Online Poker News » March 2005 » March 30, 2005.

WPT BOOT CAMP - Poker Superstar Clonie Gowen to Teach Enthusiasts How to Reach a Final Table.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - First there were baseball fantasy camps, then football and ultimately golf. Now there is a poker fantasy camp, WPT BOOT CAMP™, coming April 30 and March 1 to Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Proven poker champion Clonie Gowen will give poker amateurs the tips and techniques to put them on the "Fast Track to the Final Table™." Anyone can now pick up the card-playing skills of a poker pro with the intense two-day WPT BOOT CAMP workshop, and at every WPT BOOT CAMP top students who perform well in tournament play will be rewarded with entry into a WPT™ sponsored satellite tournament.

WPT BOOT CAMP turns card enthusiasts into poker aficionados capable of competing for millions of dollars at a Final Table. The Camp is an authentic, in-person instructional experience where people get coaching from proven champions and the very experts who make the WPT so compelling every Wednesday night at 9:00p.m. on the Travel Channel. Only 50 students are accepted per camp session to ensure a maximized learning experience. The cost is $1,495 per person, and seats can be reserved at www.wptbootcamp.com or by calling 866-WPT-BOOT.

The challenging Camp tutors students on all aspects of competitive, tournament Texas Hold'Em Poker. Lessons have been carefully constructed in such a way as to compress the poker learning curve. Much of the coursework is based on WPT host Mike Sexton's new book, WPT: Shuffle Up and Deal (HarperCollins) being released this month. Each student will receive a copy of Sexton's book upon graduation while supplies last. Additional curriculum comes from WPT commentator Vincent Van Patten and poker expert Alex "The Insider" Outhred, the man behind the camera who analyzes all hands played at WPT Final Tables. They will each make appearances at certain camps.

"This is an incredible opportunity for someone who has a yearning to improve his or her game or has their sights set on winning a tournament, " said Sexton, who's insightful commentary on WORLD POKER TOURâ has helped inspire the nation's new poker enthusiasts to learn more. "Myself and the rest of the instructors will share our knowledge with students in a way that you can't in books or on television. It's much more personalized."

By combining their mastery in proven strategies and their personal techniques, trainers will lead students along the path to perfect poker. WPT BOOT CAMP sessions feature uniquely developed curriculum that includes live lectures, archived WPT video footage, game play, and personal tips by poker superstars. Students receive hands-on training filled with tips and tools to help them better understand the "tells," "reads," and strategies integral to improving their game.

For starters, students focus on their unique skills and the skills of opponents. This includes developing the ability to make the right decision at the right time, paying attention to the surroundings, managing emotions and aggression, developing patience and endurance, and avoiding some common rookie mistakes.

After exploring the basics, students then move along to the mathematics of poker where they are taught to analyze poker hands, calculate odds, and decide on the right amount to bet. They will then receive instruction specific to Texas Hold'Em that addresses pre-flop betting, post-flop betting, early position plays, stealing a blind, avoiding dead draws, making all-in bets, and utilizing a bluff.

Lastly, students get tutelage on how to approach tournament play so they may make it to a Final Table. Early, middle, and late tournament strategies are discussed along with the value of changing tables, overcoming bad beats, short stack play, keeping the chip lead, and more no-limit betting strategies.

WPT BOOT CAMP is the brainchild of Miami's own Ron Rubens and Steven Berman, co-founders of River Gaming, LLC. The duo developed the program after years of work in the gaming industry and prior experience producing instructional seminars. River Gaming is a licensee of WPT Enterprises, Inc., which holds an ownership interest in the WPT BOOT CAMP.

"The best way to improve quickly is to learn from the pros," said Berman. "This is tournament poker education in a safe environment...not at a table in a casino. We give you a forum where you can learn the skills that will shift the odds in your favor before you head out there to compete in a satellite or at a major tournament. Study up before you buy-in."

Students who refer a friend to the program will receive the following special offer: $25 in cash, and the friend will get a $100 discount off the price of the camp.

About WPT Boot Camp™
WPT BOOT CAMP is a highly intensive poker instructional seminar based on elements of the WORLD POKER TOUR, the smash hit television show on the Travel Channel that launched the nation's poker boom. Much like a "fantasy camp," its instructors are WPT hosts and poker champions. WPT BOOT CAMP is the brainchild of Ron Rubens and Steven Berman, co-founders of River Gaming, LLC, who developed the program after years of work in the gaming industry and prior experience producing instructional seminars. River Gaming is a licensee of WPTE, which holds an ownership interest in the WPT BOOT CAMP.

Source: World Poker Tour.

Tags: WPT, Boot Camp, World Poker Tour.