[kroeliewoelie]

I think I play a lot worse if I am playing like I am hanging in front of a tv. For me that's not the best way to approach it. A better way to view poker, at least for me, is seeing it as sport. When you play a match, you need a good warming-up. The same holds true for poker. So I drink a cup of coffee, make sure I am not tired (don't play after having worked for 6 hours behind a computer screen), take a shower, make sure I work out enough (not really a problem for me), don't set goals in terms of money, set a stopping time (my play deteriorates a lot after something like 2 hours) and leave my computer for a while. If I follow this routine I have the feeling I can think about the big picture and accept the loss of a pot better.

Finally, I think it's really important to note that most of the time villains aren't playing back at us, but just have a good run of cards. Don't start a dick measuring contest to find this out at showdown. And if you do feel you are getting outplayed, find a better table. Don't forget we are at microstakes.