All right, so you’re out at the World Series of Poker.
Congratulations. You figured out how to get there with your money and your wits intact. That is not nothing.
Sometimes getting everything handled at work before you leave, dealing with travel logistics, and making it to Las Vegas in one piece is a battle by itself.
But now that the initial excitement of getting to the series is starting to wear off, let’s talk about how you can keep your momentum going for however long you’re out there, even if it’s the full six weeks.
1. Never forget how dehydrating Vegas can be
Vegas is extremely hot right now.
Triple-digit desert heat can dehydrate you much faster than you realize. I went from not really enjoying Vegas, and not understanding what the big deal was, to absolutely loving my time there once I mastered hydration.
That is how important it is.
The dangerous thing about dehydration in Vegas is that it can sneak up on you.
One time I was there playing cards in November. It was cool outside, so I did not hydrate as well as I normally would have. I also went for more runs than usual. Then one day I woke up completely delirious. I had never felt anything like it in my life. I was totally out of it, and it was bad.
I had to hydrate aggressively just to feel normal again.
That is how quickly it can happen.
I have had a lot of success with hydration packets like LMNT and Liquid I.V. When I’m out there, I’ll often chug a large water bottle with one of those mixed in every hour on the hour.
You should be hydrating to the point where urinating becomes a bit of a problem, because that is much better than becoming delirious on the felt playing for life-changing money.
Get whatever kind of water you will actually drink. If you like still water, have crates of bottled water on hand. If you like soda water, chug more of it than feels comfortable.
Every time I take friends or family to Vegas, I have them do this. Every single time, they tell me they dealt with way fewer dehydration symptoms than their friends warned them about.
2. Do not gorge at the buffet when you first arrive
When you first get to the World Series, it is really exciting.
You see all the games, all the tournaments, all the cash tables, and you want to jump from one event to the next event to a cash game to a 3am session to seven hours of sleep and then right back to playing again.
But if you do that, you are going to get tired very quickly.
Have a list of the tournaments you want to play your best in, and stick to those.
If you have an early exit, that is totally fine. Find something that will take your mind completely off poker. It is usually better if it is not on a screen.
Go to a museum. Go to a show. Do something fun.
One of my most profitable summers in Las Vegas, I went out to a Triple-A baseball game, sat there, did nothing, and thought about nothing for four hours. When I got back to the felt, my brain felt completely refreshed.
Find some way to give your mind real rest, because playing poker well is intensely difficult.
3. Do not chase a cash like it will change your life
Most people wear themselves out at the World Series of Poker because they desperately want to get that first cash under their belt.
They want to call home and say, “Yeah, honey, I got my first cash.”
Or they just want to prove to themselves that they can cash at the series.
But you would be much better off trying to actually accumulate chips during the re-entry period, when many people are playing terribly. If you bust early, that is fine. You can take the rest of the day off, refresh yourself, and come back ready the next day.
The alternative is much worse.
If you are just nursing your chips, avoiding thin spots, constantly folding, and dealing with the frustration of never really giving yourself a chance, you are going to get beaten into submission within nine days.
You will keep dribbling along with no chips, barely missing cashes, and exhausting yourself mentally.
Use the game that got you there.
Dance with the girl who brought you.
Put your chips in.
4. Watch what you eat
I am not going to lecture you about your diet, because frankly, nobody in America listens anyway.
So I will just tell you what has worked for me.
There is a lot of incredible food in Las Vegas, and I am always happy to eat all of it. But when I am out there playing poker, I have always performed better when I eat more simply.
The salads are not exactly incredible in Las Vegas, but I have eaten a lot of them. You do not have to become a monk. You do not have to be perfect. Just make a few healthier decisions.
Those small choices can give you a lot more energy.
At breakfast, maybe do not crush a giant plate of hash browns with your meal if it is going to slow you down later. Maybe have a couple of eggs. Instead of a candy bar, have an apple.
Basic adult stuff.
None of this is complicated, but it goes a long way when you are dehydrated, sleep-deprived, and using your brain for extra hours every day.
5. Get some movement in
If you can do any kind of movement, it is huge.
Even 10 or 15 minutes on a treadmill in the morning can wake your brain up.
If you want to play your best, I really recommend doing anything in the hotel gym. Lift weights. Walk on the treadmill. Do some basic stretching. Swim a little bit. Go for a walk outside if the weather allows it.
All of it helps make your brain more alert.
Have you ever looked up what a brain scan looks like when someone has been inside all day versus after they take a 30-minute walk?
You might want to take a look at that before you go to Vegas, or while you’re out there.
That’s it for today. Wishing you the best of luck on the felt.
Stay safe, and stay hydrated.
Alex Fitzgerald is a best-selling author published by D&B Poker. Check out Alex’s most recent book, ‘How to Beat Players Who Never Fold.’
Visit pokerheadrush.com and subscribe to Alex's FREE strategy newsletter to receive three FREE training video packs. Follow Alex on X and Instagram.
