Tools to help you manage your poker schedule this summer
The 2023 summer poker tournament season in Las Vegas is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) this year is expecting record numbers and preparing to break the record for the most entries into the $10k Main Event. Other feature events from the WSOP include a $1000 buy-in Mystery Millions Bounty, $333 buy-in Triple Treys Summer Tip Off, $500 Freezeout and $1500 Millionaire Maker are just some of 95 live bracelet events. They will also have 34 Online bracelets up for grabs.
Wynn Las Vegas will be hosting it’s annual Wynn Summer Classic. This series is Guaranteeing $28 Million in Prize Pools and features 2 Mystery Bounty events along with a couple of WPT Events.
Other tournament series in Las Vegas include:
Aria Poker Classic
Golden Nugget 2023 Grand Poker Series
2023 Venetian DeepStack Poker Series
Aria Poker Classic Summer 2023
MGM Grand Summer Poker Festival
PokerGo Summer in Las Vegas 2023
The Orleans Summer Open
The poker community has created some tools to help you navigate your way through all the tournaments this summer.
The most elaborate tool I found was created by Kim Unger on Tableau. She created a matrix with all the events for the Summer of 2023. The most impressive feature here are all the filters that you can set. You can set filters for Buy-in Amounts, Casino, Number of Days and several other ways for you to find the event you are looking for. You can find Kim’s Public Tableau here.
The 2 tools above helped me create Google Calendars for all the venues this summer. If you need help adding events to your Google Calendar, you can go to my article “Subscribing to a Public Google Calendar” for help. So, if Google Calendars are your jam, you can find each venues events and their respective calendars below.
The 2023 Wynn Summer Classic will take place from May 31 to July 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas. The series features No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and H.O.R.S.E events that total guaranteed $28 Million in guaranteed prize pools. The first event of the series will be a $600 No Limit Hold’em tournament with a guaranteed prize pool of $200,000. The series will also feature a $2 million guaranteed $1,100 No Limit Hold’em event and also a $2.5 million guaranteed $2,200 Mystery Bounty event.
The schedule for the 2023 Wynn Summer Classic has been released. You can add all the events from the series to your Google Calendar here. The series will run from May 31 to July 20 and feature a total of 43 events. The buy-ins for the events range from $500 to a $10,500 “WPT Everyone for One Drop” and also a $111,000 “WPT Alpha 8 for One Drop”.
Featured Guaranteed Events include:
The series will feature a total of 43 events.
$10 Million Guarantee – $10,500 Buy-in Main Event
$2.5 Million Guarantee – $2600 Buy-in Mystery Bounty
$2 Million Guarantee – $1600 Buy-in Mystery Bounty
The series runs from May 31 to July 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
The 54th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) is set to make a grand return to the Las Vegas Strip in the summer of 2023. Running from May 30th to July 18th, this highly anticipated series will be hosted across two venues: the newly renamed Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally’s) and Paris Las Vegas. Excitement is building as all indications point to this being the biggest and most remarkable WSOP to date.
With a record-breaking 95 bracelet events on the schedule, the 2023 WSOP offers a diverse range of buy-ins, catering to players of all budgets. From the $300 events to the high-stakes $250,000 tournaments, there’s something for everyone in this poker extravaganza. Last year, the WSOP drew over 197,000 participants from around the world, competing for a staggering $350 million in prize pools. This year, organizers expect even larger attendance numbers, with over 150,000 square feet of gaming space and 600+ poker tables available between the two venues.
Notable events to watch out for include the thrilling $1,000 buy-in Mystery Millions, featuring a guaranteed million-dollar bounty, and the high-stakes $3 million guaranteed Gladiators of Poker tournament. However, the highlight of the entire series remains the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event. Scheduled from July 3rd to 17th, this iconic tournament attracts the best poker talent in the world. The first of four consecutive Day 1 flights kicks off the action, leading up to the final table, where a world champion will be crowned on July 17th inside the Thunderdome at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.
In addition to the bracelet events, players will have the opportunity to participate in daily satellite tournaments held across the Strip, providing affordable pathways to entry into the coveted bracelet events for as little as $10. The Daily Deep Stack tournaments will run every day from June 1st to July 17th, with buy-ins ranging from $200 to $400.
Buy-in
Time
Format
$250
1pm
Regular
$400
4pm
Accelerated
$200
8pm
Accelerated
2023 WSOP Daily Deep Stack Events
Registration for the WSOP is now open, accepting both in-person and online sign-ups at wsop.com. US players are required to present valid identification, while international players must provide formal proof of address, such as a bank statement or utility bill.
For those unable to attend the event in person, live streams of select WSOP gold bracelet events and the World Series of Poker Main Event will be available on PokerGO and the PokerGO YouTube channel, ensuring that poker enthusiasts worldwide can experience the thrilling action and follow their favorite players throughout the series.
Get ready for an unforgettable summer of poker as the 2023 World Series of Poker returns to the Las Vegas Strip, offering unparalleled excitement, massive prize pools, and the opportunity to witness the crowning of a new world champion.
Dates: May 30 to July 18, 2023
Venues: Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas
Events: 95 bracelet events, with buy-ins ranging from $300 to $250,000
Notable events: Mystery Millions, Gladiators of Poker, Main Event
Registration: Open now for both in-person and online players
Live streams: Available on PokerGO and the PokerGO YouTube channel
Google Calendar is a web-based scheduling and time-management tool developed by Google. Users can create, edit, and manage events, set reminders, and share calendars with others. It seamlessly integrates with other Google services, such as Gmail, making it easy to schedule events and receive notifications.
The platform offers various viewing options, including day, week, month, and agenda, for efficient navigation and organization. Users can create multiple calendars, color-code events, and invite others to collaborate. With its user-friendly interface and cross-platform accessibility, Google Calendar has become a popular choice for individuals and organizations to keep track of their schedules and coordinate activities effectively.
Google Calendar is a great way to keep track of your appointments, events, and tasks. But what if you want to keep track of someone else’s calendar? That’s where public Google Calendars come in.
Public Google Calendars are calendars that anyone can subscribe to. This means that you can see all of the events that are on the calendar, just like you would see your own events.
Below you’ll find a step-by-step process of subscribing to a public Google Calendar.
GTO+ is a powerful poker analysis tool that allows you to solve complex game theory optimal (GTO) problems. It is a popular choice among professional poker players and coaches. However, if you are new to GTO+, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of starting to use GTO+.
Please keep in mind that GTO+ is for Windows. You’ll need an OSX emulator like Parallels or Bootcamp to get this to work on your MAC
The first step is to download and install GTO+. You can find the download link on the official website. GTO+ has both a free version and a paid version. The free version has limited features, but it can still be helpful for basic analysis. The paid version has more features and is recommended for serious players.
Once you have downloaded GTO+, follow the instructions to install it on your computer. The installation process is straightforward and should not take long.
Step 2: Understand the Interface
When you open GTO+ for the first time, you will see a complex interface with many options. It can be overwhelming at first, but do not worry. Take your time to understand the different sections and buttons.
The main window is divided into several sections. The upper-left section shows the range of hands you are analyzing. The upper-right section shows the board cards. The lower-left section shows the output, and the lower-right section shows the solver controls.
Step 3: Create a New Solver Tree
To start using GTO+, you need to create a new solver tree. The solver tree is a representation of the different actions you can take at each decision point in a hand. To create a new solver tree, click on File > New Solver Tree. You will be prompted to select the game type, stack sizes, and position.
Step 4: Add Nodes to the Solver Tree
Once you have created a new solver tree, you need to add nodes to it. A node represents a decision point in the hand, such as pre-flop, flop, turn, or river. To add a node, click on the “Add Node” button in the lower-right section. You can add multiple nodes to represent different decision points in the hand.
Step 5: Define Ranges and Actions
After adding nodes, you need to define the ranges and actions for each node. To define a range, click on the range button in the upper-left section. You can select a range from the pre-defined ranges or create your own. To define an action, click on the action button in the lower-right section. You can select a pre-defined action or create your own.
Step 6: Run the Solver
Once you have defined the ranges and actions, you can run the solver by clicking on the “Solve” button in the lower-right section. The solver will calculate the optimal strategy for each decision point in the hand. You can view the output in the lower-left section.
Step 7: Analyze the Output
The output of the solver shows the optimal strategy for each decision point in the hand. You can use this information to analyze your own strategy and identify areas for improvement. You can also use the output to create “what-if” scenarios and analyze different strategies.
GTO+ is a powerful tool that can help you improve your poker game. By following the steps above, you can start using GTO+ and analyze complex poker problems. Remember that GTO+ is just a tool, and you still need to use your own judgment and experience to make the best decisions at the poker table.
If you are a serious poker player, you have probably heard of PioSOLVER. It is a powerful tool that can help you solve complex poker problems and improve your game. However, if you are new to PioSOLVER, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of starting to use PioSOLVER.
Step 1: Download and Install PioSOLVER
Keep in mind that PioSOLVER is for Windows. To use on your Mac, you use Parallels or Bootcamp.
The first step is to download and install PioSOLVER. You can find the download link on the official website. PioSOLVER has both a free version and a paid version. The free version has limited features, but it can still be helpful for basic analysis. The paid version has more features and is recommended for serious players.
Once you have downloaded PioSOLVER, follow the instructions to install it on your computer. The installation process is straightforward and should not take long.
Step 2: Understand the Interface
When you open PioSOLVER for the first time, you will see a complex interface with many options. It can be overwhelming at first, but do not worry. Take your time to understand the different sections and buttons.
The main window is divided into several sections. The upper-left section shows the range of hands you are analyzing. The upper-right section shows the board cards. The lower-left section shows the output, and the lower-right section shows the solver controls.
Step 3: Create a New Solver Tree
To start using PioSOLVER, you need to create a new solver tree. The solver tree is a representation of the different actions you can take at each decision point in a hand. To create a new solver tree, click on File > New Tree. You will be prompted to select the game type, stack sizes, and position.
Step 4: Add Nodes to the Solver Tree
Once you have created a new solver tree, you need to add nodes to it. A node represents a decision point in the hand, such as pre-flop, flop, turn, or river. To add a node, click on the “Add Node” button in the lower-right section. You can add multiple nodes to represent different decision points in the hand.
Step 5: Define Ranges and Actions
After adding nodes, you need to define the ranges and actions for each node. To define a range, click on the range button in the upper-left section. You can select a range from the pre-defined ranges or create your own. To define an action, click on the action button in the lower-right section. You can select a pre-defined action or create your own.
Step 6: Run the Solver
Once you have defined the ranges and actions, you can run the solver by clicking on the “Solve” button in the lower-right section. The solver will calculate the optimal strategy for each decision point in the hand. You can view the output in the lower-left section.
Step 7: Analyze the Output
The output of the solver shows the optimal strategy for each decision point in the hand. You can use this information to analyze your own strategy and identify areas for improvement. You can also use the output to create “what-if” scenarios and analyze different strategies.
PioSOLVER is a powerful tool that can help you improve your poker game. By following the steps above, you can start using PioSOLVER and analyze complex poker problems. Remember that PioSOLVER is just a tool, and you still need to use your own judgment and experience to make the best decisions at the poker table.
“We can’t run from who we are, our destiny chooses us.” – Professor Petrovsky in Rounders
The answer to the question “What movie changed your life?” for me, is easy. The movie is Rounders. Released on September 11th, 1998, is about a law school student that made some extra money playing cards.
I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from Los Angeles in October of 1998. In the winter of 2001 (or maybe 2002), the night before a trip to Lake Tahoe, some friends were spending the night at my place and we would head out from there. After unloading their car for the night, one of the guys had a guilty look on his face and asked “Has anyone seen Rounders?”. Within 10 minutes he had convinced us to go to Blockbuster and rent the movie.
By the end of the film, I found a deck of cards and we ended up playing No Limit Texas Hold’em on my kitchen table using coins from my emptied 1.5 litter bottle of Absolute Vodka.
The next day, we make our way to our cabin. During our ski trip, we end one night eating by the casinos. We had met up with a big group and some of us end up at Caesars Tahoe. Rather than hitting the Black Jack tables, I made my way to the poker room.
“You’re gonna do it?” – Asked one of my friends. I walked up to the poker room entrance and I sat there with $100 playing $1/$2 Limit Hold’em. I can’t remember one hand I played. But I remember I chopped a pot with a straight.
As the dealer was splitting the pot, I could feel all eyes were on me. Glancing around at my first ever poker table mates, I knew that I was out of place. I knew I had to get lucky to win anything that night.
Just like the Atlantic City scene in Rounders, the piranha stayed out of each others way and ate up the chips in front of me. “Here’s the thing…” Back then, I would spew money on Black Jack or anything the casino offered and I’d feel gutted. Mainly because I knew the house had the edge. I always felt foolish giving into the temptations of playing against the casino. But I knew when I walked away from the poker room with my free CardPlayer Magazine in hand and I felt a little spark in my soul.
The ski trip ended and I got dropped off back at my place. I hopped into my car and made my way back to Blockbuster and I bought Rounders. Later that week, I installed either Paradise Poker or Golden Palace Poker. I made a $200 deposit and started playing micro stakes Limit Hold’em. I’d play while reading the CardPlayer Magazine that I took from the poker room. My deposit lasted maybe a week.
My poker dream didn’t blast off in an instant like many you hear about. But I knew I liked playing and I found myself watching Rounders … all-the-time!
In 2002, I was in my late twenties and I already had a full time job. I made my way back to Lake Tahoe on solo trips every once in a while and played more Limit Hold’em. I usually lost but considered walking away with a CardPlayer Magazine a win.
Reading articles about playing $20/$40 and thought I wanted to get there one day. Trying to apply those tactics to a $1/$2 game had some challenges!
I’ve read Super System and the Sklansky books trying to get better. But I was missing something because the victories were scarce. However, I did find myself slowly loving the game more and more.
“We can’t run from who we are, our destiny chooses us.”
After another year or two in the Bay Area, destiny put me back home, in Los Angeles. Working a different 9 – 5 but now, I lived less than 10 miles from Commerce Casino and The Bike. I was reaping all the benefits of the Moneymaker Boom:
I started playing a lot of Limit Hold’em. Sometimes, as high as 20/40.
I’ve splashed around in tournaments and had some scores.
I’ve picked off tourists in Las Vegas and well – Vegas happens when you come up on some money.
I started playing high volume online and printed
I was invited to juicy some home games and printed even more
I was a weekend warrior. Uncommitted to any type of career path and to be honest, the level of poker required to be profitable in those days was really low. So I was uncommitted to learning more than I had to. I found games I could beat and was content.
In 2007 I had lost my full time office job and I found myself in the dealer’s box pitching cards to stay close to the game. This should have been an opportunity become a better player. But dealing put a twist in this poker journey. I had made friends with dealers. Living life as a casino dealer, I’m reminded of a line in Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain: “Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”
Working odd hours, dealers knew where to grab a drink after our 2AM shift had ended. We knew bar owners that would let us in after everything was closed. It was a soap opera of who was dating who. There was work drama. There were temptations of all kinds. There were high levels of debauchery from an unsuspecting bunch.
I still wanted to play, but found myself juggling a social life. My “weekends” were no longer Friday and Saturday nights. I was playing against a different crowd during my time off. This includes my online schedule. I had fewer hours in home games. I had fewer and fewer trips to Sin City.
April 2009 and I’m looking for stability in my life and I’m back to an office job. Excessive indulgence as a dealer put a bad taste in my mouth whenever visiting casinos. The online games were getting tougher. I got myself uninvited from the home games.
In addition to stability, my life felt incomplete. I felt a family life calling me. For the first time in my life, I sought stability.
With poker in the rear view mirror, I found myself at a dead end job. Again, uncommitted at growing in my career path. I’m paid just enough to be lazy. It might have been what I needed at the time. Now with a beautiful wife and two wonderful daughters. This was the life I was longing.
It’s 2020 and since taking this job, I might have 10 visits to the casinos. Having a wife and kids changed me. I fit in with everyone else now. Life was “normal”. With a family to support, I lost the urge to gamble.
“We can’t run from who we are, our destiny chooses us.”
“Sitting around getting older” .. And the world is in lock down. I’m playing Poker Stars Home Games on Zoom with some childhood friends. Over drinks and old juvenile stories I was playing “Wiffle Ball”. Like Mikey returning to the Ivy League game, this was the spark that brought back some fire. “I felt alive for the first time … “
This Zoom game brought me to more games. I’m now thinking about my broken heart; What could have been if I took my game more seriously.
It’s now 2023 … My wife and I are watching John Legend perform. He starts singing some familiar lyrics. Wait .. These aren’t his lyrics! He’s performing “Dancing in The Dark” but I feel that his interpretation is a dark tail that I find myself relating to.
I’m now consistently playing in low stakes games that I can easily beat. With a very nice win rate! I’ve been taking shots at bigger games. I’ve got subscriptions to training sites. I’ve even taken on some coaching sessions from the great Tommy Angelo.
“Messages keeps gettin’ clearer”. I needed the stability in my life as my family grew. While my family now has some of that stability, my wife and daughters also deserve to have a husband and father that is happy with his day to day life. Lately, I’ve been asking myself “Do I want to be stable or happy?”
Professor Petrovsky has been answering for me with a question of his own: “What Choice?”
World Series of Poker, Wynn Classic, Venetian DeepStacks and more…
Millions in guaranteed prize pools for several of the major poker tournaments around Las Vegas this summer. Two more venues have added their own set of poker tournaments for the summer of 2022. The Orleans has added their tournament schedule for the 2022 Orleans Summer Open with over $3.5 Million in guaranteed prize money. The MGM Grand has also created The Grand Summer Series with $9 Million in guarantees.
If you’re into calendar apps, I’ve create Google Calendars for all the poker tournaments running in Las Vegas for the Summer of 2022. You can find them listed below. Please always check my work and feel free to email me or slide into my DMs if you spot anything that needs to be corrected.
Below you’ll find the final list of poker tournaments in Las Vegas for the summer of 2022. Along with the official links, you’ll also have links to the Google Calendars I’ve created.
The WSOP, Wynn, Venetian, Aria and Golden Nugget will also host PLO tournaments this summer
Have you seen all the Google Calendars I’ve made for all the poker tournaments this summer? Most of the tournaments are No Limit Hold’em. But some people believe that 4 cards are better than 2. So, I’ve gone ahead and separated the PLO events as well as all the Omaha events
WSOP, Aria Poker Classic, Venetian DeepStacks, The Wynn Summer Classic and South Point Poker Tournaments Calendars
Kenny Hallaert (@SpaceyFCB on Twitter) completed his 2022 Summer Poker spreadsheet of poker dreams by adding events for the South Point poker series.
I’m a bit of a nut for Google Calendar, so I went ahead and created separate Google Calendars for all the separate poker series for the Summer of 2022. The link to that article on this blog can be found by clicking here
My previous post has links to Google Calendars for:
Kenny’s spreadsheet had a wonderful surprise for me. He added a tab which contained the entire list of all the events from the major Las Vegas Poker Tournaments this summer. This made it much easier for me to generate a calendar for all the events:
