What effects your X Game?

BluffMeAllIn

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So we all know that somedays we play our A game while others might be our B game (or C game etc). So I have been thinking, probably because I havn't exactly been playing my A game the last few days.

Obviously when things are going well and we have confidence in our game it makes it much easier to continue with the A game, and even if we are playing our B game that doesn't mean its still not better than everyone else at the table. So this being said, when things are not exactly going so well whether it be in life or at the felts, what can we do to ensure we are continuously playing our A game.

Essentially my question to the masses is, what effects your game whether it be a positive effect to keep you playing your best or a negative effect whereby you are not as focused and therefore not playing your best game at the table?

Just a quick point from myself, obviously negative life situations are bound to effect your game such as relationship issues or losses of family members or perhaps even unexpected financial strain which puts more pressure on hoping to do well at the felt to make some gains. Whether it be live or online play we all have our best game and not so great game that we level at during different times, so how can we continue to play our A game regardless of any other obstacles?
 
steveiam

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Interesting question i have been thinking about this for a while.. perhaps its not mentally possible to play your A game all the time.. Even a fine tuned athlete will peak at certain times of the year. Perhaps its a case of playing a reasonable game most of the time and the A game some of the time. Sometimes other players can put you off your A game without you even realizing it.
 
imTheNuts2

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The usual stuff - posting on message boards while playing, surfing the internet and watching movies. Can't help it though :)
 
BluffMeAllIn

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The usual stuff - posting on message boards while playing, surfing the internet and watching movies. Can't help it though :)
So I guess this is implying these things effect your game negatively, due to the distractions. Are you doing these things because poker is not taking your interest, or perhaps you would give the game more focus if playing more than a single table, perhaps there are other reasons you lose focus to these other things over your game?

Just a poke and prod for elaberation, as perhaps it is or isn't something you would like to improve on is to gain more focus on the poker rather than other things. Personally I usually have the tv on but only for background noise and if I'm grinding in any sorts i am rarily doing anything else online (but this is usually because I am running 10 or so tables whether it be cash or tourny's and doesn't allow me to be distracted often by other internet items).
 
BluffMeAllIn

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Interesting question i have been thinking about this for a while.. perhaps its not mentally possible to play your A game all the time.. Even a fine tuned athlete will peak at certain times of the year. Perhaps its a case of playing a reasonable game most of the time and the A game some of the time. Sometimes other players can put you off your A game without you even realizing it.

It has always been something going through my mind, I know it is virtually imposible to play your A game all of the time but perhaps there are things that throw us off our game which there would be ways to overcome and therefore refocus back to play our best game.

It is also possible of course that we don't have to play our A game to crush the tables we are playing, obviously this will be a more difficult accomplishment as we move to higher stakes either online or live and of course the same is true we could be playing our A game and still be getting crushed either by varience or because our A game isn't competing with the current competition which opens up that we need to improve our game.

I guess in addition to what effects our game as per my prev paragraph sometimes there may be nothing effecting our game other than needing to improve it and recognizing this would be a great benefit as well considering many players think they are better than they are (some kind of theory behind that starting with a B i think lol, I'm sure someone will pop in with it).
 
imTheNuts2

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So I guess this is implying these things effect your game negatively, due to the distractions. Are you doing these things because poker is not taking your interest, or perhaps you would give the game more focus if playing more than a single table, perhaps there are other reasons you lose focus to these other things over your game?
No doubt the effect is negative. I probably do it because I play too much and have lost the interest I once had for the game and now it's more like a chore to get through the day by playing X amount of time so I add distractions so that time passes more swiftly. Thanks for the thread, it got me thinking about it ;)
 
steveiam

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For me distractions do play a part certainly online...When i'm playing live i do concentrate on the game completely i watch the playing styles and betting patterns very closely. Online its to easy to lose focus.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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No doubt the effect is negative. I probably do it because I play too much and have lost the interest I once had for the game and now it's more like a chore to get through the day by playing X amount of time so I add distractions so that time passes more swiftly. Thanks for the thread, it got me thinking about it ;)
Well thats not bad 2 responders and I got one thinking already so I consider this thread a success lol.

It sounds like perhaps you have become slightly burnt out from playing the game and are not as interested as you once were, perhaps the best thing you could think about doing would be to take a bit of a break from the game (even just a week) and then see if perhaps you can't get back into a more focused play.

Granted if you wish to just have a recreational game here and there while doing other things that is to each their own, but as poker players we always want to improve our game and reducing negative impacts on it is always +EV.

Thanks for comming back with your followup to my comments, it is greatly appreciated. :)
 
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Interesting question i have been thinking about this for a while.. perhaps its not mentally possible to play your A game all the time.. Even a fine tuned athlete will peak at certain times of the year. Perhaps its a case of playing a reasonable game most of the time and the A game some of the time. Sometimes other players can put you off your A game without you even realizing it.


Good post. :)
Again as stated above ^ I think about my A game and just like in a sport or being a famous singer, there are thousands who have that talent. But they dont have the consistancy or the mindset to go with it.

And this is my verdict with poker. Alot of players have the skill and or the ability on any given day of choice.
But so do alot of aspiring proffessional athletes or singers/actors.

In a nutshell I think this is about right in defining a proffesional poker player.
someone who can always play their A game and/or keep the focus high.

in football you would rarely expect your players to lose the ball from a simple pass.

annd in poker you would rarely expect a pro to miss an exploitable opportunity at the highest level
(I think thats the talent required in poker) where as in football/soccer it would be your first touch
 
BluffMeAllIn

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For me distractions do play a part certainly online...When i'm playing live i do concentrate on the game completely i watch the playing styles and betting patterns very closely. Online its to easy to lose focus.
Yeah online certainly allows for the ability to have greater distractions, which perhaps is a big reason as to why it is much more difficult to be as diciplined playing online (primarily this being because we have so many game options and tables running always at our fingertips) and to focus unless we set other distractions aside and only play the game . We have so many other things available at our fingertips to do, like imthenuts indicated such as posting on the forum or checking email fb etc, unlike playing live where the game will most often have complete focus.

I enjoy playing live so much more than anything, but then again live is always where I have had my best wins and have always been able to be more diciplined most times than online (big aspect of my game I have been working on and although its had its ups and downs, I think I have on my own with much reading through the cc forum been able to improve this).

I currently have both of Jared Tendlers books on order from Amazon and am looking forward to getting them and reading them and then studying them. I have been looking to get his first one for a while now since i heard about it on the forum but was out of stock initially however this time I checked and his 2nd one was out as well so both on the way as a gift to me.

Has anyone perhaps read his book(s) that would like to make any comments on how they would have helped improve your game, perhaps there is a key aspect you took from the book that has been beneficial?
 
steveiam

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Yeah online certainly allows for the ability to have greater distractions, which perhaps is a big reason as to why it is much more difficult to be as diciplined playing online (primarily this being because we have so many game options and tables running always at our fingertips) and to focus unless we set other distractions aside and only play the game . We have so many other things available at our fingertips to do, like imthenuts indicated such as posting on the forum or checking email fb etc, unlike playing live where the game will most often have complete focus.

I enjoy playing live so much more than anything, but then again live is always where I have had my best wins and have always been able to be more diciplined most times than online (big aspect of my game I have been working on and although its had its ups and downs, I think I have on my own with much reading through the cc forum been able to improve this).

I currently have both of Jared Tendlers books on order from Amazon and am looking forward to getting them and reading them and then studying them. I have been looking to get his first one for a while now since i heard about it on the forum but was out of stock initially however this time I checked and his 2nd one was out as well so both on the way as a gift to me.

Has anyone perhaps read his book(s) that would like to make any comments on how they would have helped improve your game, perhaps there is a key aspect you took from the book that has been beneficial?

I haven't read it but i will certainly check it out
 
Fieldsy

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A: Not drinking, refreshed, patient
F: Drinking, liquid courage, wishful thinking
 
BluffMeAllIn

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The mental game of poker <-- Have you read it?

Since this thread is regarding what effects your game, I think these books will be great assets in reducing negative impacts on your game. I have both of his books on their way to me from Amazon at the moment, but figured would throw up a quick post with this title to see if we can't get some feedback from the forum on the books, and on the OP of this thread as well.

Look forward to the feedback.
Thanks,
BD2
 
BluffMeAllIn

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Has no one read the mental game of poker?????

I seem to play bad when things are not going good at home, I am the type that need a quiet workplace and not many things going on around me to focus and play my A game. Also if "life stress" is getting to me it tends to show in my play, and I should take a break when this happens but I usually fail to do that. It could be anything from a argument with my girlfriend, to money problems.
It is sometimes very difficult to take a break even when you know stress etc is having a negative impact because I know for me I enjoy poker so much that it also subs as my getaway where usually I can get my mind of everything else but this is not always the case depending on the situation. So I still sometimes play when I know I shouldn't, either because of the social aspect of things to get out and hang with friends etc or also because at the current time there is not much else I can do to pass the time and there is only so much reading I want to do before I itch to play a little poker.

Sometimes its a tradeoff I suppose to get your mind off other things even if not completely, and just make all efforts to not let it effect your game.

Also a bump here re my previous post regarding the mental game of poker books, per the title lol. I know, I'm practically begging for interaction on this one lol.
 
Poker Orifice

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Since this thread is regarding what effects your game, I think these books will be great assets in reducing negative impacts on your game. I have both of his books on their way to me from Amazon at the moment, but figured would throw up a quick post with this title to see if we can't get some feedback from the forum on the books, and on the OP of this thread as well.

Look forward to the feedback.
Thanks,
BD2
How about an oppurtunity to ask questions to Jared Tendler himself?!?!? (or to hear responses to other's questions).
check here > https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/

I have his first book. Haven't read all of it yet. Never got past the 'motivation' chapter... which coincidentally is what keeps me from playing my 'A' game (currently looking for a way to get more enthused about the game.... maybe I should just throw BRM out the window for a bit?)
 
steveiam

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Maybe motivation is the key. why not try a couple of games completely out of your BRM just to re focus the mind. I work full time so poker is just a way of getting some extra cash. If it was my main source of income my motivation would be completely different.
 
OzRamos

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I was just recommend Jared Tendler's book as well. Get it on audiobook if you can, it's game changing

  • Obviously, your A game is tied to your mental state. You're not going to play your A game when you're depressed, tired, etc So don't. You might play well, but it won't be because you're playing your A game.
  • Eat less junk food and exercise more. Even stretching for a good 5 minutes before a session gets the blood flowing.
  • Try playing standing up like in this thread I started: https://www.cardschat.com/forum/general-poker-13/standing-while-playing-online-poker-234197/
  • Watch a Poker documentary (Drawing Dead, All In, Bet Raise Fold) or watch a few episodes of Poker After Dark or similar
  • If you're stuck in your B game for a week, take a day or two off. You don't need that many days off, and it'll give you a chance to review your game and study. You're brain needs rest just like your muscles, but it doesn't need that much rest.
  • On rest, make sure you're sleeping well.

Those are just points coaches give to people playing sports (and chess), but they apply to anything really.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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How about an oppurtunity to ask questions to Jared Tendler himself?!?!? (or to hear responses to other's questions).
check here > https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/

I have his first book. Haven't read all of it yet. Never got past the 'motivation' chapter... which coincidentally is what keeps me from playing my 'A' game (currently looking for a way to get more enthused about the game.... maybe I should just throw BRM out the window for a bit?)
Wow thanks for the link to that thread PO, much appreciated. I'll be honest not sure why I didn't try and search his name on the forum to see what I could find, granted this thread was initially more towards seeing what others on the forum find effects their game.

I recieved his books yesterday actually, 1 and 2 and started reading a little of the 1st one last night essentially just the intro section. I sometimes find it hard to get into reading a book and studying because tbh I'd rather be playing. Obviously I know study is important to improve my game but playing is always more fun.

Motivation is certainly important to continue playing your best, or even playing at all, just a thought but perhaps you have set goals which seem to far out of reach and therefore are effecting motivation because it seems you will never reach the goal? Perhaps you currently play with no goals and setting some goals and milestones to those goals that are reachable would kick some motivation back into your game? Just some thoughts, as I know you are well established playing poker from what I have come accross on the forum.

We all know how important BRM is, we should never "throw it out the window" (I feel like you might be throwing out a trick question there lol) but even within BRM people can still take shots as long as the dicipline is there to not tilt if a shot doesn't go well. In cash games I know often someone could take a shot at the next level but implement a # of bi for the shot and then drop back if it doesn't go well. If I am correct in thinking so you are more of an mtt player, just thinking as don't see you within the cash threads, so I would figure perhaps a similar situation you could take some shots at large buyin games as long as it is not going to dramatically impact the bankroll.

Perhaps studying a new form of the game and playing that will kick some motivation back into the saddle.

I am very glad you dropped in the thread with some comments, and the link as I will be sure to read through all the comments in there and I plan to have his first book read by the end of the weekend hopefully and then of course It will be to study and apply.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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How about an oppurtunity to ask questions to Jared Tendler himself?!?!? (or to hear responses to other's questions).
check here > https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/

I have his first book. Haven't read all of it yet. Never got past the 'motivation' chapter... which coincidentally is what keeps me from playing my 'A' game (currently looking for a way to get more enthused about the game.... maybe I should just throw BRM out the window for a bit?)

An intrigueing and insightful thread for sure, all while going through thinking would throw in a bump at the end however no further posts past July of 2012 and Jared hasn't been on the forum since December of 2011 (a little disapointing as was looking forward to possibly posting some questions of my own, although tbh many were touched on throughout the thread). Perhaps his second book among other things took up all his time. Either way the time he did put in was certainly very beneficial to me just as a reader through the older thread.

I see it took you a while to get your book situation figured out PO lol. I look forward to your interactions on my previous post.

Also I would reccommend anyone who hasn't done so to read through the linked thread above as it is very insightful, and has me even more so looking forward to reading and studying hiw books.
 
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Funny thing about A games. They don't always produce the expected outcome.

I know when I am on top of things at the felts, I have a pretty good idea when I am not. Yesterday I was, this morning I was not. Yesterday I was enthused, this morning I thought I was enthused, but some distraction about getting more yardwork done, infiltrated my puny brain and I apparently lost interest.

I went stupid this morning. In the guise of being confidant.

Most of the time, I/we won't have any idea of which game we are playing until we are already committed to the game. We may be enthused and think that's what we need. But I have had just as many good results when I start playing, then decide to stop playing and then, unintentionally, run good.
 
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As much as finding out what affects you so that you don't play your A game is important, so is recognising that you aren't playing it early enough to stop it seriously damaging your bankroll.

Particularly playing online since there is no one there to point out what, if anything, you are doing wrong.

It's a little like playing Golf with strangers in a pick-up game. To you, your swing feels the same as it did yesterday when you were creaming it but somehow today it's not working. Something must have changed but your opponents don't know your good game and even if they did, with money involved, they aren't going to tell you.

Same with online poker, you think you are playing the same but instead of winning you're losing. Your opponents are very unlikely to put you right so you have to do it for yourself.

At least with poker you can mostly check out your hand history from a good day and compare to the bad days.
 
MiguelC18

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weed is my xfactor.

not really. weed is my xfactor for soccer for sure, but in poker so far I'm three weeks in to it and I am just learning to get better. Playing poker while sober no drink no smoke is a lot more favorable for me. I cant seem to win when I'm high but it's only been two or three free tourneys live. I can see some of my mistakes and I just have to correct them. I guess I play my A game when I make less mistakes.
 
AlfieAA

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if you are enjoying the game then you can consider that an A game, and if your mind isnt in it for whatever reason then its just a waste of time.....best thing to do when that happens is to take a week off or however long it takes before you are itching to play again......breaks are important in poker......im due one myself, not had one for several months.
 
MiguelC18

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if you are enjoying the game then you can consider that an A game, and if your mind isnt in it for whatever reason then its just a waste of time.....best thing to do when that happens is to take a week off or however long it takes before you are itching to play again......breaks are important in poker......im due one myself, not had one for several months.
I second this. Sometimes it seems like going to work. You gotta play with an interest.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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Funny thing about A games. They don't always produce the expected outcome.

This is certainly the truth, sometimes even playing Perfect poker and not making any mistakes the game may not always produce the results to match how good of a game we are playing. This is unfortunate, but we all know dealing with varience in poker is the key to maintaining composure and hopefully maintaining and improving our A game.

Distractions is always something that is going to affect our game because if we have other things on our mind like yardwork or housework etc then we are obviously not completely focused on the task at hand and IMO would make it near impossible to play our A game. It will not mean we don't show +ve results from a session but results do not always reflect the best decicions and vice versa.

As much as finding out what affects you so that you don't play your A game is important, so is recognising that you aren't playing it early enough to stop it seriously damaging your bankroll.

Particularly playing online since there is no one there to point out what, if anything, you are doing wrong.
I think this is a very important comment to keep in mind as to why for so many of us although not recommended it is important to keep an eye on our BR with online, especially when using an autotopup it can sometimes be so easy in a short stretch to do big damage to a bankroll if not properly cushioned when running multiple tables.
Same with online poker, you think you are playing the same but instead of winning you're losing. Your opponents are very unlikely to put you right so you have to do it for yourself.

At least with poker you can mostly check out your hand history from a good day and compare to the bad days.

Per this is why analysis is so important for not only improving our game but also to pick up on what our weaknesses are, by comparing the days we see +ve results compare to the days we don't we can determine if it was leaks getting into our game or simply variance. I believe this to be a very beneficial aspect of a tracking software, HUD aside the ability to run reports so easily on hand histories provides quick access to the information we need to see where we can improve on an overall.

As I had indicated I ordered and have recieved the poker mental game books by Jarad, and have started reading the first one (only a little here and there because have been putting a lot of time on the felts lately), however read the section regarding the inchworm theory last night which was excellent and makes a great deal of sense in regards to how learning new things to incorporate into our A game without plugging leakes that show up in our C game causes our B game to show up much more (ie stretches out our bell curve). A very interesting read.

not really. weed is my xfactor for soccer for sure, but in poker so far I'm three weeks in to it and I am just learning to get better. Playing poker while sober no drink no smoke is a lot more favorable for me. I cant seem to win when I'm high but it's only been two or three free tourneys live. I can see some of my mistakes and I just have to correct them. I guess I play my A game when I make less mistakes.

Being clear headed should always show benefits in being able to think through hands, action and the game overall.

if you are enjoying the game then you can consider that an A game, and if your mind isnt in it for whatever reason then its just a waste of time.....best thing to do when that happens is to take a week off or however long it takes before you are itching to play again......breaks are important in poker......im due one myself, not had one for several months.

It all depends on what is keeping your mind from being in the game, if this is because maybe have been playing so much that its becomming less fun and burnt out then a break can do wonders (no different than a vacation can do wonders when it comes to work). Personally, I am always itching to play poker and the only breaks have usually been involuntary because of $$$ or other commitments etc.

Even when things have run horribly I still have an itch to play, which in that situation could really be a bad thing however I have come to realize lately that if we are running horribly the question is is it because we are no longer playing our A game or just on a bad run (Obviously it's what prompted me to create this thread :D). Essentially if its just a bad run sometimes we can play through this in our sessions because we know they are inevitably going to ocurr, but it has also let me be quick at analysing how I'm playing and have been able to adjust when I see I am opening too many hands in EP for example and get refocused.

Obviously I am a huge poker fan, love to watch it love to play it and like us all am hoping to turn a profit at some point. Unfortunatly have a long ways to go due to many mistakes in the past and not following BRM, or essentially ever working on my game and not realizing the great resources such as CC where there are opportunities to build BR from little to nothing and most of all take advantage of the knowledge that the members have to offer.
 
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