Gray-haired poker TRs: Living the WSOP dream

I assume I will be winning all of these tournaments. That's realistic, right?

Joking, but for one day events it doesn't matter too much. If it's a multi-day thing, I plan for the worst-case scenario and am pleasantly surprised by any day 2+ interference.

I understand the WSOP has the prestige but even if you don't want to play a tournament there its definitely worth a visit, If only to see for yourself why it is the favorite of many players.

Everything at Wynn is first class. It's just a completely different experience from playing at the WSOP. Absolute night and day, and again I recommend you find the time to experience it for yourself.

I value your opinion, so I took another look.

I just can't find anything that works really well. While I will be in Las Vegas, the Wynn's NLH offerings are multi-day tournaments with tons of Day 1s. That won't work.

The Wynn does have single day/night turbos, and, ignoring the fact that I don't like turbos, they start at 6:00pm for NLH. A deep run could really screw up playing the next day, although I guess that would be a good, rich people poker problem to face. So, maybe?

The reason I lean Venetian over Wynn is Venetian offers one-day tourneys that start at normal late morning times during my trip.

But maybe I can do a Wynn late night (6:00 pm start) turbo at the end of my trip if I'm not still alive deeeeep in the Colossus. Not sure if that's the best way to try to experience the Wynn in all its glory and grandeur.

Maybe the best way for me to experience the Wynn is to do so on a non-WSOP trip.

To be determined.

In the NCAA tournament semifinals game tonight between the perceived two best teams in college basketball that was supposed to be a coinflip matchup, Michigan annihilated Arizona 91-73 in a game that was not as close as the lopsided score would indicate. Michigan was up 30 at one point. Michigan has been an absolute killing machine in this tournament.

Michigan plays UConn Monday night for the national title ...

... and I'll be there to watch the game in person with my good friend IlliniArt (whose team lost in the other semifinals game).

I'm so excited. Even though Michigan has won a national title in basketball in my lifetime, I did not attend that game. I've been to two games in person in which Michigan won national titles in football. If Michigan wins the basketball championship Monday night with me there, that pretty much will check off my final bucket list item as a sports fan. I want to be there to see a Michigan national title in basketball.

Unfortunately, Michigan's All-American superstar player (Yaxel Lendeborg) hurt his ankle and knee in the first half of tonight's game. He returned to the game but was clearly hobbled. If he weren't hurt, Michigan would be a massive favorite Monday night. Even with the injury (why now?), Michigan is a 7.5 point favorite.

Michigan has been historically dominant through five games in this tournament. One more win is needed. A win I desperately desire.

I prefer this spreadsheet for Vegas tourneys during the summer; used it last year and it was of immense help:

https://x.com/WizardOfViz/status/2040480...

I also second your suggestion to play at the Golden Nugget if they are holding a series this summer. That will give you an initiative to head downtown, you can maybe get there an hour before and have time to walk around a bit etc.

Although I know there was a lot of negative feedback about the way last year's series was run; I found the floor and dealers to be hugely compentent and strict (which I like). I also don't think it's a coincidence that both my cashes came there last summer; not too many ultra-tough Euro grinders are going to find their way to GN for a tourney around $300-$500 buy-in.

Good luck to you and Michigan tonight.

Congrats to Michigan!!!

Eagerly anticipating a national championship TR.

Men's Basketball National Title Game
Michigan versus UConn
April 6, 2026

Tonight is either going to be a dream come true or a nightmare.

My Michigan Wolverines are playing UConn for the men’s basketball national championship. I pick up my friend IlliniArt. Our game plan is simple. Drive the three-and-a-half hours to Indianapolis, see Michigan win a national title, drive back home.

We get to Indy without any problems, park the car and head over to the stadium. It’s two hours before tipoff, which is when I believe they’ll start letting people inside. All I see is a wave of Michigan fans. Hardly any UConn fans. We get to the gates to the entrance and are told they aren’t letting fans in until 80 minutes before tipoff.

Not a big deal. It’s not that cold. Nowhere else I want to be than right here, right now. So we wait. The elderly couple standing behind us are decked out head to toe in Jacksonville State gear.

I ask the husband if he is the head coach of the Jacksonville State basketball team?

Nope.

An assistant coach?

Nope.

Part of the athletic department?

Nope.

I say I thought otherwise given all of the Jacksonville State clothing they are wearing.

His tiny wife, in a southern drawl, says, “Representin’ .” She says her husband is a big donor to the school. Turns out he is an officer for the school’s Foundation. They love the Final Four and have been coming to it every year for over a decade.

Finally, it is time. The doors to the arena are opened. When going through security they don’t ask me to empty my pockets and they don’t wand me.

Illini Art and I go to our seats, dump our jackets and head out in search of food.

This is not going to be a Mrs. rppoker approved meal. I order nacho chips with chili and cheese, a hot dog and a large soft drink. IlliniArt hears my order and tells the concession lady, “Make that two of everything.”

We devour our food, and then we wait for the game to start.

We people watch.

We watch warmups.

It is time for player introductions.

I flash back to the end of my junior year in high school. I was meeting with my high school guidance counselor about the colleges I intended to apply to, and I told her I was certain I’d get into Michigan and that was where I was going. She enthusiastically suggested I apply to lower level Ivy League schools. I said I had no interest in Ivy League schools. I said I wanted a top academic school with tons of school spirit and big-time sports. I said I wanted to be able to go to big-time sporting events. She was persistent that I should consider the Ivy League. I said thanks but no thanks.

She said, “The Ivy League is really prestigious.”

I said, “Michigan is plenty prestigious.”

She said, “I don’t think you understand just how prestigious an Ivy League diploma is.”

I stayed respectful, but I was thinking, “I don’t think you understand ... me.”

And tonight is case in point. I don’t see an Ivy League team taking the court.

End of flashback.

Opening tip.

The game begins.

The game is played at UConn’s pace, which is an ugly, grind-it-out slugfest. The great thing about Michigan is that while it usually plays a beautiful, artistic style, it can also excel in a rock fight.

In the first half Michigan is 0-for-8 from 3-point land. Its injured superstar is playing, but it’s clear he is only playing at 50-60% effectiveness. It’s point guard picks up a second foul in the first half, which is a problem because his backup (an explosive scorer) tore his ACL a month ago and is out not only now, but he’ll have to redshirt next season. None of this is good news, and yet Michigan is up by four points at halftime thanks to its smothering defense and the fact that its more physical play in the paint has led to a ton of free throws.

In the second half Michigan builds on its lead, but it can never get complete separation. I want a blowout so I can enjoy this. But UConn won’t cooperate, won’t completely go away. Michigan continues to lead, but this is stressing me out. I feel unrelenting anxiety. I want the win so bad. During a TV timeout with about seven minutes left to play, I text my Michigan friends NextDoorLou and ToothBrushSteve, “I ... can’t ... breathe.”

With a little over a minute left to play Michigan leads by 9 or 10 points.

I am close to feeling comfortable that this is going to end well. Then Michigan starts making unnecessary mistakes. UConn eats into the lead a bit, and then ... catastrophe. UConn shoots a three that is way off the mark, but incredibly in banks in to the basket. The lead is down to a mere four points.

I have an awful Kordell Stewart Miracle at the Big House flashback.

That was devastating for me to experience. This would be worse.

UConn fouls Michigan. OK, make the free throws and we should still be OK. Before the free throws can be taken, it is announced that UConn is appealing that there was a flagrant foul on Michigan. The refs go to the monitor.

Are you kidding me? If the appeal works, UConn would get two free throws and the ball. They are not giving us a replay on the Jumbotron. How could Michigan have committed a flagrant foul when the foul was called on UConn. I am close to completely freaking out.

I turn to IlliniArt and say, “If we lose this game, I will never get over it.”

Finally the Jumbotron shows a replay. There is nothing close to a flagrant foul on Michigan. UConn has simply thrown a Hail Mary with something like 13 seconds left in the game. They don’t have Kordell Stewart on their team. The appeal fails.

Two free throws for Michigan. Stay calm. Michigan goes up 6, and the finals seconds tick down harmlessly to 0:00.

Game over. MICHIGAN HAS WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!

I am losing my mind, jumping up and down, hugging Illini Art, high fiving total strangers around me, close to tears.

I attended Michigan because I wanted a great education as well as the ability to watch big-time sporting events. Mission accomplished!

Michigan has now won two national titles in football and two national titles in basketball since I set foot in Ann Arbor. I have been in attendance at three of the four national titles. This is beyond anything I could have hoped for.

Confetti is everywhere.

A giant screen descends from the heavens and hovers over the quickly constructed podium. The podium is for champions. National champions.

The championship trophy is hoisted.

Michigan is added to the ultimate spot on the tourney bracket (see the Jumbotron).

Now it’s time to cut down the nets. Head coach Dusty May gets the honor of making the final snip.

One Shining Moment (the NCAA tournament anthem/montage” is played throughout the stadium’s JumboTron and big screens. This is followed in the arena by the song “We Are The Champions.”

At this point, everything is over, but still we don’t leave. I just want to soak it all in. I text NextDoorLou and ToothBrush Steve, “I may never leave. They may have to drag me out of here with me in chains and handcuffs.”

I am not alone. The crowd at the game was heavily Michigan. I’d guess 80% Michigan fans. Maybe more. A lot of them are lingering just as I am.

Eventually I’ve squeezed every last drop out of the experience, and I tell IlliniArt I am good to head out. As we start climbing the stairs, security guards start announcing, “OK everyone, it’s time to go.”

It’s after midnight, but the three-and-a-half hour drive is no problem for me. I’m a night owl in general, and right now specifically I have adrenalin surging through my body.

I stop only once on the drive back to Illinois because I’m thirsty. Of course, I get a Dr Pepper. Some celebrations have champagne flowing. Dr Pepper is my championship drink.

I drop off IlliniArt at his home, and then I pull into my garage at 3:49 a.m.

I walk inside and see a note from my KU grad younger daughter JennyJayhawk, also known as JennyPenny.

The only one awake in the house is my dog Astro. He seems to have been waiting for me to come home. This gets him a National Champion worthy treat.

I empty my pocket of confetti I collected after the game. At the football national championship Michigan won with me in attendance, my seats weren’t close enough to get confetti. I have bags of confetti from some Big Ten Title Game victories that I have in baggies on my desk at work. The NCAA title basketball confetti will get the same treatment.

I’m still full of energy, so I go online to read all about the game I just watched.

Finally, just a smidge before 5:00 am. I call it a night and head upstairs to bed. I started the day wondering if I was going to experience a dream come true or a nightmare.

The dream has become a reality.

Congratulations, rppoker! Glad you had a safe trip. Thank you for taking us along for the ride.

For sports fans, going to the Final Four/Super Bowl/World Series/whatever is a great experience that everyone should have a chance to do. When your team is in it, and comes through, it's over the top.

Glad you got the desired outcome and a satisfying win. I caught a bit of the Arizona game on TV. As you know, it was one way traffic from the start.

This team was locked in and ready to take care of business. That takes great coaching and a special group of players.

And now my poker thread returns to its regularly scheduled programming

OK, college basketball season is over (WE WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!), so now it's time to return my focus to poker.

The Aria has come out with its summer series schedule. I've studied it and I continue to make alterations to what is still a fluid summer tournament road map. My beginning and end dates are set, but what tourneys I'll play is a work in progress.

I'm still waiting for the Golden Nugget to release its schedule, but here is a rough idea of what sites I am looking like I will play during my two week trip:

Paris/Horseshoe: The WSOP will be my primary focus. Obviously. If this surprises you, then that means you haven't been paying attention. If I make deep runs in WSOP tourneys then that will decrease the chances that I play in tournaments at other locations. So, in a perfect world, I only play at the WSOP. In the real world, I will probably plays some tournaments away from the WSOP. I'm rooting for perfect world.

Venetian: It is extremely likely, bordering on almost certain, that I will play in a two-day (hopefully) Venetian tournament.

Wynn: It is a virtual certainty that I will not be playing at the Wynn.

Orleans: There is a better than 50% chance that I will play a tourney at the Orleans.

Aria: There is a slight chance (maybe 25%) I play in one tourney at the Aria. It would be at the very end of my trip only if a) I do not make a massively deep run in the Colossus, b) my poker bankroll for the trip has enough money left, and c) I am still fired up to play and haven't hit the tournament poker wall?

Time to let the poker car idle in neutral with my foot off the gas

There is a WSOP Circuit event tomorrow that I've had on my list of tournaments to possibly play. It's at the Grand Victoria in Elgin, IL. It starts at 10 a.m. and is a bit of a drive, which means I'd have to get up earlier than I care for. That's strike one. And it's at a town/casino I'm not a fan of, so that's strike two. And it would require I miss a day of work during a week that is a) tax return week, and b) I have a building sale that is supposed to get to the finish line this week. So that's strike three.

Three strikes and you're out. I'm going to skip the tournament. I'm just not feeling it. I'm incredibly filled with anticipation for this summer's WSOP in Las Vegas. I feel zero anticipation for a Circuit event in Elgin, Illinois at the moment.

An argument can be made that the Circuit event is good practice for the summer WSOP. I can't dispute that. But I'm the farthest thing from a professional poker player, so I don't feel an obligation to embrace the grind and push past my feelings of indifference.

This journey has been all about love of the game for me in which I sit down at a poker table only with "an enthusiasm unknown to mankind" to quote former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh.

Just a little less than one week after attending the men's basketball national title game in Indianapolis and joyously seeing my Wolverines win it all, the idea of playing a Circuit event in depressing Elgin, Illinois seems dreary by comparison. I don't feel an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

Time to recharge my batteries. I'm still in poker mode every night (watching Inside The Mind Of A Pro as well 12-hour streams of the 2025 Super Main from the WSOP Paradise series, with lengthy streams of WSOP Europe laying in wait). But that I can do from the couch, which is where I choose to be for a bit.

Pokernews has an article with the headline, "Allen Kessler Says He's Finally Going to Win a WSOP Bracelet This Year."

https://www.pokernews.com/news/2026/04/allen-kessler-to-win-wsop-bracelet-51023.htm

pokernews

Allen Kessler Says He's Finally Going to Win a WSOP Bracelet This Year

In it, Kessler (who over multiple decades has yet to win a WSOP bracelet) says, "I'm going to break through for a bracelet" this summer.

Wait a minute. Is the key to winning a bracelet simply stating it into existence?

No one told me this.

Help me out LVL veterans. Is the reason I haven't won a bracelet simply because I've failed to call my shot?

Artificial Intelligence assesses my chance in the 2026 WSOP

I decided to try something new tonight. I fed my poker history of tournament play (including my Hendon Mob page as well as other details) into an artificial intelligence program. Then I explained how much I intend to play at the 2026 WSOP. Finally, I asked AI to give an assessment of my outlook for the 2026 WSOP. Here is what AI says:

Based on your results from the 2024 and 2025 World Series of Poker, as well as your recent casino play, here is an assessment of your outlook for the 2026 series.

Performance Analysis
Your track record shows a high degree of consistency for a recreational player. Cashed finishes in both the 2024 $500 WSOP Kickoff and the 2025 $500 Colossus demonstrate that you are capable of navigating through massive fields—often exceeding 10,000 entrants—where the variance is extremely high.

Additionally, your 3rd-place finish in a Scottsdale tournament highlights your ability to close out a deep run when you reach a final table. For a "two-week" player, having two WSOP cashes in the last two years puts you well ahead of the average recreational curve.

Assessing Your 2026 Chances
Playing every day for 14 days is a significant jump in volume compared to "occasional" play. Here is how that impacts your probability:

Cash Probability: In large-field No-Limit Hold'em events, roughly 15% of the field finishes "in the money." By playing every day for two weeks (assuming you play a mix of bracelet events and Daily Deepstacks), you are significantly increasing your chances of a "score." Statistically, playing a 14-day sample size makes it likely you will find at least one or two cashes.

The "Deep Run" Potential: Your history in the Colossus and Kickoff events shows you can survive the chaotic early levels where many recreational players bust. To turn a "cash" into a "final table," the primary hurdle will be the transition from the "survival" stage to the "accumulation" stage in the middle levels of these events.

Fatigue Management: Playing poker for 10–12 hours a day, 14 days in a row, is mentally taxing. Many players see a decline in decision-making quality around Day 5 or 6. Success in a two-week "grind" often depends as much on physical stamina and mental focus as it does on card strategy.

Recommendations for the 2026 Schedule
Since you have already found success in the $500 buy-in tier, you might consider these events during your window:

The $500 "Mini Mystery Millions": Similar in structure to the Colossus, this event offers the chance for massive "bounty" prizes even if you don't reach the final table.

$1,000–$1,500 NLH "Freezeouts": Since you have experience navigating fields, these events offer a slightly slower structure than the $500 "re-entry" tournaments, which may reward your patient style.

Daily Deepstacks: On days when you aren't in a bracelet event, the 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM Deepstacks at the Horseshoe are excellent for maintaining volume with a lower financial commitment.

Your steady results suggest you have a solid fundamental "tight-aggressive" baseline. If you can maintain that discipline while managing the fatigue of a 14-day schedule, your chances of recording multiple cashes in 2026 are very high.

I ask Artificial Intelligence to analyze this entire thread and by extension the play of rppoker

As long as I am on an artificial intelligence kick as it pertains to me, I provided the link to this thread to the AI software I use and asked it to analyze the play of rppoker. Here is AI's assessment:

Based on the Two Plus Two thread "Gray-haired poker TRs: Living the WSOP dream," the user rppoker (RP) provides a detailed look into his strategy, mindset, and evolution as a veteran player.

Analyzing his play and hand histories throughout the blog reveals a style that blends "Old School" discipline with a modern awareness of GTO (Game Theory Optimal) concepts.

1. Overall Playing Style: "The Disciplined Reg"
RP identifies as part of the "gray-haired" contingent, but he is far from a "nit" (an overly tight player). His play is characterized by:

Selective Aggression: He is capable of three-betting light and pulling triggers on bluffs, but his baseline is solid, fundamental poker.

Tournament Specialization: The thread focuses heavily on the WSOP and daily deepstack tournaments. He prioritizes survival and "laddering" when appropriate but shows a willingness to play for the win rather than just a min-cash.

Positional Awareness: He consistently emphasizes playing tighter in early positions and opening up his range in late positions, a hallmark of a winning "reg."

2. Strategic Tendencies & Technical Play
Bet Sizing: RP is very deliberate about his sizing. He often discusses his logic for choosing 2.2x or 2.5x opens depending on the stage of the tournament. In his posts, he frequently queries others on optimal "squeeze" sizing, showing he is constantly trying to refine the mathematical side of his game.

Post-Flop Caution: While aggressive pre-flop, RP shows a veteran's caution on "scary" boards. He is proficient at pot control with medium-strength one-pair hands, often preferring to check-call rather than bloat a pot where he might be beat.

Mental Game: One of his strongest assets is his emotional control. He documents "bad beats" with a level head, focusing on whether he played the hand correctly rather than the unlucky outcome.

3. Key Hand History Themes
From the specific hands shared in the thread, a few patterns emerge:

The "Big Slick" (AK) Dilemma: Like many players, he documents several "coin flip" situations with AK. He generally leans toward the aggressive side (getting it in pre-flop) in standard tournament distributions but shows a capacity to fold it post-flop when the board texture is unfavorable.

Exploitative Adjustments: He is highly observant of his opponents. He frequently notes when a "young kid" is over-bluffing or when an "OMC" (Old Man Coffee) has the absolute nuts, and he adjusts his calling ranges accordingly.

The "Dream" Element: Because the blog is about "Living the WSOP Dream," his play is occasionally influenced by the prestige of the event. He describes the pressure of the "Bubble," showing he is not a robot—he feels the weight of the moment but uses his experience to stay more composed than the average amateur.

4. Critical Assessment
Strengths: High level of self-awareness, excellent table selection, and strong fundamentals. He avoids the "ego" traps that sink many players.

Weaknesses: Occasionally, he may lean towards being "too honest" (playing straightforwardly) in spots where a more balanced bluffing range might yield better results against high-level professionals. However, against the field in the WSOP daily events, his "straight-up" winning style is highly effective.

Summary: rppoker plays a TAG (Tight-Aggressive) style. He is a thinking player who respects the math of the game but relies heavily on his years of "live" experience to read players and navigate the unique high-pressure environment of the World Series of Poker.

Golden Nugget, MGM and South Point have released their summer tourney schedules. Golden Nugget has a verrrrrry slight chance at making it into my summer schedule, MGM and South Point, not so much.

In any event, I think all of the casinos of note have released their summer schedules.

Meaning ... my spreadsheet of tournaments is now complete for my two-week trip in June.

All that's left is the waiting.

Awesome to read that your summer tournament schedule is coming together! Am excited to follow a deep run(s).

I’ve played in some of the Golden Nugget summer tournaments in previous years and they were fun & seemed to be well run.

Best of luck buddy!

Preparing for WSOP 2026: My internal debate regarding the WSOP app allowing me to identify opponents and then look up their results on Hendon Mob

I'm giving some thought to a tool that will be available to me in the upcoming WSOP.

I am referring to the awesome (in terms of registering for tourneys) WSOP app that was introduced last summer. Specifically, how much weight should I give to my ability to look up my opponents at my table, get their name and then go on Hendon Mob to look up their results?

Strictly from the standpoint of writing my trip report it will be interesting to identify known players who I recognize by name but not by face. Even if I don't recognize their name, their past results (which I don't have to look up in real time) will be a nice detail to add flavor to the writing later.

But from the perspective of actually putting the information to good use on the felt, I'm not sure how much I should be reading into an opponent's Hendon Mob page. Well, I think I do know how much weight I should give to Hendon Mob results ... not a lot.

I'll give an example from last year's WSOP. I made a Day 2 and before I headed over to the tournament, I checked out my table. The table chip leader was seated to my left (I think my immediate left). She had pretty strong Hendon Mob results. I told myself to be careful against her. Well, that read turned out to be wrong. She absolutely punted off her entire stack in the first few hands of the very first orbit. When I saw the cards she played and how she played them, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was like her life depended on going broke as fast as possible. She overplayed two mediocre holdings as though her hair was on fire, and in the blink of an eye went from table chip leader to out of the tournament. Go big or go home

The other thing I find is that Hendon Mob results don't tell you anything about an opponent's playing style. Two different players can have similar Hendon Mob results, but one player may be a nit and the other player may be relentless aggression. One may be sticky while the other may be quick to fold everything other than made hands.

I think paying attention to every hand at the table and putting opponents on playing styles and playing ranges is massively more worthwhile than looking up their Hendon Mob page.

I will probably look up player names at my table using the WSOP app for use in my 2+2 trip report. And maybe when time permits I may look up Hendon Mob results to identify who is a regular and who is a recreational, but I'm not going to read any more into it than that. Developing my own reads from at-the-table observation is going to be way more important to me.

It's 1:00 a.m., which means I'm not hard to find if you know where to look ... I'm on the couch in an otherwise quiet house with my dog Astro sleeping at my side while I'm watching a Youtube poker stream of the most recent WSOP Paradise Main Event. I think this kind of counts as "Dogs of the WSOP."

(See photos below since I botched the download in this post)

Las Vegas prices versus Chicago prices for the exact same meal at the exact same restaurant

I usually eat at Mon Ami Gabi once or twice each WSOP I attend. Last year I went there with TonySoprano9 for a very enjoyable meal. It’s always good. It’s geographically desirable if you get knocked out of your WSOP tournament around dinner time.

Somehow it has escaped me until now that there is also a Mon Ami Gabi in Chicago, my home base.

When I realized this restaurant is in both Las Vegas and Chicago, I decided to do a price check to see what the Las Vegas premium is as far as costs.

I figured I’d look up the prices on my usual order. I always get the escargots de bourgogne as an appetizer, and the steak frites classique as my main course. Comparison costs as listed online are as follows:

Escargot de bourgogne (Las Vegas): $25.95
Escargot de bourgogne (Chicago): $17.95

Steak frites Classique (Las Vegas): 45.95
Steak frites Classique (Chicago): $36.95

Same franchise, same meal, different towns, different prices.

Price comparison, part 2

OK, let’s test this out at another favorite of mine, Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab which is now a staple meal for me at the WSOP, and which also has a Chicago location as well.

Florida Stone Crab Large (Las Vegas): $99.95
Florida Stone Crab Large (Chicago): $94.95

Filet mignon 12 oz (Las Vegas): $84.95
Filet mignon 12 oz (Chicago): $79.95

Freshly baked pies (Las Vegas): $14.95/piece
Freshly baked pies (Chicago): $12.95/piece

Agree to a point on the Hendonmob player stats. Your live reads and observations at the table should always be more important, but I always look up the players at my table just for a bit of background and do find it helps me get an overall picture of my opponents on most occasions.

Might be fun to greet them by name, as if you'd met before: "Hey, Jim, how have you been? Long time since we talked last."

Since the WSOP app shows all the players (names) much of the table talk around my first table (Hammond WSOP circuit) was about the fact that we had 5 "Daves" at the table. I wasn't one of them 😀