Practice:
Before going into any big money poker tournament it is important to spend as much time as possible playing poker. The more hands you play the more you will learn, and the better you will get. I personally will spend up to 5 hours a day in an online casino or poker room, and then on the weekend I will go to the casinos and spend the entire weekend at the poker table with the exception of a few hrs a day to sleep. When I ht the casinos for these mini marathon poker weekends I like to put some wet wipes in my pocket just to make it easer to clean up so I do not have to leave the table.

Poker tournaments are not quick games. a poker tournament can take more then 12 and some games can go for 2 days, don’t worry they give you a break to sleep. Just from spending so much time at a poker table can take its toll on your mind and body. Therefore it is important to take good care of your body for at least the last 2 or 3 weeks leading up to the tournament. This will help you keep your mind focused on the game. After all if you were going to be in a car race you would maintain your car right?

Proper Diet:
Eating right is very important to keeping the body running well. When playing poker the last thing you want is to get a drop in energy because you have not been eating right. Also they have scheduled breaks for the bathroom, and eating improperly can cause you to have to go irregularly and this can break your concentration.

Exercise:
The amount of concentration needed to win a poker tournament regardless of it being in a casino or in an online casino or poker room, can cause the body to become tired after just a few hours. Exercising regularly will help you build the body's stamina

Good Nights Rest:
It is not just important to get a good night sleep you also have to regulate the times that you sleep. Going to sleep every night and waking up at the same time every day is good for you. This will help the body repair itself and keep the mind sharp for the poker game. This will help keep your mind on the game and prevent you from yawning all throughout the latter hours of the game when most people start making stupid mistakes caused by fatigue which can make the difference between winning the tournament and going home a loser.

Study:
Leading up to any poker tournament you should make sure to study the game. We already know you have to play as many hands as you can, but you should also watch other people play. In recent years channels like ESPN have been airing high stake poker games and tournaments. These televised games often have some of the world's best players, and studying their game and figuring out their strategies can make a big difference when you are playing. If you can figure out why one of the worlds best players is doing what he is doing you should be able to figure out the game of the people you are playing against.

Hopefully these tips will be as helpful for you as they have been fro me over the years.