Long tournaments (online) and movies

A

audacity

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Maybe I'm out to lunch here, but I find a good way for me to tolerate those 2 to 3+ hour tournaments online, is to launch a movie in another window - paying attention to the sounds for 'timer near end' etc per hand, and if I'm in a hand, I click on the movie and pause it.

But I find it's a great match, I do very well in tournaments, like Matt Damon said in the opening of Rounders - you basically want to get one BIG win in every hour or so. And I do catch that big win once an hour or so, and go figure - when I actually bet - it's spooky, most people just run, for them ? I probably appear to be some hyper nit - playing super super tight, so they figure 'oh God, the NIT is betting, they probably got their KK' meanwhile - nope - was just caught up in a movie waiting for a real hole cards.

Well, by not sitting and staring constantly, I pretty much stay out of things until I have something good to play. SOMETIMES I will explore a bluff, but mostly, I will be in my movie.

Does anyone else do this?

And on a note of humor, just as some pro players bring headphones?

Could you imagine someone with a handheld 8, 10 or 12 inch LCD tablet running a movie?

Would be TOOOOOO much -

But again, I find it's a nice combo - for me at least - to do that, or work on a project on the side, otherwise I get burned out playing. By doing something else, I find I can play all day with little effort as well.

These are < $25 entry fee tournaments btw - so I DO realize, if someone is dropping $200 to get into a tournament, yeah, you probably want to be in that game - because the payout is $10k on down for first onward I wager.
 
dj11

dj11

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My setup is that my laptop sits on the table, and above my screen is my TV. Same effect, I get distracted away from over focusing on the game.

I often have a solitaire game running for that same reason.
 
vov4ik

vov4ik

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I do not know how other players do, but when I play a long tournament 4-5-6 hours then I turn on the movie at the same time as poker and watch and I do not get distracted by the movie, when you need to make the right decisions, then I put the movie on pause and play in the hand and then when the cards are bad and I fold, then I turn on the film, and for me it's ok to spend time not boring in the tournament!
 
belka2203

belka2203

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When I play at the same table, I can watch TV, or check mail, or read articles on websites.
 
Newzooozooo

Newzooozooo

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Hi.
I try not to be distracted by something else while playing poker.
I can listen to music, but if I start watching a movie, then I'm sure that eventually I will lose in the tournament.
Good luck.
 
natasha555

natasha555

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I think that many people watch movies the same way during a long tournament, it does not stop when you have few open tables, and you are bored only to play.
 
makisaa

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I would n't like to distract my attention to the game watching a movie. It is not possible to watch the game like this. You miss valuable informations! The headphones are something different, because they help to be isolated from external sounds.
 
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neptun1914

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Watching movie while playing seems too extreme for me but i also need sometimes to not stare at the table constantly so i browse in internet as a solution. In general though if someone wants to become serious player he/she should learn to devote whole attention to the table for a few hours.
 
MrPokerVerse

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Hard to focus on a TV show while I'm playing. What works better for me is music playing. Able to have a little something going on that is not distracting.
 
pepsilv

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Very hard to focus maybe cause I am a beginner, I have to be playing or watching Movie only one at a time. Good luck you all.
 
CylleP

CylleP

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with the film a good idea. you must definitely try. But you need to choose a film, preferably an easy film, a comedy
 
phantomjiujitsu

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I have a poker table where I play online daily. I have been keeping myself focused by shuffling chips and more or less pretending that I'm in a casino... for that reason, I just put on ESPN but no movies.
 
Viera56

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I do not know what to talk about it. You are playing the most competitive sport in the world and you want to do it by watching movies. Obviously you'll make bad plays in the long run because you do not have an exact idea of ​​what's going on at the table. If you feel bored playing poker, just because you are not in the action, maybe it's time to look for something else to do.
 
dj11

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I do not know what to talk about it. You are playing the most competitive sport in the world and you want to do it by watching movies. Obviously you'll make bad plays in the long run because you do not have an exact idea of ​​what's going on at the table. If you feel bored playing poker, just because you are not in the action, maybe it's time to look for something else to do.

I think you are missing the point. It is easier to overthink the game, than it is to underthink poker (holds true for me anyway). In reality there are 95% (my guess) of the hands that play themselves, and a goodly portion of those are clear folds.

As many have said, tournament poker is a long series of boredom punctuated by periods of sheer terror.

Ring poker varies a little bit from that, but not a whole lot.

So to combat that boredom, some might multi-table, or in my case, have some non-poker game running (in my case: solitaire), or TV, or w/e.

We can see at a glance if the opportunity exists in any hand. This has developed over the years in a lot of OLP players. If you hang around long enough it will develop in you too.
 
deform fedot

deform fedot

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If you play only 1 table, then I support you. A series or something that will not distract you from the game.
 
kittykittykat

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Ideally you should give your game your undivided attention, but I also sometimes watch TV while playing.
 
steeler1970

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In long tournaments i will not watching a movie. I like putting music on and the reason is because the music relax me so i think more before i make a play.
 
mariale_1990

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I also watch movies, but when several hours of the tournament have already passed or when I feel I need a kind of distraction haha ​​there are very boring or very slow tournaments and I need something to help me relax, sometimes I listen to music, that helps me a little , but I prefer to watch movies or write messages to my friends although later they tell me that I should concentrate
 
HK_47

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I like to watch twitch when I'm playing in tournaments, especially early on it's just a way to help stave off boredom from playing so few hands. After I reach a certain stage though I usually remove any distractions. This strategy has worked very well so far and makes playing a lot of volume much more bare-able.
 
MoryMorte

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Watching a movie is a bit too much for me. I need to be devoted to the movie I’m watching to enjoy it and that can’t be when I’m playing Poker.
 
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neafana

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I'm doing exactly the same. Having the TV (movies) working during my 12-16 hours sessions (only on Sundays) is what makes me resist that long. I was trying to play without TV, but I'm able to do it only for 2 hours. I don't play so nitty. From this reasons, with a lot of tables, I'm ignoring the TV:).
 
jus7_play3r

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And I like play 2-3 tables in general play and its film but the masses become more and is in an advanced stage, I leave everything and concentrate on the game and your opponents :)
 
alexgrin

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Play live tournaments)))))) There is no need to watch TV.
But seriously, you miss a lot when you are distracted by anything and are waiting for your AA ...
 
alexgrin

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Play live tournaments)))))) There is no need to watch TV.
But seriously, you miss a lot when you are distracted by anything and are waiting for your AA.
I'm against a quick game, but when you are in the pass all the time - it's not interesting either.
 
Ragequit

Ragequit

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This is something I've had to work hard at too. Takes discipline. I watch movies/shows while I'm waiting for my tables to start. Once I have 4 active tables, I go into full Poker mode and switch to music only. I mostly listen to trance and other albums that have no words. The music keeps me focused. I switch everything else off. But sometimes I have cardschat open on my other screen :) Still trying to stop that!

R
 
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