Dealing with off days

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MaDaMan

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How do you deal with off days? You haven't slept really well and the cards just don't come your way. Losing with pocket kings,jack against people on a draw.
You dive into pots that you probably shouldn't knowing that the guy you are up against is a a call boat.

How is it best to shake those days? After 1 or 2 hits you just shake it off and come back tomorrow? Any chance of rejuvenating yourself(coffee,food,a nice fruit smoothie or whatever) ?
 
Poof

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I usually take a break and if I really feel I have to play I drop stakes, or play a different variant of poker. I don't ever play the public freerolls, but find jumping in one of those when I am burnt is relaxing because there is a no care factor.
 
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ddeely1

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If its on merge I type in "fuuuuu". And say terrible things about their mother
 
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themosthigh

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Well you really shouldn't be at the tables if your tired, hungry, or on some sort of tilt. Nothing good can come from it. Set a stop loss, take breaks, learn to accept that you're gonna lose hands and idiots are gonna get lucky.

The minute I feel like I'm off my A game I shut it down and find something else to do.
 
IntenseHeat

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I don't force it. If I don't feel like I'm wide awake, I won't bother playing. It's not like you have to. It's your decision when to play or not. You can leave a cash game any time you want. As far as tourneys go, I won't even bother to register if I don't feel like I'm going to have the necessary energy to make it all the way to the end.

As far beats go, you have to shake them off. Just like watching someone play bad and get lucky and knowing that their luck is going to run out eventually, I try to always stay optimistic and believe that I can't continue get unlucky forever. If I feel that it's starting to affect my play, then I'll take a break, watch a movie, find something to eat. When I come back the players, or some other dynamic of the game may have changed enough to make a difference.

Meals are tricky. Sugary foods and sweets may give you a quick boost, but then cause you to crash later. Big meals, on the other hand, actually require a lot more energy to digest than a lot of people realize. So eating a big meal may actually cause your energy level to dip until you body is able to metabolise it. A smoothie or a piece of fruit or maybe a salad are ideal for this type of situation, in my opinion.

I find it better to plan ahead and prepare to play my best, than to be trying to overcome less than optimal circumstances. With so much being out of our control, common sense dictates that we control those things we can to give ourselves the best chance for success.
 
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sCATpoker

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I either take a break for the day, If I dont feel like taking a break I perhaps change my stakes (lower) just to see if the bad flow is just at that paticular level I was playing. However I usually play cash ring games, what has worked for me when game is off for whatever reason and dont feel like quit playing is go play some MTT or perhaps find a game of Omaha or Stud just to change it up However if the cards are not flowing for you on those games either just take a break. I did yesterday couldn't hit on holdem lost a few buyins however got that back and more playing Omaha so ready to get back to NLHE today.
 
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TIMNILES44

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If things arent working for you at the tables , Get a life! What did you do before there was online poker !lol
 
vinylspiros

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when things arent working for me, i go out for a run.i come back have myself a shower make some coffee and open my computer and feel like i am a newborn baby.
 
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MaDaMan

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Meals are tricky. Sugary foods and sweets may give you a quick boost, but then cause you to crash later. Big meals, on the other hand, actually require a lot more energy to digest than a lot of people realize. So eating a big meal may actually cause your energy level to dip until you body is able to metabolise it. A smoothie or a piece of fruit or maybe a salad are ideal for this type of situation, in my opinion.

I know that meals actually make things worse and i didn't mean raiding the fridge. That would make me more tired. Body slows down and makes me more tired.
By sugary foods or sweets i meant bananas,oranges stuff like that in a blender. Liquid and natural sugar from fruits, not chocolate that will be processed in 10 years.

If things arent working for you at the tables , Get a life! What did you do before there was online poker !lol

Nothing...I had no life before poker.
Thank you for the extra helpful comment though.

when things arent working for me, i go out for a run.i come back have myself a shower make some coffee and open my computer and feel like i am a newborn baby.

Going to the gym surely gets my energy up,but today i wasn't able to sleep.

If its on merge I type in "fuuuuu". And say terrible things about their mother

Don't tap on the glass! You'll scare the fish.

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I played a 1100 people tournament focused. Ended up on the bubble, number 23(18 was paid). After the 2nd break i didn't even play one card.Everyone let in time bank to let time pass and blinds grew so big it everyone had under 10 blinds. I was top 10 most of the tournament....

I guess coming back tomorrow is always the best thing to do. I don't know if trying again in the evening after a 5-6 hour break would do,but i guess it depends on every person,i'll try it a few times and see how it goes.
 
buzzmania

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i try to take notes on myself and see what i did wrong.but sometimes the cards just dont go my way.switch games to something you dont normally play and work on those skillls of learning something different..atleast if losing it dont feel so bad but a change can make a difference.just saying.....
 
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MaDaMan

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I bubbled one more tournament. 150/3000 number 50 was paid

Today should have been a stay way from poker day i guess :)

Switching it up seems like a good advice too, thank you (thanks to the other person who gave that advice too)
 
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