» What advice would you give a player entering his first big buy in live tournament?
Many poker players choose to play their first big live tournament during the yearly six week long World Series of Poker in Las Vegas each summer. Thousands of players pursue the dream of winning a bracelet and the fame and fortune that goes along with beating the world's best players to get there. It can be an intimidating environment for your first big buy in tournament. So the natural question is, what advice to give to the first time player?
The first step is to understand the environment you will be playing in. There will be hundreds or thousands of players playing. While there are many pros, there are also hundreds of amateurs just like you. The room is vast, but you only need to focus on your table of ten players. The other poker celebrities shouldn't affect you, if they are not at your table.
Every player has to play the cards they are dealt. No matter how good or well known a player is, they still have to respect their cards and the flop. If you play tight and have a really strong hand, play with confidence. Don't let the environment throw you off your game. Don't get distracted by the occasional yells and screams when bad beats are delivered or escaped from throughout the room. Don't be overwhelmed by the sounds of thousands of players riffling their chips as they vent their tension. The key is to try to remain cool, calm and collected during the process.
In big tournaments with good structure, most people are going to play tight. Pay attention to those that don't. Your chips are your life, so protect them and don't splash around in a lot of pots unless you are fortunate to build a big stack early on. You need to manage your stack size in relation to the blinds. Don't allow yourself to be blinded off. Make a move when you feel you can maintain a decent stack size, not when you are so low that your "all in" move won't be respected by the other players. There are large monitors around the room that display the blind structure and you can certainly ask your dealer or tournament official at any time.
It is important to know what your goal is. While most professionals will play to win and take chances accordingly, many amateurs are playing just to make the money and some measurable profit. You can exploit the difference between those who's goal is winning as opposed to just finishing in the money. The dealers are there to assist you as well as deal. If there is ever a dispute or confusion, feel free to call over the tournament officials for clarification. One particular word of advice is always give a vocalization of your betting intention, as it's likely you will make mistakes with your chips, calling or raising motions.
Lastly, remember that you are there to take your shot, but also to have fun. Don't be afraid to try an occasional move. As Hoyt Corkins says "Try to play tight in the beginning, but don't be afraid to take your gambles later. Once you send $10K [on the entry], the $10,000 is gone. That's just chips and cards to deal with now. Play as tough as you can and don't be afraid to lose your money."
