How can I stay patient in MTT tournaments

Hi there,

Since Pokerstars has gone (NL) I play at GGPoker. Her the possibilities to play cheap MTT's are small, but now I discouvered the freerolls.
But because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Does anyone have tips for me to find my patience again?

Tom...

It sounds like, you are mostly playing for fun. And in that case I would just play, what I enjoy the most. In my opinion MTTs with a slow structure are not really worth the time invested, unless you can play up to at least $5.5 games. Maybe you can play some turbos, but in general I would recommend to stick with cash games or SnGs, unless you have at least a $500 bankroll.

Or are willing to simply spend, what it cost to play a $5.5 MTT, from your weekly or monthly budget. This is also a fine approach. Like... I mean... If you go into Stacbucks in Netherlands and buy a cop of coffee, that is likely setting you back more than $5.5. So if poker is your hobby, its ok also to spend some money on it, as long as its within budget. So maybe the real issue here is the focus on playing "cheap MTTs", and why you want to do this?

tomatientje said:

because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Click to expand...

Why would you want to play MTTs at all?

doesn't matter if u have patient or not if u are not from Asia u won't win there, Chinese bots farm there.

Patience is key in tournament games; you need patience to go far, but there will be times when you'll have to play aggressively. However, for me, playing passively and patiently has worked best, especially in longer tournaments.

I think the biggest issue is format switching. Rush & Cash and Spin & Gold train your brain for fast action, constant hands, and short decision cycles. MTTs are the opposite — long stretches of folding, stack preservation, and delayed gratification.

A few things that can help:

1. Mentally redefine “success.”
In MTTs, success isn’t winning pots — it’s preserving stack and choosing high-EV spots. Folding for 20 minutes isn’t wasted time; it’s discipline.

2. Lower table count.
MTTs require more patience and focus. If you're used to fast formats, try playing fewer tables to slow yourself down mentally.

3. Set micro-goals.
Instead of thinking “I need to build a stack,” think “I’ll make zero frustration decisions this level.” Focus on decision quality, not chip accumulation.

4. Accept variance.
Freerolls especially are chaotic early. You don’t need to win every pot — you just need to survive the madness and capitalize later.

Patience in MTTs isn’t personality — it’s structure adaptation. Once your brain adjusts to the slower rhythm, it becomes much easier.

tomatientje said:

Hi there,

Since Pokerstars has gone (NL) I play at GGPoker. Her the possibilities to play cheap MTT's are small, but now I discouvered the freerolls.
But because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Does anyone have tips for me to find my patience again?

Tom...

Click to expand...

I think you need to embrace the boredom and the slow phase of the tournament, and start calculating the chances of each hand; it may keep you invested in the process.

average MTT lasts 6+ hours, if you're too choleric to wait this long then probably it's better to try some other format.

It's also important to be patient and not avoid the game

It's a difficult thing. Patience is usually an innate quality. I don't know how much it can be developed. I also try to be more patient in many situations (not just in poker), but it doesn't always work out. I think you should choose a game that you can fully enjoy, so maybe your patience will increase.

tomatientje said:

Hi there,

Since Pokerstars has gone (NL) I play at GGPoker. Her the possibilities to play cheap MTT's are small, but now I discouvered the freerolls.
But because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Does anyone have tips for me to find my patience again?

Tom...

Click to expand...

I think the main issue isn’t patience — it’s format conditioning.

If you’ve been playing a lot of Rush & Cash and Spin & Gold, your brain gets used to constant action. Fast decisions, short stacks, quick results. MTTs are the complete opposite. Slower pace, deeper stacks early, long periods of folding. It feels “boring” at first.

A few things that helped me:

1. Accept that folding is part of winning.
In MTTs, you can fold 15–20 hands in a row and still be playing perfectly. That’s normal. You’re not missing out — you’re waiting for better spots.

2. Change your mindset before you register.
Tell yourself: “This is a long session.”
If you sit down expecting fast action, you’ll force spots. If you expect a marathon, you naturally slow down.

3. Don’t mix formats in the same session.
Playing Rush and MTTs together is tough mentally. Your decision speed gets distorted. Try doing only MTTs in one session and see if it feels different.

4. Use downtime productively.
When you’re card dead, observe:

• Who overfolds to 3-bets
• Who defends too wide
• Who tilts after losing a pot

That way you stay engaged instead of impatient.

5. Remember where the money is made.
MTTs aren’t won in the first hour. They’re won in the late stages. Early levels are about survival and stack preservation.

It’s normal to struggle with this switch. Rush formats train aggression and speed. MTTs reward discipline and timing.

Find things that keep you locked in and interested if tournament poker is what you want to be good at ie ,movies ,music ,TV shows etc

Here are some things that help maintain patience:

Playing many tables/tables usually works well by filling gaps between plays.

Having other activities while playing also works for me. Although this might be a problem for most people who would prefer to stay 100% focused on the game.

It can also be part of a daily training routine, and a point to gradually improve.

This is actually very subjective and will also depend on your daily routine and your goals in the game.

Understanding the nature of poker is also fundamental.

Cannabis works for me, but wait, this isn't advice, just my experience! lol

tomatientje said:

Hi there,

Since Pokerstars has gone (NL) I play at GGPoker. Her the possibilities to play cheap MTT's are small, but now I discouvered the freerolls.
But because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Does anyone have tips for me to find my patience again?

Tom...

Click to expand...

A good approach would be:

Take the game serious , if it gets tedious and monotone sometimes I suggest watching a tv show or movie. Ideally next to your monitor or on the same screen.
Meditation is a great tool as well to train patience
Also force of habit must not be underestimated. Continue playing MTTs and you will get used to longer games

Hello
all the same to me; it's a negative trend.
It's best to get used to the traditional style, like slow or turbo poker tournaments, and stay away from modern, fast-paced games altogether.
Generally, Rush & Cash and other fast-paced games are only fun when we win. But if we lose, we realize that these games don't rely entirely on poker skill; I think luck plays a much larger role.

Good luck

tomatientje said:

Hi there,

Since Pokerstars has gone (NL) I play at GGPoker. Her the possibilities to play cheap MTT's are small, but now I discouvered the freerolls.
But because I play a lot of Rush and Cash and Spin&Gold I seem to miss the patience to stay calm in the MTT's.

Does anyone have tips for me to find my patience again?

Tom...

Click to expand...

One of my favorite poker books is "Zen and the Art of Poker" by Larry Phillips. I used to read it while playing super deep low and mid stakes MTTs with thousands of players...usually 6-8 hour long tourneys. Kept me focused and helped me realize that poker is a lot about doing nothing.

This might not be your poker format, and you're just not interested in playing slow tournaments and waiting for the right moment. Play what you like and don't have to force yourself to play.