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How Not To Win And Waste Time At The WSOP

MORE on the stop-start WSOP, which starts in a few weeks, ends a few days later for a few months and starts again for a final flurry.

Writing in the Houston Chronicle, Daniel Negreanu considers the matter and says that the winner will be the one who uses the break best.

His position is that the schedule change will benefit those players that "study video of their opponents, seek expert coaching advice, and work on their game plans".

Negreanu's thinking is based on American Football which he says improved when teams began to study their opponents by watching videos of the games.

But if all the coaches are studying all the games then what difference can it make? Watching videos does not improve the coach's game it just makes him think that he has to watch videos so as not to be at a disadvantage.

At the WSOP Main Event final table, the Final Nine will have three months to study footage of their opponents. This might sound incredibly dull because it is.

Negreanu's advice should be listened to and ignored.

The wise finalists will spend the break playing as little poker as possible so as to remain fresh and sharp for the final push.

A few crib notes about your own mistakes can be looked at from time to time, but to do any more than that will leave the player jaded.

If the Poker Anorak is on the final table - and who knows? - I'd use the 12-week break to build up media profile and secure myself a career as a poker expert.

Like Negreanu...

• Poker
• Poker Anorak