Need advice to reduce my stress level
Posted by Kaizen
Posted by
Kaizen
posted in
Mental Game
Need advice to reduce my stress level
Hey guys,
How do you reduce your stress level when you are playing poker especially when you multitable ?
I know that the answer would be to play less table, but i don't already grind on a lot of table (only 3-4 spin and go table, i'm specialize in this format for three months and i feel like it's not enough. A lot of professionnal spin and go players arrives to play on 6 tables and i would like to play on the same number of table. So, i don't think that it's the solution and i force myself to play on 4 table even if sometimes i'm completely out-of-date. I'm very stressed and hate when i don't play my A Game, when i'm not concentrated and culpabilize a lot at any mistake (even very small mistake like sit out on one table before seeing my hand, or a push too loose in HU...). Very hard with myself in game.
I was semi-professionnal between July 2014 and March 2015 and played at that moment MTTs. I liked this format a lot and my volume was correct. Everything was going well. But after a downswing, and after losing a big part of my bankroll i decided to specialize in Spin and Go for rebuild my roll rapitedly. It didn't end well, i made some money on 25$ Spin and Go's (1700 games only, something like +4k$) but depenses this money and need to go on 10$ Spin. I lose 50 BI in 10$ but have the impression that i am crushing the field and the regs (not playing on .com and those regs are very exploitable). Don't want to be pretentious it's just a feeling you know, the game was largely tougher on 25$ spin and go and some regs was very good, much better than me.
I don't have any bankroll at all now (exactly 180$ right now) and don't want to play 3 or 5$ spin and go (i think that i will have even less motivation for grinding and your hourly is very low at this limit, prefer to have a "monthly job"). Besides, if i'm broke i know a friend who say that he will stake me. I haven't played a lot since May (something like 1000 game - 30 hours - + 15 hours of studying) and i think the problem it's because i don't enjoy the game anymore cuz i'm too stressed when i'm playing. Don't want to lose my "bankroll" and require to staking. And i find that grinding Spin and Go is quite repetitive. What would you recommend to struggle against the stress ? Meditation/preparation are maybe some good ideas but i have absolutely no idea how to do this effectively and to play more ? Any advices ? Thanks
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Wrong section, don't arrive to delete this post or deplace it.
My advice would be not to play them.Spin and Go`s are by far the most tilting variant of poker now because variance is huge, not to mention getting stretches of like 196-2x and 4-4x multipliers out of 200 games, all the time.
You have enough money to play 180 mans or heads up sng`s, which are both soft and lot less tilting.
Work on your approach to the game (beliefs, expectations etc.), learn to manage emotions in the moment, practice being in the now. Get a coach and work on those things. Take care.
Make the transition to 6max or 9max cash game. It is the least variance choice. Dont fall in the "Iwant to win my losses back" mindset.
Thanks for your advice, i really want to persevere in this format so i don't think that i'll transition to cash game or come back to mtt, even if those formats are less difficult and that the variance is lower. Since i wrote this post, i up my bankroll to 3k grinding in small mtt field sng hu and spin and go 5 - 10 - 25. I runned pretty good. But i have still stress problem and don't arrive to play on 4 tables +, or grinding more than 4 hours in a day even during my holidays. So, i have to solve that problem. I'm aware that a coach mental can be very helpful but i wait to have a more confortable bankroll. Thanks ! If you have others advice, don't hesitate !
Stop playing poker!!! No seriously, you can often combat stress with exercise/fitness, diet, meditation, yoga, stretching etc. When you are in good shape physically this will def show in youre concentration and energy for the game and not to mention reduced stress levels. Start slowly maybe 2 -3x per week of exercise for 1hr sessions. They dont have to be intense in the beginning you can work up to that eventually but get your sweat on and you're game will thank you for it.
i couldn't agree with this more. My biggest struggles, i think we all can relate at times, is battling yourself. The price of auto-piloting/tilting etc. is enormous. This topic has been covered already by some great minds, but for me personally poker can be the biggest blessing or curse. Nothing changes about the game it's just your thoughts that are different. It's still the same exact game, but you are different. Life events or stress is dynamic just like poker. One resource that has helped me a ton is headspace. Its an app you can download for mediation. It's helped me immensely. Tilting was so common for me. Working out and meditation saved me and is really the way I can continue to play for longer sessions then before and more importantly stop when im not playing my A game.
do you currently work out/exercise?
Don't take staking from friends because it my get uncomfortable if you are in a downswing and can increase the stress level .
I'm play cash and i only look at result once a month and i feeling great because I'm only focusing on playing good .Also physical is great for mental health .
Nailed it.
Ok i will try to do that i'm not currently exercise, i was doing that last year like 2/3 hours of fitness but i stopped this year and i'm sure that it can hellp to resolve that problem ! :)
Working out is great. I like to drink relaxing tea sometimes and basically never drink alcohol/smoke weed anymore which also helps a lot.
One of these my brother
To give some news, i rebuilt a bankroll in spin and go (i have approximatively 20k now), i hit a jackpot in october so that helps. I still have a stress problem and i'm not satisfied with my volume but it's way better than before. I finished my degree last year and took one year to try to live from poker. I play approximatively 2000 games per month on average and work regularily (120 hours/month in total) also play sometimes HU CG/CG 3 handed. I'm going to gym twice a week but didn't start to meditate but it's probably something i will do shortly. The last vid of Tommy Angelo and your advice convinced me !
Get coaching from spin player cog dissonance and mental help from elliot roe. will be gto now that u have a roll. congrats btw what was the jackpot?
Don't force yourself to meditate. Let yourself meditate. :)
GL on the Way
What you could do is what I always do during a session of poker when I notice I'm feeling uncomfortable/stressing:
I get out of the chair and do some boxing (in the air) for about one minute. Sounds crazy but it really helps. By boxing you move your focus to something else (your virtual opponent) and with your intense punches it releases some emotions (=stress).
Sometimes even a smile appears on my face!
Above all, it's cheap, works quickly and effectively. No 3 hour of fitness needed etc (although also recommended).
Try it and let me know.
Haha nice one but i don't think that i will do it gl
there are 3 thing that I usually do and it makes me feel good and ready for a new session:
1st -> after a bad session I break some cheap things that I'm not attached att all. It helps me realease pressure and makes me feel good. Like hitting someone when you are angry. (Best option: low prices plates and cups, it works if you shout loud too)
2nd -> turn off computer and go for a beer and weed with my friends, laugh a lot and forget about the game.
3rd -> take some days or even some weeks of break. Before I comeback to play, I'm used to watch some motivational videos, some coaching videos and read good poker stories, for incentivate matters.
Hope that helps you!
Hi thank you for your comment it definitely helps !
I like the second point to go for a beer and relax with friends to make a break and not think about poker anymore, i should think about doing my online session earlier to have the time to go out after (and not before ^^)
The best antidote for stress and fear is support and care by someone you trust (i.e. a friend, parents, doctor etc). Don't be afraid to talk about what is bothering you or ask for help.
working out is totally the biggest stress relief in my experience
check this out. After every session cool down. separate Poker and your real life.
Poker Cool Down
get laid
How's it going Kaizen? Did you figure out the stress(tilt?) problem? Have been really stressed out myself lately and been looking for options to deal with long term accumulated stress. Hope you are doing better nowadays.
Cheers.
Nah man.. THC only makes me paranoid and more stressed out nowadays. :/
Wim Hof breathing
Living in flow
Do 1 before sessions and in between. Listen to 2 :)
I've actually been trying the Wim Hof breathing methods the past 3 days! Interesting stuff, thanks!
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