WPT Boot Camp - Day One

David’s Journal

November 30th – Day one.

Due to a cock-up during mission briefing, I’m still grounded in London and not due to fly out until tomorrow. I’m feeling anxious as I’m yet to meet the other members of the unit and I’m keen to high-five them as soon as possible. I’m also missing the induction. I try to quell worried thoughts by reading poker manuals and information about the WPT boot camp.

Its grand title is ‘Battle for the Season Pass III’ and will take place at a resort called Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Over 150 entrants, including at least fifteen WPT pros, will compete for the first prize package of 10 WPT entrance tickets, each worth $10k. The lucky (and, just for the outgoing Bush administration, skilful) winner will also receive $10k to cover air fare and hotel expenses. In total, seven players will win prizes, all of which are packages to enter WPT events. It is a steep prize structure that will reward aggressive play.

Inevitably, the necessary level of aggression will result in a few early exits so, rather than present the unlucky recruits with unstructured time the camp also has a ‘Second Chance’ tournament beginning on Friday. The prizes are not as rich but it should provide additional experience for the tournament rookie.

Other goodies offered by the camp include sit ‘n gos, ‘learning labs’ and after hours cash games. I will miss the sit ‘n gos as I land too late but I am intrigued by the labs. I find it faintly amusing that the pros teach the tourists some moves and then offer cash games knowing exactly how they will play. I’ve obviously missed a trick.

However, it has been a while since I have played a live event so maybe the labs will be useful. For now, I have turned to David Sklansky’s Tournament Poker For Advanced Players for a refresher course. It proves of limited help. It was published in April 2002 and already feels like a relic. The online game was still in its relative infancy and had not yet produced the super aggressive style best embodied by Gus Hansen. Sklansky’s approach is far too tight and his writing style irritates me. It is a collection of essays that he disingenuously deems ‘chapters’ and the pictures of the cards are designed to boost the meagre page count.

I toss it aside, feeling irritated that I don’t own Dan Harrington’s books and try to cheer myself up by reading about the Dominican Republic. The following sentence brings a smile: fishes of all sizes gravitate around the coral. Oh, I hope so, I very much hope so.

The guide book continues to describe the clarity of the waters and the quality of the sand at the resort’s Bavaro beach. Just as I am starting to conjure up an idealistic image of paradise, I read that 8% of all cocaine smuggled into the United States passes through the Dominican Republic. Wow.

Rather mischievously I ponder if that is the reason the other members of the Eurolinx cartel have undertaken such a convoluted route. Surely not..... but.... it would explain why they booked Malta – UK, UK – Miami, Miami – San Domingo and then had a three hour hire-car drive to Punta Cana. I have never met these people....... I feel nervous, so I retire to bed, praying that my first question to them won’t be about swallowing condoms.