Hey everyone! I’m beyond excited for the WPT World Championship at the Wynn next month! I’ve got my flight booked (December 10th!), and in true degenerate fashion, it’s a one-way ticket. I’ll just see how it goes and fly back when it feels right.
Here’s the rough plan:
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Play the WPT Prime Day 1d on December 11.
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Maybe try my luck in the ClubWPT Gold $5M freeroll a couple of days later (anyone got a spare ticket for that?).
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Fire my bullet at the Championship event that weekend.
This field is going to be tougher than the WSOP Main Event, so I’m planning on late-registering to avoid giving my opponents too much of a deep-stack advantage early on. With all the coaching I’ve been getting from Matt Affleck, I’m definitely feeling ready, but it’s going to be a challenge. Excited nonetheless!
A Lesson in C-Betting
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from Matt Affleck revolves around c-betting from early position, especially when playing a single-raised pot heads-up against a caller from the big blind. While this applies to any position, heads-up pots against players in the blinds are a key area to focus on.
Here’s a simple rule that Matt taught me that can save you a lot of mental energy:
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Is the highest card on the flop a ten or higher? Or is it a nine or lower? It sounds basic, but this one heuristic can help you make better decisions on the fly.
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Low connected flops (like 7♣ 8♠ 2♦) are more favorable to the calling ranges of players in the blinds. If you c-bet these too often, you risk getting check-raised or called by strong hands, which can put you in tough spots on later streets. Bet less often and use larger sizing when you do.
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Broadway card flops (like K♠ Q♦ 10♠) are better for your opening range. You can c-bet these more frequently, and when you do, use smaller bet sizes to put pressure on your opponents. Not only do you hit these high cards more often to make pairs, but Broadway turns and rivers are also more likely to improve your range.
If you want to level up your game, I highly recommend coaching with Matt! His sessions are incredibly insightful, and you can follow along in real-time if you’re a premium member of RecPoker or PokerCoaching.com.
Calling Out the Jerks: It’s Up to Us
Before I wrap up, I want to touch on something important that came up during our recent interview with Seth Moeller on the RecPoker Podcast. Mike Day asked about how we can make the live poker experience less intimidating, particularly for new players and women who too often face ridicule or bullying at the tables.
This is a problem that goes beyond poker, but in our community, we need to do better. As I’ve said before, there are plenty of kind-hearted “whales” (I’m one of them!)—so why are we tolerating the jerks? We must take responsibility for creating a positive environment at the tables. When we see someone acting like a jerk, don’t just stay silent. It’s up to us to push for a more welcoming atmosphere and make sure poker rooms and floor staff understand that abusive behavior won’t be tolerated.
It’s about lighting a candle instead of cursing the darkness. Let’s make sure our poker rooms are a space where everyone feels safe and respected. Let’s all shine brighter together!
