In today's Q&A, I answer 3 listener Q’s about considerations for tourney sponsorships, adjusting from 6max cash to 9max cash tables and putting ‘The ONE Thing’ to use in my poker career.

In episode 68 I taught you about the most valuable hand analysis tool available, Flopzilla, and how it’s revolutionized my poker game and my hand reading skills.

Tourney Sponsorships, 9max Cash Considerations, ‘The ONE Thing’

Question 1 from Eva (2:30)

• Sponsorships like this are very common.  They can take any form that you'd like them to take and that the other person is willing to accept.  If they're offering to pay your entire buy-in for 1/2 the profit, and there's no repercussions if you don't cash, then this essentially makes the only thing you're spending to enter the tournament is your time.
• Often, somebody will pay the full entry for more than 50% of the winnings because they feel like they're risking more with the monetary risk being more valuable than your time spent.  It's not uncommon to see these deals at 75/25 or 80/20 (the more desperate you are, the more % you're willing to give).  If you could do this maybe 1 tourney out of every 10 you play, you could play 10% more tourneys at the same monetary cost.
• If you decide to go into this arrangement, you need to start the tourney knowing you're only playing for 50% of the prize.

Question 2 from Gary (5:25)

• I break down the 9 positions in a full ring game to SB, BB, EP, HJ, CO and BTN.  This will mimic what you already know of 6max games.  EP in this case will consist of UTG, UTG+1, MP and MP1.  Keep your range nice and tight in the early positions.  When you're in later positions, you might also see lots of limps ahead or even an open and some callers.  If your hand is good in multi-way pots (for example sc's like 87s and JTs or pp's like 33) then just call and play a multi-way pot IP.  If you've got a value hand, then you've got to raise it to limit the field, and raise it big.
• My standard open is 3x, but if I'm facing limpers I'll add one x for each limper, so 3 limpers would be a 6x raise.  If there's an open ahead and I want to isolate, I'll make my 3bet 3x his open.  If there's an open and callers I'll make it 3x+1 or 2 per limper (depends on how passive and stationy the guys are who already put $$$ in the pot).
• You should keep in mind that players in 9max games are generally more passive, whereas 6max palyers are far more aggressive.  So, for example you might have 6max players in the blinds who 3bet a lot, but in full-ring these guys often just call in the blinds.  You might also get more calling action in full-ring even when you open in EP.  You’ll have to get used to the differences.  You might have to open the pot a little more (like 3.5-5bb’s) in full-ring games to limit the callers.  This will take some adjustments and paying attention to the way the players play at whatever LIVE game you sit down at.
• When you first sit down, take note of the bet sizings that elicit lots of calls, and the sizings that limit the field.  Make adjustments to your own bet sizing depending on the pre-flop outcomes you’re looking for.

Question 3 from Ken (9:35)

• First off, if you don’t know what ‘The ONE Thing’ is, it’s a self-improvement book about focusing on the ONE thing every day that will push you closer to your goals than any other thing.  There are lots of areas of life where this can help you progress, and poker is just one area I use the lessons from ‘The ONE Thing’ in.  If you missed it, I did a podcast where I reviewed ‘The ONE Thing’.
• So, something that I’ve always struggled with is trying to do too many things at once, but not finishing any one of them.  This book helped me to get past this issue.  Sure, it still creeps up, but with consistent practice I’m getting better at getting stuff done.
• The first thing you need to do is decide what you want in life.  I had decided I wanted to make my living in the poker world.  There were so many avenues for me to pursue.  But I decided to make my mark in the podcasting space.
• So, my pursuit right now, my ONE Thing, is becoming the best poker podcaster I can be.
• Also, I’ve got a big list of tasks that will make me a better poker podcaster and make my product better.  I’ve prioritized that list, and I’m working on one thing at a time, starting with the ONE thing that will make the biggest impact for me right now.  This is the Domino Effect that is discussed in the book.  You do the one thing that will make the most impact right now, and once completed it should make all other tasks easier or unnecessary.
• So, to sum up the steps necessary to put the ONE Thing to use in your life:

1. Decide what you want out of life
2. Choose the avenue you’d like to pursue that can get you there
3. Make a list of all the tasks that you need to accomplish on your way to success
4. Put those tasks in order of most impactful to least impactful, considering that each one should build upon the last.
5. Break up each of those tasks into doable steps
6. Get started on step one

Up Next…

In podcast #70, I discuss going to the WSOP, give you some LIVE tourney tips and discuss some of the lessons I learned from playing in this year’s Colossus II.

Until next time, study smart, play much and make your next session the best one yet.