When Should I Start Playing Tournaments?

Bruce M. of Columbus, Ohio thinks he is ready to play tournaments and wants to know if I think he is ready.

My question to Bruce is, do you think you are ready to take on the world? If your answer is yes, go for it.

Tournaments is simply adding another division to the encounters you are willing to add for poker. Always be willing to add adversaries to your circle of poker foes. Don't be afraid to let them gang up on you. That's what makes the game fun.

Take on your opponents until the whites of their eyes begins to shine. Then slow down your forward momentum.

Be ready to take on tournaments at a moment's notice. That is how you find out how good you are and how much your reputation should proceedeth you. Please be modest and look before you leap.

If your soul possesses an ounce of a gamble, you will be muscling your way into poker tournaments. Be careful and make sure you only play the legitimate ones.

Then set a length as to what you feel your services are worth. If you would cap your worth at $50,000, keep it there until someone boosts your awareness of your self-worth.

You may feel you are worth $100,000. If that is the true value of your assessment, go for it. And don't accept a dollar's less value.

Post your value where everyone can see it and be willing to take on all comers. You may be taking on tough foes earlier but this should prove a blessing to you in future bouts. Just keep your left guard high and you should be okay.

Set aside 20 percent of your bankroll for tournament buy-ins. Make those buy-ins a real event and celebrate them with friends. If you make them a special event in your life, they will remain special to you and those close to you.

Don't let an important event slip you by. Be willing to go the extra mile to make it, even if it takes sprinting. Don't think you are extra special and deserve a bonus just for being you. You need to make your best effort all of the time.

Make outrageous demands on your time, resources and limitations and try to exceed them from time to time. Don't worry about the consequences. Your own conscience should rein in your limitations.

You should press as far forward as you feel comfortable, not a penny more or less. If you have impressed yourself, that should be sufficient.

You should anticipate some unexpected jumps in your bankroll. It will just happen no matter how you try to plan for it. Let it happen as a blessing.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).