Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

It seems that poker performance often improves when other things in life are going well. Generally when you feel better you play better. I'd like to use this assumption to my advantage as much as possible. The question is how? What specific actions can I take?--Obviously, being in shape and having healthy relationships with people has a fairly significant impact on your emotional state/poker returns...I know to take care of myself...I know not to play when I'm mad at someone or something...so what else is there that I can implement in the real world that will carry over and contribute to my success in the poker world? Interested in any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

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Obviously, being in shape

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Yeah, just look at Raymer and Todd Brunson.

I don't really agree with any of what you said I'm afraid. The poker cards are dealt and are independent of all that goes on around you.

Some people can still play their A game when the rest of their life is a mess "Unger comes to mind". Some people can't. Working out whether you are playing your A game is the real ability.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

The thing is I understand where you are coming from. It seems entirely logical that poker success cannot be divorced from emotional well-being; and I believe that for some, if not most, people this is true.

But, I think, in the end, that emotions are not useful in poker. Be ascetic. Be inert. When it comes to poker.

But for everything else just remember that seriousness is an accident of time.

Oh yeah: I almost forgot. Burn yr Ayn Rand. There is so much more (I apologize in advance if you've already read Hume, Kant, Nietzche, B. Russel, et al). That bitch is pure evil; she's like flypaper dragging a fly down.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

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But for everything else just remember that seriousness is an accident of time.
down.

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Could you clarify what you mean by the above? Agree with the rest of what you said except for last paragraph.

Kant/Nietzche I don't care for. The others I like. I'm pretty sure a lot of people interpret Ayn Rand in a much different, more negative way than I do.

Also Rek, I think if you ask really athletic poker players whether being in shape directly benefits their poker health you'll get a yes most of the time--you certainly wouldn't get any that say it hurts (unless it takes up a significant amount of time.) Anyhow, do not dwell on that like you did because that certainly wasn't the main idea of this post.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

Rek,

"Generally when you feel better you play better."

Please clarify how you could disagree with that statement?

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

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Rek,

"Generally when you feel better you play better."

Please clarify how you could disagree with that statement?

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He probably thought that cards fall no matter of your emotions. It is not like Shannon Elizabeth said that she imagines a card he wants to see and not the cards she doesn't want to see. Bull****.

It helps if you are in good shape. You should have a big ego when you are at the table and this can't be done if you are emotionally stressed or tired. Maybe a yoga and meditation can help you if you have some problems from time to time. It builds your confidence and ego.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

what? keep ego off the table! ego is your enemy at the table! it makes you feel the need to get unstuck if you are stuck, feel the need to win every pot. it makes you hate folding. it sucks.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

if you have a good game the main aspect is your mental approach; setting aside a long period to play so you don't feel 'rushed' into trying to win, basically that you are playing your A game, be that aggressive or neutral.

physical side doesn't matter, heck i've been so hungover that i've had to pass out in front of the laptop while 8 tabling, but my brain was still playing my A game.

just make sure your playing your normal, good solid A game.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

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what? keep ego off the table! ego is your enemy at the table! it makes you feel the need to get unstuck if you are stuck, feel the need to win every pot. it makes you hate folding. it sucks.

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I didn't mean it that way. All the great poker players have a big ego. All of them. Having a big ego doesn't mean that you want to break even. Having a big ego means that you trust your reads, trust your instincts, that you believe that you are capable of making the best decision at every moment. If the best decision is to leave the table, then you should do it. Having big ego means that you are not affected by how the cards fall, that you are beyond the cards. A lot of people stop playing poker just because they don't have a big ego. They lose half of their bankroll and figure they suck while this is actually pretty normal thing. If you have a big ego, you say - it happens and move on and you are still capable of making the best decision at every time.

I am sure you will agree with me. You probably meant having a big ego in a different way that I did.

Re: Aspects of Life That Affect Your Poker Play
 

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Generally when you feel better you play better.

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I think the real concern here is in the negative of that statement:
Generally when you feel bad you play badly.

I think that's true both physically and mentally. Poor health can affect your mood and confidence, keeping you from making the best decisions. If you are mentally preoccupied with a problem, frustrated or unhappy about something, that can affect your game in several negative ways. You may put your frustration into the game, or worse; you could be playing Poker as an escape from your problems and both your game and your life will suffer. Playing with a bad mental attitude is essentially going into a game pre-tilted.