells of weakness versus situations that I might normally just call or even potentially fold.Some of the topics that really interested me personally where:Maximizing Value while Minimizing Losses with Marginal HandsTruly Understanding the Math behind every decision.Learning the truth about suited connectorsHow to avoid getting shortstacked/blinded off in tournaments when the deck is running coldUnderstanding multiple betting strategies based on image of yourself and the table/Changing GearsThe importance of making your decisions easier while making your opponents harderControlling the pot sizeUnderstanding your stack size is only as big as your opponents.Understanding the BS behind Implied Odds and situations where IO's are actually applicable.Being constantly observant.Mark Kroon had some really good tips on online play that helped as well.One of the biggest things that REALLY helped me is so basic and I'm sure nearly every good player already knows and has mastered these concepts is that money in the pot is just that, money in the pot. I always used to defend my big blind with marginal hands or I would let turn or river decisions be affected by money I had invested preflop or on the flop and it was so important for me to grasp that each card was a new decision and that pot no longer had my money in it, it was the pots money and it was irrelevant where it came from.Overall it was a really good trip and I learned an unreal amount of poker knowledge. I got to become friends with Lon McEachern and now have a new cell # to drunk dial on those crazy Saturday nights. I got to do about a 10 minute 1:1 private interview with Joe Navarro which was absolutely fascinating. Got to meet a few FCP'ers and had a nice dinner with Patty, Daniels Asst. Played a lot of poker and Pai Gow and Black Jack. Got some great photos and memories that will last a lifetime.So in short, I definitely recommend the WSOP Academy for those looking to take their game to the next level.

[I_fold08 1]

good stuff

[051103 0]

gr8 read

[dna4ever 2]

I posted a few of these in the Neg O thread, but here are a couple of pictures. I'm still waiting for my 'plaque' where they took a picture of you at the poker table for one of the images and the other image was a group picture with all the pros and it has a nice WSOP Academy plaque.Got lots of goodies too, handbag, DVDs, manual, card protector, etc etcI'm front row on the right side (of the picture) directly beside the guy in the wheelchair right in front of Joe Navarro ...Little Fullcontactpoker advertising:Picking up Annie Duke's shedding hair off the poker table ...The new apprentice? herself:Lon McEachern. I have to say it was REALLLLLLLY strange playing at the same poker table as him cause everytime he spoke and 'that voice' came out I felt like I was really in a live WSOP event or something.

[Oziumrules 0]

Nice read. I was thinking about attending one of those until Nutz told me he was disappointed in everything but Navarros seminar. Im gonna look into it again. BTW...Annie looks like she hasn't showered in a week.

[nutzbuster 7]

CHRIS!@@@!!!@@#@R$!!!~~~!!!!

[Mercury69 3]

Yayyyyyy!

[jmbreslin 0]

This Academy was specifically a tournament academy. The instructors for this particular event were Annie Duke, Joe Navarro, Mark Kroon, Alex Outhred, and Mark Gregorich.

How the hell does this guy qualify as an instructor?

[Vtlaxer09 4]

vn read sir!start crushingggg now!

[dna4ever 2]

Nice read. I was thinking about attending one of those until Nutz told me he was disappointed in everything but Navarros seminar. Im gonna look into it again.

You know I think it's interesting and am sure every attendee has a different experience and expectation.I was in kind of a weird place because in my head I liked to think I'm an average or above average poker player because I spend a lot of time on poker forums, have read 20+ poker books, have played poker recreationally online for years and even had a successful run at making some decent money back in 2005, but the reality is I am a losing player. I have a negative ROI overall so something wasn't 'clicking' with me. I'm not sure what my expectations were for the Academy, but I assumed there would be all levels of poker experience in attendance and I personally expected a lot of the seminar to be elementary or stuff that I had previously read in one of the multitude of books over the years (including Joe Navarro/Phil Hellmuths Tells Book). The truth ended up being that some of the elementary stuff was the most helpful and until that stuff REALLLY clicks you will never master the intriquisies (sp?) or more advanced concepts of the game. Its amazing how much of the room of 'well versed poker players' in the room would miss what would seem to be the most basic questions such as "do you bet here, call here, fold here, check raise here" . People tend to get patterned or always play hands in a certain way and forget to 'think' about WHY they are doing what they are doing.It is amazing how many mistakes every day poker players including myself make on the flop, SICKENING.I don't play enough poker myself these days to hone most of these skills unfortunately, but for those that play on a daily or weekly basis I think this HAS to help your game or at least make you think more about the decisions you are making and the story each of those decisions tell along with what story is your opponent telling and does their story make sense.

How the hell does this guy qualify as an instructor?

Hahaha, he never actually spoke during the seminar, but he did do some hands on live table demonstrations as a dealer and answered some Q&As about online poker at the end of the session.

vn read sir!start crushingggg now!

Teach me.

[rcgs59 15]

I posted Joe Navarro's web site in one of the hardcorePoker Radio threads when he was talking a few weeks ago. He also does then over the net from his site. Well worth it. http://www.navarropoker.com/http://www.wsopacademy.com/

[silkyjonson 1]

omg annie is hit.

[Canuckickstan 2]

omg I'd hit annie.

Not sure if I fyp or no.

[cloverstorm 0]

cool read. how much does this cost tho?annies pick #1 looks like death has her ovaries in a headlock

[silkyjonson 1]

Not sure if I fyp or no.

if you mean with a bat then yes, yes I would.

[dna4ever 2]

cool read. how much does this cost tho?annies pick #1 looks like death has her ovaries in a headlock

they range in price. that tournament academy was $1600 which included everything including the freeroll, 2 amazing lunches and 2 continental breakfasts.

[Suited_Up 2]

they range in price. that tournament academy was $1600 which included everything including the freeroll, 2 amazing lunches and 2 continental breakfasts.

Not even an omelette station? screw that!

[SGFULTON83 0]

Why are your sunglasses not on while you are playing? I thought you said you were an average player! To think the instructors didn't notice your sunglasses weren't on let's me know they don't know anything about poker.

[Suited_Up 2]

Why are your sunglasses not on while you are playing? Annie's face is paler than the white hot light of the sun! How could you even see the cards?

FYP

[SGFULTON83 0]

FYP

What shelter is she staying at? Seriously, she looks very rough and the funny thing is she probably spent 2 hours that morning in front of the mirror trying to look like that. Did she stink DNA, were the flies a problem?

[Suited_Up 2]

What shelter is she staying at? Seriously, she looks very rough and the funny thing is she probably spent 2 hours that morning in front of the mirror trying to look like that. Did she stink DNA, were the flies a problem?

And to think, just a few years ago when I saw her at the WPT Champ, I was super surprised how good she looked in person.

[Balloon guy 158]

Little Fullcontactpoker advertising:

Is Annie handing out condoms for 'later'?If so than I can understand your facial expression.

[Balloon guy 158]

A few people have asked me to post a trip report from my trip to the WSOP Academy a few weeks ago. I suck at writing so I'll hit the high points.Was lucky enough to get to goto this event as a reporter/web guy for the Hardcore Poker Show since I do their website.This Academy was specifically a tournament academy. The instructors for this particular event were Annie Duke, Joe Navarro, Mark Kroon, Alex Outhred, and Mark Gregorich.There were about 80 people in attendance which was a pretty good crowd. It was a two day seminar and each day was split up into about 3/4s of a day of seminars and 1/4 of a day of live hand demonstrations with the pros where we would play a hand and then analyze the reasoning behind every decision. At the end of the first day was a free roll tournament in Caesars poker room, I played pretty well making it down to the final 27, 3 tables and blinds started to escalate and made a button move at the wrong time with TQo and Pro Mark Gregorich woke up with AK in the BB and held.Biggest question people asked was "Is it worth the money?". If you play poker at all for a living or semi-serious profession then I would say ABSO-FRICKING-LUTELY. The concepts and detail and 12th level of thinking that was discussed was incredible. Joe's seminar on tells was amazing and I personally made several extra bets (I'm a limit player) at the poker table after listening to him speak where I would raise in situations where I picked up several tells of weakness versus situations that I might normally just call or even potentially fold.Some of the topics that really interested me personally where:Maximizing Value while Minimizing Losses with Marginal HandsTruly Understanding the Math behind every decision.Learning the truth about suited connectorsHow to avoid getting shortstacked/blinded off in tournaments when the deck is running coldUnderstanding multiple betting strategies based on image of yourself and the table/Changing GearsThe importance of making your decisions easier while making your opponents harderControlling the pot sizeUnderstanding your stack size is only as big as your opponents.Understanding the BS behind Implied Odds and situations where IO's are actually applicable.Being constantly observant.Mark Kroon had some really good tips on online play that helped as well.

Please expound..

[Loismustdie 0]

I can't imagine walking up on Annie Duke without being visibly startled.

[dna4ever 2]

Please expound..

Just about every book you read talks about how suited connectors play well in multiway pots, limped pots, etc etc. You see a lot of the professionals, especially Daniel win these huge pots with with cards like 7T, 4s5s, 89, etc etc.When you start breaking down the reality of what is going to happen with suited connectors you start to think differently and realize that actually they probably play better HU versus multiway.Take a hand like 8s9s for example:Say there are 4 or 5 people in the pot and you 'speculate' with a hand like this utilizing the thinking "I'll see a cheap flop and flop big or can easily get away from it"You have to really be thinking "What flop am I wanting to see with this hand?"Some of the best case flops are obviously: flopping trips (1.3%) flop a straight (1.3% of the time), flop a flush (0.08% of the time), flop a boat (0.09%). Outside of these pretty awesome flips that are gonna happen <1% of the time you are left with hands like these:If the board flops 8 high are you happy? Are you happy if you bet and get raised with your top pair 9 kicker and most likely straight oriented board below you?If the board flops 9 high are you happy? Same question above.Say you even flop two pair which likely leaves OESD at minimum on the board are you happy if you get raised or reraised?Say you even flop a 9 high flush with 4 or so people in the flop there is a very good chance you are ahead (after hitting that miracle flop), but you puke in your mouth a bit when you are raised cause you could be drawing dead or most likely definitely have someone drawing to a higher flush. just bad situations/spots to be in that can be avoided.A great point that was made about suited connectors is when you see them you should ask yourself, would I play these cards if they were NOT suited. Suited 8s9s only has 3% more equity then 8c9s (offsuit) yet people don't think twice about throwing away 89o, and are giddy at the 'opportunity' to play 8s9s because of all the 'potential!'The fact is you will always (99% of the time) be in very marginal situations with these types of hands and if the goal of poker is to make your decisions easier and your opponents harder you are not doing yourself any favors playing these types of hands, especially multiway. The interesting thing is a hand like 8s9s played HU against the worst case scenario (pocket aces) is only 23/77 dog. The discussion really changed my perception of these types of hands and I would much rather play suited connectors HU in position versus multiway regardless of position.