The difference between feeling good and feeling like crap

[Gamer4455]

Yesterday was a bad day for me to be playing poker. I felt like crap, and it sure showed by my play. The way I played was like I had no interest. However, I got up feeling pretty good this morning, and that also showed by the way I played. The problem is the fact that I just don't stay away from the tables when I'm like that. I play and lose, and as a result, I lose enough that it will take awhile to get my money back. I hate playing in order to get my money back instead of adding to my BR. Anyway, hope that makes sense. GL all

 

[fundiver199]

Its for sure a good idea to stay away from the poker tables, if you are not in a good condition, because you are overly tired, sleep deprivated, depressed, hungover, drunk, or whatever it might be. All these factors have a big impact on our ability to deliver our A-game. Which is really no different from work or sports, where our performance is also going to be affected by all these things. This is why, a lot of poker pros stress the importance of sleeping well, eating well and excercising on a regular basis.

 

[77ecos]

you have to learn to master those feelings, keep a cold mind so that it never affects your game, poker is like that, learning to deal with it is essential to be a winner in the game

 

[Gamer4455]

Thanks for the replies you two. I did read them. Tuesday night I got into a long lasting MTT and it started like 4pm. I think I went to bed about 2:30am. I slept from then until this morning. I know better than that, because it will take me two days to feel right again. So probably no poker for today. GL you guys

 

[Warrior1961]

Yesterday was a bad day for me to be playing poker. I felt like crap, and it sure showed by my play. The way I played was like I had no interest. However, I got up feeling pretty good this morning, and that also showed by the way I played. The problem is the fact that I just don't stay away from the tables when I'm like that. I play and lose, and as a result, I lose enough that it will take awhile to get my money back. I hate playing in order to get my money back instead of adding to my BR. Anyway, hope that makes sense. GL all

Hi friend.

I, as I suppose it happens to all mortals, I also have moments that make me want to throw the PC out the window because of the bad results of poker haha. But there are also good moments (in fact this week I won a freeroll of my dear Cardschat in ACR).
One technique that I use when I am bad for bad beats is to play things that do not interest me, such as impossible satellites or tournaments in which there are 1000 registered and only 5 players charge. So there I vent my anger and go there almost every hand like a maniac. I don't know if this will make any sense but it works for me.
Another thing that I always thought is that we should never expect poker to solve our lives (if we are doing badly at work or financially, it may be better not to play), unless we are professionals of this beautiful game.

Well, I hope my contribution helps you.

Kind regards from Buenos Aires.

 

[Gamer4455]

Hi Warrior1961, Thanks for your reply, and yes it does help. As far as tilt goes, it's not apart of my game. But like today, I'm a little depressed, and I'm hurting in my side really bad. That all maybe from laying in the bed from 2:30am Wed morning until 8:00am this morning. There is a thing on TV that says, "The mind says to do one thing, but your body says do another." That's me in a nut shale today GL today

 

[Kehzi]

Very accurate.

A players mood can have a great impact on their play. If you sit down to play and you're already not feeling great or confident, how long before you start to tilt? How long before you start playing carelessly or complacently and face the brutal consequences? It's asking for a downward spiral.

As a matter of fact, I think this is one of the most daunting aspects of playing poker professionally and why I admire the discipline and patience of pro's so much. While recreational players have the luxury of only playing when we feel great; pro's likely have no choice but to grind the game full time even if their head isn't quite there that day. And they need to avoid tilt the whole time. Not easy.

Us recreational players should take advantage of this and play only when confident, alert and not on tilt. Learning to recognize when we're tilted or generally not feeling great is crucial.

As a final thought, and I suppose ironically, poker is in and of itself the best way to learn and develop the skills required to play it well (patience, discipline, rational decision making). I doubt there's a better way to train these skills than to simply play poker.

 

[Gamer4455]

Thanks for the reply Kehzi. I agree with you 100%. Still, I'm one that has to learn the hard way. I don't mean all the time. But up top I said I wasn't feeling good, and I went ahead and played some anyway. I lost but it wasn't much. But then, a little is a lot for me. Thanks again, and GL if you play any today.

 

[P86]

Well that's part of a winning strategy in my opinion knowing when to hold back on playing specially when having down swings better take 3 or 4 days offs to regroup and no point in playing when you are not feeling good better not make profits than loose bankroll easily and have hard time recovering