I am a full-time professional gambler, but have been away from the poker tables for years. Thanks to my Caesars Seven Stars status, I am using the opportunity to enter the PSPC next month. I have had a lot of success in low-mid tournament poker ($50-$500 buy-in range) but for various reasons, I've been doing other things and have played almost no poker in the last 5 years. I have a decent library, but my poker tournament books are at least 5-10 years old. I live in Washington State where I have access to lots of small stakes tournaments (average $50 buyin) but Internet poker is illegal in Washington.

Given that I have about 25 days to cram up on my poker skills, what recommendations would you have to prepare for a $25k buy-in tournament that will likely have a lot of weak spots in it?

Current relevant library of NL Tournament:
Harrington on Hold Em 1 and 2
Sklansky Tournament Poker
Snyder Poker Tournament Formula
Rodman Kill Phil
Hull Poker Plays you Can Use
various Ed Miller books

Thanks for the advice!

(and feel free to direct me to a relevant thread if it exists)

Kill Phil obviously



Also don't do this

Matthew Janda's latest book would probably do the most for you pound-for-pound.

Well deserved. Not my brightest hour.

Go all in with AK

Play play money on pokerstars.net.

Janda’s book is excellent

Also, don’t 3bet/fold KK

Sell just over 200% of your action and then don't cash.

Thank you...starting Janda's book...it seems like a great option to cover areas I could use.

I like tournament poker edge. Also can’t see a problem with run it once. I’m currently a member of crush live poker and they have a good video series for live poker tournaments with jonathon little.

Jon little plays a little nitty in spots I feel but he breaks down hands really well and discusses gto play in spots and really looks deep down on ranges etc.

Call me crazy but I feel but I feel if you beat the levels you stated, you probably can still beat the game but I would join a run it once type training site to see what’s going on today.

Hire me as a coach...

Honestly, I wouldn't be considering taking this shot if not for the ridiculous overlay (no rake, $1 million added, 300 entries given as promotional prizes over the last year) and that I can stay at Atlantis for essentially free. Those are the kind of opportunities that non-poker pros look for, so as long as I am even with the field or at least at 95% of equity, it should be +EV.

As for coaching sites, what's your opinion of Red Chip compared to the sites you mentioned? Ed Miller is the author who's writing made the most sense to me and I think Red Chip comes from Ed Miller disciplines, I think?

I was impressed with Hunter Cichy - Advanced Concepts in No-limit Holdem. He thinks and expresses himself very clearly, and it is a good introduction to the modern game.

You are right to put some work into updating your skills - it is unrecognisable from even a decade ago.

Good luck!

Ed Miller is a cash game player.

Join Run It Once or buy one of the MTT courses by RYE/UpSwing.

He has a book on tournament poker?

Tournament poker is like real poker but with worse players. Educate up not down.

Didn't get you.

Big bank takes little bank