OT: How do people stay from getting bored while playing?

[Dr_Wonderful]

I genuinely enjoy poker and do my best to focus on it while playing. I 8 table the turbos but can only do this for 90 minutes straight, tops. Also I can only get myself to play for 3-4 hours a day. I am wondering what people do to maintain focus while playing for so long. It is worth it to me to sacrifice a tiny bit of ROI for the ability to play more hours and have a better time while I'm sitting alone at my computer. I generally listen to music or loveline. I make bets with friends on how many tournies we can play in a month to motivate myself further, which works to some extent.

I'm mostly looking for tips and tricks on what forms of outside entertainment people use while grinding away. I know I'm going to get responses about playing less tables, make it more fun, and that's ok, I might need to do this once in a while. I find myself browsing pointless internet articles and reading the same posts over and over on this forum instead of starting up a set of poker.

Any advice is appreciated.

[Bruut99]

I have the same problem. I also play 8 tables. I can't play for more then 1 session at the time. an not more then 3-4 hours a day. Any tips on concentration?

[holy32]

I'd say playing timewise overlapping tourneys (as opposed to a set where the blind levels are the same on all tables) helps. Also, if you are so bored you can read articles or do other stuff, you could probably play more tables instead.

Or maybe sng's just aren't for you if you find them that boring. I enjoy playing for 2-3h at a time. You could try just taking a break for a day or two from sng's and play some other format (i.e. cash).

[jmillerdls]

I use to have this problem as well. I do a couple of things that help.

First...I play MORE tables...not less. I think this lessens the boredom. I personally 12-table these days, but have played upwards of 24 tables at different times.

Second, and probably what I credit the most for being able to put in the hours, and the tournaments...I play continuously, not in sets. If you get yourself to start opening a tournament as soon as you bust out of one...you force yourself to continue playing.

This way, I put in 3 to 4 hour sessions as opposed to my normal 45-1 hour sessions that I had previously. So, 2 sessions a day equates to not only a longer period of time for working than what I was previously doing...it also results in far more tournies played per hour.

It was very hard for me to adjust to this, because I was so use to having all my games in the same blind level, with the same feel...but I think having to evaluate the blinds on each table helps me stay more focused and not just get into a completely robotic (boring) style.

Give it a shot, might work for you as it has for me.

[hoyasaxa]

I post on 2p2

[simonpoker]

as said above: don't play in sets

[futuredoc85]

[TruFloridaGator]

I wouldn't raise your tables to anything that makes you uncomfortable. I'd rather be bored than hurt my ROI or hourly. To be honest, you shouldn't be doing too much else while you play either because of the same problem.

1)Play continuously
2)Do things to intensify your focus, energy drinks, exercise before, things like this help me focus a ton.
3)Music, etc

[TwistedEcho]

I watch tv while playing

[DevinLake]

I think this is specific to each person. Some people can just play longer than others. I, unfortunately, cannot play large volumes. Futuredoc, on the other hand, can play like 20hrs a day.