Jaime Staples: The Calm Before the Storm

My top tips for making it a successful KO Series

My whole poker career I have participated in online series. At least 30 by now. And I feel as if I have learned a little bit about how to approach them. Getting closer to the second week of the series now, I think these tips will be useful for getting the most out of yourself. Here are 5 tips for how best to prepare for the remainder of the series:

1. This is not the time to max tables.

The series is long and all the best players come out to play the events. There are more tournaments to play in the lobby but this is a marathon not a sprint. Take it easy, conserve energy for the two weeks ahead, and play a comfortable amount of tables.

2. Sleep!

The most important thing you can do away from the tables is get good rest. Prioritizing getting a full sleep is much more important than getting an extra hour of study in. This is game time so treat yourself like an athlete. Rest a full 8+ hours.

3. Make sure you get some exercise in.

Gone are the days when I will fire up 15 days of a series without leaving the house. It is important to get those muscles moving, get the blood flowing, and get a bit of fresh air in between sessions. Your mind will thank you in the home stretch.

4. Play in the moment.

Just like a long series puts pressure on your body and poker skills, it will put pressure on your mindset as well. Downswings get harder when playing large field, big buy-ins day after day. Do your best to stay in the moment with poker decisions. Don’t allow 3 or 4 bad outcomes in a row swing your confidence. You know what you are doing! Just keep doing it!

5. Have a blast

There are so many opportunities that we get as poker pros to play a series like this. They are something special and make sure you take the time to appreciate the moment. Get out there, play your best, work hard, and smell the roses while you do.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, I hope the tips are helpful to some. For me, now, it’s time to get after it. Let the knockouts begin!

Jaime Staples