Assessments from 19 Gamblers on WSOP: Highlights and Lowlights Revealed
Las Vegas' Biggest Poker Showdown
It's the week before the world's largest poker festival and the anticipation is palpable. Economic uncertainty has loomed over Las Vegas, teetering on the brink of recession, but that hasn't dampened spirits. May is the month of 'what if' in the poker world. Dreams remain uncrushed and bankrolls are plentiful. Let's take a look at what some of the top poker pros are saying about the upcoming World Series of Poker (WSOP).
I gathered a diverse group of expert players, ready to share their insights on the WSOP. The panel includes World Poker Tour (WPT) ambassador and vlogger extraordinaire Brad Owen, record-breaking Sunday Millions champion Vanessa Kade, Run It Once coach Kevin Rabichow, 888 poker ambassador Ian Simpson, Pokerstars ambassador and best-selling author Maria Konnikova, up-and-coming crusher Fabian Bartuschk, Irish Open champion Dan Wilson, Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) Player of the Year and Pokernews podcast host Kyna England, WPT champion Soheb Porbandarwala, professional poker pro and water bottle chucker Matt Affleck, WPT champion Andy Wilson, 2-time MSPT champion Angela Jordison, RunGood Main Event champion Terrance Reid, online crusher Aaron Barone, RecPoker podcast host Jim Reid, award-winning broadcaster Dara O'Kearney, Pokerstars ambassador Jen Shahade, and poker champion Maria Ho.
Here's what they had to say when asked about the number of bracelet events they plan to play and whether they prioritize WSOP tournaments.
Brad Owen: I'm currently planning to play around 30-40 tournaments, but I may run out of money at some point in the middle. My plan is to play exclusively WSOP tournaments. The registrations have been made easier, so getting seated quickly is a breeze. I'll play very little cash due to the long wait times for public cash games later in the day. I'll probably play some Wynn events, as they offer a welcome change from the usual Horseshoe.
Vanessa Kade: I'm unsure as to exactly how much I will play. My goal is to be perpetually playing throughout the summer. Several other series running parallel to WSOP have become quite good, so my ultimate schedule will probably have fewer bracelet events than previous years. There are a couple of no-miss tournaments like the Main Event and some six-max events. If I bust something and still have energy and something else is late reggable, I'll play it, likely hopping between properties a lot.
Kevin Rabichow: I'll play 10-15 bracelet events this year, but I won't prioritize the WSOP. They still have the highest value tournaments during the summer, but other series are gaining ground.
Ian Simpson: I will be Vegas for 16 nights and will be playing everything $1K and over at the WSOP. I think that makes eight unique events, not counting multiple flights. The rake sub-1K is pretty high, especially given the bad level of service we get at the WSOP. I won't completely rule those events out, but they are a lower priority for sure.
Maria Konnikova: I won't make it to Vegas until the 9th of June, so I'll miss all the early events. I will prioritize WSOP events because I have the rest of the year to play non-bracelet events. My second choice will always be The Wynn because they have a great summer series with fantastic guarantees.
Fabian Bartuschk: My goal is to play about ten WSOP events. I will prioritize the best value tournaments, no matter where they are in Vegas.
Dan Wilson: I'll only play between two and four WSOP events this year. I do give them a slight preference, but I am certainly tempted away from the Horseshoe when there are large field main events in other casinos.
Kyna England: Right now I plan to play about six WSOP events, but that could change. I used to make WSOP my priority, but not anymore. I think some of the other events at other venues can be more profitable, and it's good to mix up the venues to avoid a stale summer. I'm excited to play some events at the Venetian and the Golden Nugget, as getting off the strip is always nice!
Soheb Porbandarwala: I am only going to be in Vegas for a week or two, depending on how the Main Event goes. I have no plans on playing any other specific events. I don't normally prioritize WSOP tournaments when I am in Vegas, usually the opposite actually.
Matt Affleck: I will play a pretty full schedule, probably 30 or so events. I do prioritize No Limit Hold'em WSOP events in the $1K to 5K range. In my opinion, the offering at the Horseshoe and Paris trumps the other properties.
Andy Wilson: I'm not quite sure yet when I'll go, but the added option to buy in with Luxon with the migration to the new WSOP+ app has piqued my interest because it helps circumvent liquidity issues significantly. I'd say 15-20 is a fair line depending on when I turn up in Vegas. I'll mostly stay at the Horseshoe and Paris.
Angela Jordison: I'll play approximately 25-30 WSOP events. However, I will try to be flexible and allow myself to play less or more depending on how I feel. I do prioritize WSOP events but I also play off-property events that have fields heavy with BBQ dads, like the Wynn Seniors!
TJ Reid: I plan to play about 20 or so WSOP events. I build my schedule around them. If I bag an early flight or something then that's when I venture out to other venues.
Andrew Hedley: It's only going to be 5 events for me this year, as I'll only be in Vegas for three weeks. I generally avoid prioritizing the WSOP. I prefer looking for better structures and online, there's plenty of options nowadays with the Wynn, Venetian, and others, so it really comes down to schedule.
Aaron Barone: Other than the Main, I'll probably only play one or two. I'm not a huge fan of the WSOP events, and there are many great series running during the same time frame. I pick the games that appear to be a combination of most fun/highest equity (Who doesn't want to open a Mystery Bounty envelope?).
Jim Reid: For this year, I'll only be playing the Main Event and three others. I do prioritize the WSOP.
Dara O'Kearney: I'll be in Vegas for almost five weeks, so probably about 15-18 events. I prioritize the WSOP events and plan my schedule accordingly.
Jen Shahade: I haven't set my plans yet, but I'll probably play three or four WSOP events this year. I'm only going to be there for a little over a week, so my trip will be focused around the WSOP schedule.
Maria Ho: I'll play 15-20 events. This will be my smallest schedule in the last fourteen years. Due to life stuff, I won't be able to stay in Vegas for the whole summer. For me, bracelet events come first and they are the best value and biggest fields.
What about days off during the Series?
Brad Owen: I'm not very good at taking days off and find myself always wanting to play something. This year, I may need to make sure I slow down and take breaks to improve my chances at success in the tournaments I play. When I'm not playing, I'll focus on videos, studying, and spending time with family.
Vanessa Kade: Sometimes yes, other times no. Last year I missed quite a few events because my cat was ill, but this year I'll play as much as possible.
Kevin Rabichow: Yes, plenty! I want to leave space for socializing, working on my coaching business, and recovering before big events. I'll take a few weeks off in the middle of the series as well.
Ian Simpson: I rarely take a day off. I want to get in as much volume as I can.
Maria Konnikova: Yes. I always take time off before the Main (and usually leave Vegas altogether) to go on a mini-vacation somewhere on the water. This summer, Nate Silver and I are doing an event at the Aspen Ideas Festival, as well, which happens to be in the middle of the series, so we will both be taking some days off for that.
Fabian Bartuschk: I will definitely take some days off. I think it's necessary to take time away from the tables to recover.
Dan Wilson: Yes, if I had to guess, I'll probably take 1-2 days off over 2-3 weeks.
Kyna England: Yes, I can't do a full schedule anymore nor do I want to.
Soheb Porbandarwala: Yes, and I'll be taking just about every day off this year.
Matt Affleck: I will certainly take some time off.
Andy Wilson: I don't usually turn up for every tournament, and I'd like to keep it that way. I haven't ever been a high volume player, even online, apart from perhaps the lockdown period. I prefer to spend as much time away from the tables as I can.
Angela Jordison: I'm there for six weeks to work hard, so days off are not a priority. I'll probably end up taking 1-2 days off.
TJ Reid: I plan my schedule for no days off. If I'm feeling good, I'm playing. If I'm not feeling well physically or mentally, I'll give myself a day off as needed and when possible.
Andrew Hedley: Yes. I'm old now.
Aaron Barone: From tournaments? Often. I usually end up playing cash games on those days, but I definitely give myself the option to not play anything at all.
Jim Reid: Yes, I only take rest days on longer trips, and I will try to take advantage of every minute I'm there. If I bust tourneys, I am always happy to jump into cash games.
Dara O'Kearney: Over the years, I've tried every approach to rest days - scheduling them, taking them when needed, and not taking them at all. I think that this year, given that I will be there for so long, I will probably take a few, although they may end up being media days.
Jen Shahade: I don't plan to take any days off because I'm only going for such a short time. A few previous summers before I had a kid, I went for a longer time period, and then I took a lot of days off to rest and do other work.
Maria Ho: Yes, I always take at least a few days off before the Main. I also often take a few days off during the series to recharge.
The experts realized that entertainment wasn't limited to WSOP tournaments alone in Las Vegas during the poker festival. Brad Owen, for instance, aimed to play sports in Wynn events, while Ian Simpson planned to participate in everything $1K and over at the WSOP, but gave lower priority to sub-$1K events. Additionally, sports enthusiasts like Matt Affleck favored the offering at the Horseshoe and Paris casinos, suggesting an interest in sports-related entertainment during their stay.
