Summer Poker Preparation
What you should do, where you should go, and what you should bring to Vegas this summer.
The other day I found myself talking to and preparing our Club’s Player of the Year for what to expect as the winner of our annual WSOP prize package. While Chris has been crushing us on Stars, he doesn’t have a lot of experience on the live felt. We had a great conversation from notes I had from a previous chat with another club member that had won a trip.
In the midst of reviewing and deciphering about 20 random post it notes from last year, I thought it may be best to put them down in a legible format for future reference. While I’m doing that, why not share these notes with the world in hopes to help someone else out and perhaps get some feedback on anything I’m leaving out.
There are a lot of WSOP prep courses out there for newcomers that talk everything you need to know about strategy and player pool tendancies. Don’t expect any of that here but a lot of the ideas I’m going to share do come from the lists of others as well as our experiences in the Summer Desert.
This essay is going to be most helpful to those who haven’t been to the WSOP or experienced the variety of venues and games that the various other poker rooms offer. If you have been, maybe you can pick something up that is still helpful to you or sparks an idea or aspect or product that I overlooked. If so, please let me know in the comments and we will continue to make this list more comprehensive.
Where to Stay
Starting with the logistics, I recommend staying “on campus” if possible. Especially if you plan on playing more than a couple WSOP events. By campus I mean at Paris or the Horseshoe. Being able to easily head back to your room for something you forgot or for a quick bathroom break after breakfast is a game changer for me. The room rates are reasonable especially mid week and if you use the code: WSOP26 on Caesar’s website, you will get 10% off your room.
Even if you do find yourself wandering away from the WSOP venue (more on that later), this is a great centrally located spot as you can walk to any poker room on the strip (though the Wynn may be a stretch).
What to do First
The very first things you need to do are download the WSOP Live app, get a Caesar’s Rewards Card, and get your app verified.
You can download the WSOP Live app from home before you even set off. It’s the same app that is used on the WSOP Circuits that you may already have.
When you get to Paris, the Horseshoe, or any Caesar’s property, you can find a Caesar’s Rewards Center on any casino floor. You will need your ID but it is free to get the card.
Once you have the app and the rewards card, head to the Champagne Room on the Paris side of things. Someone in the room will match your ID, rewards card, and app and verify you. This is also a good time to deposit cash or set up your credit or debit card to your account. This makes registering for a tournament quick and easy.
Once you go through this process, you are good to go for any WSOP event. Simply register for your tournament of choice on the app. Once you decide to sit in, you will get a table and seat number and be ready to show the dealer your app in exchange for your chips.
Your Pack
At my first WSOP in 2017, I was shocked that everyone had a backpack. I hadn’t worn a backpack since the 5th grade. Why would I need a pack to play cards? My ignorance stemmed from the fact that I had never played cards for 10 hours straight. It turns out a lot of creature comforts fit nicely into a pack.
Whether you carry a full backpack, a side pack, or a fanny pack, here is a list of things you may consider putting in there.
Hoodie or Jacket - Its hard to believe but sometimes it gets downright cold in these places.
Gum / Candy - After 5 hours and 4 cups of black coffee I start getting self conscious that my breath may not be as minty fresh as it was when I sat down. Also - I really like candy.
Lip Balm - While a Carmex tub is always my go to, consider bringing a lip balm of your choice. It’s very dry out there and can help make you feel a bit less cracked up.
Portable Charger - Get a cheap portable charger (and cord) to charge up your phone for the deep run you are dreaming of.
Ear Buds - I don’t recommend distracting yourself from the action at the table. However, if you have someone that is really annoying you, it may be your best bet. You don’t even have to listen to anything. Just having them in your ears can keep you from being pestered.
Hand Sanitizer - Sharing chips, cards and a dealer change every 30 minutes ensures that you have second hand contact with every person in the room within a few hours of sitting. It’s filthy. If you can’t see it or feel it just trust me. Use hand sanitizer and keep your little part of the world as germ free as you can.
At the Table
If you are an online player trying your hand on the live felt, here are a couple tips to keep your inexperience to yourself. Keep in mind that every NLH tournament that you will play will have a Big Blind Ante. This means the BB position posts his BB and an ante of the same size. Get used to the idea of putting it out there without being asked.
Keeping your chips in a good order also helps your image of comfort and confidence. You want to keep big chips in front or on top. When you have a lot of chips, put them in stacks of 10 or 20 to make it easy for you and your opponents to count your stack with ease.
Where else to go
Lastly, there is more to a summer of poker than the WSOP and NLH. I would challenge anyone to find a venue away from it all to see what some of the other places have to offer.
Higher buyin games can be found at the Wynn, Venetian, and Aria while low stakes series can be found at the Orleans, Southpoint, the Golden Nugget, and MGM Grand as well as very affordable dailies at Caesar’s Palace and the Bellagio.
Consult Poker Atlas for up to the minute details on tournaments.
Also, summer in Vegas is a great place to get your feet wet in some mixed games. If you ever wanted take a break from NLH to play a tournament of 2-7 Triple Draw or 7 Card Stud 8 or better, this is the time and place. Lower buyins are available for mixed games at the Orleans, SouthPoint, and the Golden Nugget.
One of my goals every year is to play at a new venue and play a new game. I have never regretted fulfilling this goal!
Good Luck to everyone, have a great poker summer, and I hope to run into you out there.
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider liking it (by clicking the heart below). If you have any questions or comments please leave them as I do read and enjoy them all.
Finally, thank you, as always, for reading.
The WSOP has reconfigured the layout for 2026. The Champaign room is no longer the cage for registration and payouts. I'm not sure exactly where the cage will be, though, as the WSOP has not released their map to the public yet. Hopefully they will do so in the next week.
Day 1s will be in the Horseshoe this year, while Day 2s and beyond (including the Final Tables) will be in Paris. Also, the daily deep stack events and the satellites will be in the Horseshoe Event Center (where the Final Tables used to be).
One thing I found when making my hotel reservations was that the wsop discount code said it was giving me 10% off but the price was exactly the same. They increased the price 10% and then gave me a 10% discount so use at your own risk. Also my midweek price is about $65 while the weekend rate is $230 per night so I highly recommend doing something during the week if you can.