You can´t avoid mistakes. Depending on the format you play the mental stress is not there all the time.
Cashgames/Spins are more exhausting because you have to stay mostly full focused.
Tournament have their full focued parts not all the time, though you should be observant most of the time.
For Cashgame/spins take breaks and leave tables regularly.
Tornament have their carddead phases, observations of other players in special spots only.
Cashgames/Spins are more exhausting because you have to stay mostly full focused.
Tournament have their full focued parts not all the time, though you should be observant most of the time.
For Cashgame/spins take breaks and leave tables regularly.
Tornament have their carddead phases, observations of other players in special spots only.
I never play sessions that long, so I don't usually get to the point where I'm tired and start making bad decisions because of it. I think you should make good use of your breaks, take a walk, and give yourself some time to clear your head. That way, you can come back and play as well as possible.
What I find most important about breaks in the game is that after several hours, regardless of fatigue, decision-making can start to suffer from one's own personal unawareness. Usually, I take a break from the game for about a few minutes to have some water and to relieve myself. In addition to taking breaks, I find that it's crucial to not play when I feel a distraction or a particular mood coming on. Listening to music helps me to relax, but the combination of a strict schedule and understanding of when to stop is what I feel allows me to be productive in sessions. Ultimately, I find that session management is just as important to the strategy and execution of a playstyle. 🧠♠️
I only play tournaments, so the only breaks I usually take are the ones scheduled by the tournament itself. I don’t really have a specific routine. I just try to stay focused on the game and avoid distractions, especially during the longer sessions.
The philosophy could be something like this:
Don’t try to maintain perfect focus throughout the entire session. Instead, build a system that allows you to conserve energy, quickly recognize when your focus is starting to deteriorate, and regain it.
Some examples:
You can’t maintain concentration indefinitely once your brain becomes overloaded.
High intensity when it matters, and more controlled relaxation when it doesn’t.
Too much emotion isn’t good, but too little emotion isn’t either.
Don’t try to maintain perfect focus throughout the entire session. Instead, build a system that allows you to conserve energy, quickly recognize when your focus is starting to deteriorate, and regain it.
Some examples:
You can’t maintain concentration indefinitely once your brain becomes overloaded.
High intensity when it matters, and more controlled relaxation when it doesn’t.
Too much emotion isn’t good, but too little emotion isn’t either.
Multitabling helps me to stay focus constantly. At the end of my session, if there's just a few tables left (4-5 or less) I might watch some podcasts or something, at least to not get bored and keep the focus.recherd Alex said:
Edit: I use the breaks to fill the water bottle, go to the bathroom quickly, and I prepare before the session the mate or some snacks, in order to just grab it during the breaks.
For long online poker sessions, I try to take short breaks whenever possible, get away from the PC for a few minutes, and keep some music or a podcast playing in the background. It helps me stay focused without getting mentally exhausted.
