Swimming With 'Jesus' And Sharks

DC Lawyer Ken Adams Heads To Vegas For World Series Of Poker

(CBS) 
I will review my notes from the weekend poker camp (yes, poker camp) I attended earlier this year, where I picked up pointers from some of the most successful tournament professionals in the world. I will play some online tournaments. I will follow the daily progress of friends who are playing in the first week's events.

I will think about whether the increased size of this year's fields should lead me to play more aggressively or less so in the early rounds, and dozens of other such choices I will have to make once I get to Las Vegas and sit down at the tables. Should I routinely fold hands like 7-7 before the flop, even though that is not the optimal theoretical play, because I have had so much difficulty playing middle pairs after the flop in prior tournaments? When I raise before the flop with A-K will I always follow up with a continuation bet after the flop, whether or not the flop improves my hand?

In my young days I played competitive tennis and went to Forest Hills each year to watch the U.S. Open. I never got to compete against Rod Laver or Arthur Ashe.

But each year at the World Series of Poker I get to play hands against former world champions like Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Chris ("Jesus") Ferguson, and the other legends of the card table. I do not expect to outplay them, but there is an element of luck in all card games that means that occasionally I get to win a pot from them. Last year, I bluffed 2003 champion Chris Moneymaker out of a pot and it felt great.

My goal this year is to play my best game, to make good decisions, and not to let occasional unlucky outcomes put me on tilt. It takes exceptional discipline, toughness and concentration to do that for ten to twelve hours a day, while facing down a table of predators that are waiting to pounce on the slightest mistake or show of weakness. Only the top professionals can do it with a high degree of success.

I intend to do better than last year when I played in three events and finished "in the money" in one. At least that's my plan.

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Ken Adams, attending his 18th World Series of Poker, is an attorney in Washington, D.C. He was ranked third by Washingtonian Magazines "The 75 Best Lawyers in Washington" in 2005. He has also written about the WSOP for Card Player magazine.