So you wanna go for Supernova Elite...

I've had a lot of people ask me what it takes to make Supernova Elite (henceforth referred to as SNE), so I'll try and write something up to outline just about everything you need to know before you take on the beast.  I'll also try and give some pointers out to SNE hopefuls based on everything I went through this year in achieving SNE.  Yes, that is a not so subtle brag, but I feel I've earned that right.


First, a little overview of all the benefits you'll be receiving if you make it all the way to SNE.  


Milestone Bonuses:  $30,800
Tournament Packages: $18,000 - $30,400
WCOOP Main Event: $5,200
Frequent Player Point Value: $48,700 - $74,400

(Thanks to FPPpro.com for those figures)


The range of values for tournament packages comes as a result of some packages being worth slightly more than others.  Obviously to maximize value, we'd simply select the 2 highest valued packages (PCA and EPT grand final), but some would prefer to not travel to those places, or simply to take $20,000 cash which is a new addition in 2011.


The FPP range is based on what VIP level you start the year at.  If you start at the bottom rung of the ladder as bronze star, you'll have a low FPP multiplier until you make Supernova (100k VPP's) at which point you'll be on level playing ground with *most* of the rest of the chasers.  If you start as SNE, you'll immediately be getting a 5x FPP bonus and will hit the high end of that range.  Players who start as Supernova (but not Elite) will accrue 70% of the FPP's accrued by those who start as SNE.


Ok, but if you're seriously planning a run at SNE, you know all this already.  So hurry the hell up notontilt, and tell us some important stuff.  Fine, I'll share what I know.


Here's a list of what I believe are 6 most important things to consider while going for SNE.  Do you have to do them, no.  I certainly messed up a lot of these and as a result had a brutal 2nd half of the year.  You'd be wise to take my advice here, I'm only gonna offer it once.  Or multiple times if you read this post again I guess.  


1. Stay Ahead of Pace

Every single SNE will tell you that you need to stay ahead of pace.  Why?  Because 90% of them don't do it, and end up having to play huge volume at the end of the year to make up for slacking earlier in the year.  Trust me, there is nothing worse then waking up in the morning, feeling like absolute shit, and having to go 24 table for 8 hours that day.  I know, because I did it every day for the last 2 months of 2010.  Having days off is a blessing and if you fall way behind pace, you'll be forced to play too much at the end.  Combine this with the runbad that most SNE's experience near the end of the journey, and you could just find yourself busto when you've completed 90% of your goal.


2.  Plan for time off

This may seem to contradict the first point, but it should not.  You need to take days off along the way.  It's good for your mental state.  When you are making your plan of how you want to go about achieving SNE, don't plan on getting your 2,741 VPP's every day of the year.  Set the bar around 3,000 or higher giving yourself a day off every 2 weeks or so.  I don't care what you do on your day off, but get away from the computer and treat yourself to a nice break.  I'd also recommend planning a couple of vacations throughout the year.  Grind hard the 2 weeks before to allow yourself to not fall behind pace when you get back.


3.  Make some friends that are also chasing SNE

At the start of the year, there are probably close to 2,000 players who have the goal of achieving SNE (this is just my guess based on how many achieve it and how many end up quitting during the quest).  Get in touch with some of these players.  2+2 has a great thread every year just for those chasing SNE.  Talk with players at the table who you constantly see day in and day out, and find a way to get in contact away from the tables. Having someone that understands what you are going through, and can talk you out of a shitty mindset (trust me, it'll happen) is amazing.  Non poker friends and family who are supporting you don't fully understand what you are going for, so having the insight of someone in the same boat is a godsend.


4.  Balance, Balance, Balance

Ok, what is balance, and what in the world does it have to do with making SNE.  Well for one, if you are going for SNE, you know how important balance is in your poker game.  Without it, good players will easily exploit you and you'll crash and burn.  But balance at the poker table is really just a small part of what this section is about.


Just like you need to balance at the tables, you need to balance your life away from the tables.  If you tip the scales so that poker is the only aspect of your life with any meaning, you will have a downright miserable year.  I know this from experience as it definitely happened to me for a while.  You need to have a life away from SNE, something that gets your mind away from the game and the journey.  Go out with friends, exercise, volunteer, etc.  Basically have a bunch of activities that force you to get up from the computer and go outside. And I'm not talking about once or twice a month.  Do this 4-5 times a week, if not every day.  I remember specifically one week where all I did was play, and never left my apartment.  It was probably the most miserable week of my life.  Balance poker with your social life and you'll find that everything falls into place.


Find a routine that works with your lifestyle and stick to it.  Have planned time away from the tables, with people who know absolutely nothing about poker and don't want to hear you complaining.  If everyone you talk to is constantly moaning about running bad, being behind pace, and downswings, it's a quick path to insanity.


5.  Don't be a bum!

This is the diet, exercise, health section.  If you are like most SNE chasers, you are a male in the 18-25 year old range, with a terrible diet and tons of bad habits.  You likely are on a bad sleep schedule, don't eat anywhere close to what is considered a healthy diet, and live on sodas and energy drinks.  It will wear you down if you keep this up, trust me.  


The year I went for SNE was the first year I lived on my own, without someone (parents/chef/dining hall) preparing meals for me.  I ate terribly, and hence lost a bunch of weight.  Then I went to Vegas and lived with a bunch of people like me, and nothing improved.  We lived off frozen pizzas and fast food.  Then I came home and nothing changed, I still ate crap all day every day.  You may not think much of it, but it's terrible for your current and long term health.  So get in the habit of eating well, cut out sodas and energy drinks as much as possible (green tea is an excellent substitute for caffeine), and exercise routinely.  Not only will exercising keep you in shape, but the rush you'll get afterwards usually leads to good long sessions at the tables in my experience.


This is the area that I'm looking to improve on the most in 2011.  I'm not 100% certain I'll be going for SNE again, but if I do a lot has to change.  I'm sitting at my desk looking at boxes upon boxes of 5 hour energy drinks and 10 empty pizza boxes.  If you don't have someone to cook you healthy meals, then eat out or learn to cook for yourself.  


6.  STAY AHEAD OF PACE!!!!
I mean it.  Don't fall behind.  Every SNE will tell you this, and you won't listen.  And then you'll get to December at 850,000 and you'll find you're not accumulating as fast as you'd hoped.  And then you'll start losing and get frustrated.  And then you'll start looking for tall buildings.  


Save yourself the trouble and plan to finish by early-mid December.


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Do you have to do each of these things to have a successful year and make SNE.  Absolutely not.  I'll be the first to tell you that of the 6 points I laid out above, the only one I did well was having a few friends that I talked to regularly that were going for SNE.  Every other aspect of my life was a mess for most of the year, and a result I found myself miserable and massively depressed at many points.  I really wouldn't wish that upon anyone, so I'm writing this to help anyone else avoid going through that.


At the end of the day, you'll end up making over 6 figures playing a game.  Even if you aren't all that great at the game and only break even over the course of the year, you still just made 6 figures which is a pretty amazing accomplishment.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.  There's a reason only 340ish people made SNE this year and thousands tried.  It's downright difficult to do.


So with that, I wish all the 2011 and future SNE chasers the best of luck (except in pots against me!) on your quest to obtaining the black stars that everyone so desires.

- Dan