Long sessions
 

I seem to usually start out strong but the longer the session goes I seem to fade. Does anyone else experience this same type of problem? Also is there an optimal session time? Should you not play longer than a certain period of time?

Re: Long sessions
 

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I seem to usually start out strong but the longer the session goes I seem to fade. Does anyone else experience this same type of problem?

[/ QUOTE ]bballwiz - Yes. For me, I think in large part it has to do with my blood sugar level. Sometimes I simply get tired.

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Also is there an optimal session time? Should you not play longer than a certain period of time?

[/ QUOTE ]I can only speak for myself. I think I should not play more than several hours at a time. But I enjoy playing so much that sometimes it's hard for me to quit while I still have chips left.

Buzz

Re: Long sessions
 

I think you can know yourself how long you can play for before you start to play less than optimally, for me, on an average day is no longer than an hour and a half. During particularly good and enjoyable sessions I can go for 2+ hours. I think if you examine your previous results you'll see at what point you should stop playing.

Re: Long sessions
 

i stop playing when the fish leave. sometimes the fish is me and hopefully i figure that out sooner rather than later.

Re: Long sessions
 

I get better the longer the session wears on. Perhaps because I'm young and the regular game I usually play in is dominated by old people who drink and then seem to lose focus after about 7 hours or so.

The biggest pots I win tend to come very late into my marathon sessions, as I've posted before.

Re: Long sessions
 

I noticed this independently and wrote about it. There is some science behind the fade you speak of. Personally, my win rate falls off after 2-3 hours. The fading is mental fatigue and minor adrenaline burnout. All high & constant mental exercises like poker drain us out quickly.

Re: Long sessions
 

After 2-3 hours I almost always take a bathroom break, get a snack, refill the drink, let the dogs out, etc etc. Sometimes I like to make it a half hour break so I can sit back at any table with any amount, especially if I am up big at several tables. If it's a short break I try to play 1-2 more hours only, after a longer break go for 2-3 again if I am into it. When I 4 table it is easy to self-diagnose optimal play, when you cannot make snap decisions with confidence that the math is right, look inside to figure out what is wrong. Keep an on the go snack handy in your computer desk for "emergencies"

Re: Long sessions
 

My focus starts to drop off after about an hour, but I'm working on maintaining focus for longer periods of time.

Re: Long sessions
 

I can play LLHE for hours and hours. I'm much newer @ O/8, less than 1 yr. After about 3 hrs. of O/8 my brain melts and starts dripping out my ear. It's usually best for me to quit instead of taking a break. I guess counting outs wears me out.

Re: Long sessions
 

You've played with me enough to know my answer: YES!

Most of the time, when everyone on here (and in Stars chat) likes to claim Im a complete and total tilt-monkey, it's really one of two things happening:

1)Ive been playing a long session and am completely drained, but Im not smart enough to just quit down or b/e . . instead Id rather eat a big loss and be a degenerate moron for one more day

2)I just woke up from a nap and don't completely have my wits about me. So if I take 2-3 beats across my rooms, Im going into a wild frenzy and not play anything remotely solid