Maximum concentration period

I think everyone's concentration limit is different. For me, I notice my game starts slipping after about 2 to 3 hours if I don't take a short break. A few minutes away from the table, some water, and a quick mental reset can make a big difference. I'd rather play fewer hands at my best than grind for hours while making costly mistakes.

6-8 hours. Later have some tired

For me, around 3–4 hours is the sweet spot where I can stay fully focused. After that, I usually notice my concentration starting to slip, especially if the game is slow or card dead. If I'm playing well and the table is good, I can push it to 6–8 hours with a few short breaks, but I definitely try to pay attention to my energy levels. I'd rather end a session while I'm still making good decisions than keep grinding just for the sake of putting in more hours.

It depends on a lot of factors. I also think it depends on the tournament itself. What I mean is that if you make it down to the final two tables, you'll naturally become more focused again because you're in such an important spot. But a lot of the time, it's during the middle stages of the tournament that I start to lose concentration, and that's when mistakes can happen. I'd say I can stay fully focused for the first couple of hours, but after that I tend to lose a bit of my focus.

Mwaki said:

So how long can you grind without getting bored, tired or sleepy

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I usually play for 5-7 hours. After seven hours I start to lose concentration and start making hasty and wrong decisions.

Sometimes I can go many hours, but sometime I can be distracted early on, varies a lot.

As a total freshman here, this thread is timely for me. I'm about to play my first real tournament next week and the concentration question is honestly what worries me most. In cash games I can take my time between hands, but a multi-hour MTT with blinds/antes ramping up and barely any breaks sounds rough on focus. Any tips for someone new on pacing myself mentally so I'm not making sloppy decisions by hour 4 or 5?

It depends on the game. If things are going badly, it can get old pretty fast. But sometimes, when you're carrying a tournament late at night and you make it to the final table, it's totally worth it — you're on cloud nine.

Good morning, everyone.

The secret to not getting tired is to study a lot and practice consistently. Over time, you get used to the game and many decisions become almost automatic.

I started playing poker in 2018. At the beginning, I would get tired after just a few hours of playing. I don't remember exactly when my endurance improved, but I believe it was after about a year. By then, I was able to play for 10 hours straight.

In my opinion, even though most of my profits come from MTTs, I play a lot of cash games, and that has helped me improve my concentration. Cash games are much more mentally demanding because every single hand requires a high level of focus.