The Main Event is a marathon and you will encounter many obstacles that will challenge your zen, your serenity and your sanity.
If you can't shake off a bad beat by some brain-dead luckbox you have no chance of winning.
Absolutely zero point zero chance.
Unless you're a brain dead luckbox yourself. But then you wouldn't be reading this blog.
It Will Suck You Dry
I strongly recommend a few days off prior to the mastodon challenge.
You need to recharge your batteries because you need all energy you can muster for the (you hope) many long days about to follow.
Even if you play like a rock you will still be depleted of energy because that's the nature of the beast.
The meaning of it, the stakes, the magnitude, your dreams ... it will suck you dry.
The best players in the world who grind big cash games the day before have no chance of winning.
The ones who get stuck in that game have only a small chance of even making it to the second day.
You should've played a lot of tournaments the last couple of months, but now it's to late.
The best play at the moment is to take a power rest for a couple of days.
Eat vegetables and fruit. Do yoga or swim. Take a massage.
Do something that doesn't involve gaming or gambling of any kind.
One Year I Saw Celine Dion Instead
I've played 14 Main Events. The ones I played without proper preparation I didn't do well in.
The ones where I did prepare right I at least played well.
I used to have a tradition to go and see a Cirque du Soleil show the night before the big show.
It puts me in the right mood and spirit to watch a combined mastery of skill, fantasy and creativity.
Mystère is my favorite. I think I have seen it seven times.
One year I saw Celine Dion instead. I think it was 2005.
Out of several thousand they put the spotlight on T.J. Cloutier with his wife in the audience.
I took it as a sign that I would become the World Champion. The logic is perhaps not crystal clear, but there's nothing wrong with inventing signs for great things to come.
Anything to put you in the right set of mind is a good thing.
Ivey Can't Find a Fold with Queens
What I like the most is to get away from the buzzing, neon-flashing and insane Strip.
I have gone fishing. I didn't even get to fish because I didn't have a license, but I was happy anyway.
I have river rafted in the Colorado River. I have gone boat cruising and swimming on the other side of the Hoover Dam in Lake Mead.
The best preparation I had was in 2003. I went to Vegas and grinded small daily tournaments for two months before the Series.
After the grind, before the Main Event, I went into the wilderness.
It was also my best run, finishing in 34th place, knocked out by Phil Ivey. He thought for a long time but couldn't find it in him to fold queens pre-flop.
A real shame since I had Q7.
I Paid and Left Like a Good Swedish Boy
But I was talking about the wilderness. I needed a haircut but my style was shaved and I didn't want to spend too much.
I saw a sign from the freeway that looked promising. It read “Cuts” or something like that.
The two ladies in the salon where chatting like the bubbly stereotypes of themselves while one of them shaved my head.
That was probably why she wasn't looking at my head. That was probably why she cut my ear with the machine.
There was a big cut on top of my ear that pumped blood down my neck. She said “sorry” and gave me a Band-Aid. I paid and left like a good Swedish boy.
I drove to Mount Charleston to hike in the mountains. A tree all alone on a mountain top said to be over 3,000 years old inspired me.
Imagine how much wind, rain and freezing misery it had endured during its lifetime.
It was hard as rock and symbolized myself and my road to the championship bracelet, or so I thought. Inspiration is good anyway you get it, remember?
I stayed at a place that looked and felt like the place in The Shining.
I had dinner in a 300-seat round restaurant. I think there was another guest at the other end.
But perhaps it was just a wild animal or something escaping from the fridge.
A Smile Appeared on My Face
When I had finished dinner I looked down into my empty Diet Coke glass. On top of the rocks laid a dead fly.
It must have been dead because I have never seen a fly sleeping on his back before.
When the waiter showed up again I pointed at the fly in my glass. He looked at me as if I had greatly insulted him.
I didn't even get upset. I paid the check and tipped like a good Swedish boy.
A smile appeared on my face. I knew I was ready to play the Main Event.
About Ken Lennaárd:
Sweden's most controversial poker blogger Ken Lennaárd has been around the professional poker circuit for almost 20 years. Among his numerous accomplishments are Swedish Championships both live and online, three WSOP final tables and over $1.5m in live earnings. He's now bringing his singular poker voice to the English world via PokerListings.com. Look for new posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Note: Opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not represent the views of PokerListings.com.
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