Sometimes
you’re running bad, or maybe you’re just playing bad. Sometimes it’s a
combination of both. Running bad can put you on tilt subconsciously,
which leads to poor play. But when your poker results start to suffer,
particularly in online play where good players will take more than their
share of bad beats, sometimes you need to step back and re-assess your
play.
I’ve found that, most of the time, simply freeing myself of distractions
and other influences that might affect my mind-set is the most
effective way to renew my focus and see improved results. Here are a few
tips that have worked for me:
Eliminate distractions ahead of time – This means turning off the TV,
telephone and keeping the music down to a low volume. If you have
children or pets to take care of, make sure their needs are met before
you play.
Develop a routine – This means everything from signing up the same time
before a tournament to sitting in the same seat position at the table.
Every time I play, I click the “sit here” option on the bottom seat
exactly in the middle. This helps me focus, as I never have to change my
eye level and look for my seat, as I always felt a little awkward if my
seat was in a corner position or at the top. Plus, just getting into a
routine this way helps me focus on the game at hand.
Be prepared to play – This covers everything from being rested, showered
and focused, to making sure you have no time commitments that are going
to get in the way. If you are playing a multi-table tournament with
2,000 participants, you should anticipate that you will be playing for
the next 5 hours or so. Clear your schedule. Do not play if you have
another imminent time commitment. Also, make sure you have eaten and
used the bathroom before you start. Just as is in live games, failure to
do this will result in you missing potentially valuable hands at the
table. The breaks are short; make sure you have snacks or beverages
readily prepared so you can re-fuel in a timely fashion.
Eliminate distractions at the table – In addition to sitting in the same
spot each time, I recommend turning off all avatar images and avoiding
chat at all costs. Many avatar images appear intended to distract you
and, let’s face it, some of them do. Whether it’s a picture of a
bikini-clad, buxom model that has your attention, or some other sort of
violent or semi-graphic image, it’s relatively easy to have your
attention drawn to these images. Eliminate that possibility by shutting
them off. Also, keep chatting to a minimum. If your opponent chats “nh”
or “nice hand” after losing a pot to you and you believe his sentiment
is sincere, a “ty” or “thank you” is acceptable, but do not draw out the
conversation. If he is clearly being sarcastic, ignore him. Resist the
temptation to engage in personal battles, even if someone types an
offensive sentiment such as “nice call, donkey.” Engaging in prolonged
chats will only distract you from the game and task at hand, and could
possibly put you on tilt. Leave tilting to your opponents.
Follow the general rule of HALT – That is, do not play if you are
hungry, angry, lonely or tired. As previously stated, make sure you are
fed if you intend to play a long tournament. If you are angry, from
taking bad beats or for some other personal reasons, it’s never a good
idea to play because you will have a compromised mindset. Playing to
kill time before you go to bed is usually a bad idea, too, as you will
have less-than-optimal focus and be tempted to make plays you normally
wouldn’t make.
Play better than your opponents – Isn’t this always the goal when you
play? Of course, but this is meant in the most basic sense. Online
players notoriously play too many hands, try too many ill-advised bluffs
and overvalue and overplay starting hands. They refuse to fold when
they clearly are beat, and shove all-in when they clearly are behind.
The masses are asses … don’t be one of them. Don’t lose sight of the
fact that patience is still a key virtue in poker. Many new players seem
to crave instant gratification, and all it leads to is an early
bust-out. So let everyone else ram-and-jam in every pot, and put all
their chips in the middle on a three-outer. You, meanwhile, sit back and
pick your spots. Be selective about your starting hands, and don’t be
afraid to fold when you are beat. Don’t make foolish calls or push with
marginal hands just because you’ve been running cold. You’d be surprised
how huge an advantage a little patience will give you over your
opponents
