Taking breaks.

This is c/p from fulltilt.
Just thought was a nice article, and really who hasnt needed to take breaks from poker?


"One of the great things about poker, especially online poker, is that the game is always there when you're ready to play. It's not like being a baseball player, where you're at the mercy of your team's schedule, or like being a doctor, where you have to respond to emergency calls. With poker, you can walk away from the game for a little while, and it will be there when you get back. That's why I strongly advocate taking breaks occasionally, especially if you pick up on signs that your play isn't as sharp as it should be.
The main sign to look for is that your desire to play is waning. You should play poker when you want to play. It sounds obvious, but too many of us inexplicably keep playing even when we don't want to.
I also find that when I'm experiencing a lot of negative feelings, that's a good time for a break. If I'm feeling negative, not just from poker, but maybe from something else going on in my life, that's going to affect my play, usually for the worse.
The other thing I keep an eye out for is when I'm gambling more than usual. If I'm playing tournaments and I'm finding that I'm too willing to get all my chips in on a coin flip, that's a sign that I'm not playing my best and I need to walk away rather than let myself burn out.
Whatever your particular signs may be, the fact is that if you're consistently losing, chances are there's a reason for it. A lot of players will say, “Oh, I'm just running bad,” but it's rare that that's all there is to it.
And when I take a break, I really take a break − I totally distance myself from the game. I don't play at all for a few days. That allows me to take a step back, get a different perspective, and come back hungry to play well.
At the 2008 World Series of Poker, a situation arose where I called upon my discipline to take a break even though a part of me really didn't want to. My favorite event was coming up − Half Omaha/Half Hold 'Em - but I could feel myself getting burned out. I hadn't cashed yet and I'd finished on the bubble three times, so I was really demoralized.
Half Omaha/Half Hold 'Em is my favorite tournament and even though I was really looking forward to it, I knew if I played, I wasn't likely to do well and I would make myself tired for other upcoming events. So instead of playing, I headed to Malibu for a couple of days and visited a friend; I went to the beach and totally distanced myself from poker. And the first event I played when I got back was Event #29, $3,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em, and I placed third for a payday of more than $165,000, my biggest live tournament cash to date.
Basically, I liken a poker player's mental processing to a battery: when a battery's life runs low, you need to recharge it. And the best way to recharge is to take a little break from the game. You'll find that some of your best results come when your mind is fresh and when you're playing because you truly want to be playing.
Matt Vengrin"

Everyone needs to take a break once in awhile. Especially when you are running bad (good starting hands don't hold to the river or getting beat hand after hand no matter what the cards or player) It okay to walk away come to fight again another day

This has been my experience as of late, and I have taken a break for a day or two. everyonce in a while i just have to take a few day break from the tables, live or internet play

Actually I read a great artical the other day which went fairly deep into the reason you need to take a break / switch tables / move down limits when you are running bad.

Too many of us are 'too intelllegent' to believe in luck and will play far too long at a table we are loosing or being dealt bad cards, when really what we need to do is to walk away and find a lucky table.

Superstitious nonsense I hear you say.

Well on a statistical level.. yes it is mystical mumbo jumbo.

But on a meta game level it makes perfect sense.

Once you get a sustained run of bad cards and bad beats a table does in some ways become jinxed for you. Players think that you are week because you fold too much (little do they know that given your hole cards, the board andtheir agresssion, its the correct play). Players feel that you are far too loose, again, they simply dont realise that that kTo is the best hand yu have had in an hour.

Others do believe in luck and therefore percieve you run of 'bad luck' to be their oppertunity to milk you.

So a sustained period of bad cards and suckouts causes the table to collectively play against you much more than if you were dealt a normal run of cards.

Whilst this isnt anything to do with luck, its to do with table image and metagame, the result is the same as if there were luck.

I posted on this some time ago, see this thread. Breaks, learning to quit... Essential elements online. Tommy sayd u have to practice stopping, quitting, just like any other aspect of yr game. Comments near the end below:

Zen Thoughts from Tommy Angelo

Take breaks? Absolutely! Much better than the alternative --- TILT!! When I am running bad at the tables, I run away from them! The sun will come up again tomorrow. I wish to fight another day, and hopefully with better luck.

Taking breaks is good, to get back the concentration and not playing donk.

And there are also friends and family who wants to share time, don't let poker reign your live - keep it real =)

It always seems like when I take a break... I lose my groove. I'll start playing again, but it seems like I can't caught hand. But if I play for a week or so straight, I get my groove back and I start winning again. Anyone else have that problem?

Not really my experience is when i take a few days away from the tables i come back better focused and play better.
But obvs. just haves different effects on diffrent people.

I love this expression. I like to consider my actual job as a break from playing a poker. I am at work right now and I am looking through the post on this forum. My work day is almost over and I am very HUNGRY ... to get home and play!

I have this exact problem. Seems like everyone but us two comes back hungry and takes everyone's chips but for some reason it feels like my game is actually weaker after like a 2 day break and I always start out on a downhill swing. Maybe we just don't have what it takes to take breaks.

Spranger, I'm glad to know that I'm not to only one with this problem. But you need to take breaks now and again, so it's like a lose lose situation for us. Anyone have any ideas for me and Spranger?

Taking a break for a while takes away your mental fatigue.

Poker is like a job every now and then we have to take a break to have a vacation and clear our minds from then many hours that we play. Usually after that break you come back with your mine clear and results oreinted.