With $12.5m in the pot - at least - ACR’s Venom tournament is expected to make multiple millionaires by the time the final table draws to a close on May 1.
Multiple starting flights are running until Sunday, April 28, alongside plenty of satellites and opportunities to win a seat on the cheap.
The $2,650 cost of entry puts a direct buy-in beyond the reach of many recreational players, but with Mega Satellites running weekly at $55, $109, $290 and $630 price points, there’s still the chance to bag one of their 140 seats guaranteed each week.
Mega Satellites are running Saturdays and Sundays, right up to the final Day 1E on April 28. You can find out more about the Mega Satellites and other cheap routes right here.
As the Day 1s continue - breaking records as they go - we spoke to Chris Moneymaker and Monika Zukowicz, two ACR Pros with experience of playing the Venom, to see what advice or insights they could share with our readers.
The Venom is back! What are some of your favorite memories from previous series?
Chris Moneymaker: My favorite memory was my first Venom, right before I signed as an ambassador at ACR. I got 4th and got a call from Phil Nagy that changed my life.
Monika Zukowicz: Mine is from the from the previous Halloween edition. I ran the Venom ticket giveaway on my Twitter, asking people to decorate their grind station in a spooky way. I loved the results! I couldn’t believe how dedicated and creative most of the people were.
Is there one particularly challenging hand, or opponent, that stands out to you from past Venom series?
MZ: I remember busting one of the Venoms during the last hand of Day 1. In a 250bb pot I stacked off 
on the flop vs. a player who had nothing but two overcards to the 
high board and a backdoor flush draw. They had 
and ended up hitting a runner-runner flush.
CM: A memorable opponent? Jon Pardy is always a person you want at your table!
Has your approach to Venom evolved or changed over the years?
CM: Well, with the introduction of the bounty Venom, I take more risks early to build a stack so I can take advantage and get bounties later.
MZ: It's a very challenging tournament for the European players due to the time zone and the flights running until 6-7am. I am trying to adjust my sleep schedule before Venom so that I don’t struggle around 5am.
How do you typically prepare mentally and physically for a big online tournament series like the Venom?
CM: Honestly, I treat it like any other day or tourney. I used to psych myself up to play the Main Event every year, and I didn’t cash for 16 years. When I started to just treat it like any other event, my results improved a lot.
MZ: I follow my pre-session routines. I make sure I have my meals prepared for this long session, and avoid processed foods during the series and all kinds of unhealthy snacks. I don’t do any big workouts when I play a big event like Venom. I start my day with a yoga session, which ends with breathing exercises, I prepare the food, go for a decent walk, write down the goals for my session and start the grind.
What advice do you have for players looking to make their mark in the Venom this year?
CM: The Venom is unlike most online events. The structure is so deep and compares to a main event of a big live buy-in. You can take your time and find your spots.
MZ: You can’t win the tournament on day 1, you can only bust on day 1. The structure of this tournament is so good that it doesn’t make sense to go for thin lines and play high-variance poker versus weaker opponents, especially at the beginning of this event. There are plenty of recreational players who will give away their chips in easy spots.
ACR Poker hosts Day 1C of the Venom runs this Sunday, April 21 at 1:05pm ET, with 1D and 1E available on April 25 and 28 respectively.
Images courtesy of ACR Poker
