seems like I am capped to B game.
Posted by pierrehusson
Posted by
pierrehusson
posted in
Mental Game
seems like I am capped to B game.
Hello,
As an intro for my very first post, I would like to warn that it is not about technique at all, more about "metameta" game, variance, improving, lifestyle, ...
I have been grinding MTTs professionally for 6 years. I have been coached by some good guys, and I also coach myself.
With one good friend of mine who is also a very good pro player, we decided to quit smoking 3 weeks ago: no more cigarettes (I used to smoke 20 rolleys a day) and no more joints (I was only smoking with friends, but at least once a week). We hesitated on doing an interesting last longer prob bet : the winner could fuck the looser's girlfriend, immortalizing the scene by filming and posting on the Internet, but we decided than giving up smoking was just enough of a challenge by itself.
Just before quitting I had been on a crazy heater for 6 months, running obviously great, but also playing the best poker ever.
Since I quit smoking, I have all the classic symptoms :
- being more stressed
- more irritable
- compensate with food
- more impatient
- sleep disorder
- more computer addict than ever
- feeling a bit depressed
... plus I feel like I am not able to reach more than a weak B game. Yeah I don't run as good as before so it's normal that I don't play as good, but there's nothing comparable! and my friend feels the same too!
Quitting smoking and running badly / loosing the A game may or may not be related but here are the different things I have been testing, with no success for now (once again I am not result oriented as I already play overbankrolled. My only goal is to reach my A+ game) :
- taking a 5 day break (maybe it was too short)
- playing waaaaay lower in smaller and softer fields to regain confidence before potentially moving up (played too many tables at once)
- turning skype off and listening some relaxing classical music (I focused more... on the fact that I was not happy with my game, and that I was doing too many mistakes without being able to avoid them).
- playing fewer tables at the same stakes, trying to focus more (did my best, did not work out)
- going everyday to the swimming pool (it actually helped a bit making me more patient / happy but I have been a little sick recently, so I have not been able to go back for a while now).
- railing and discussing with another good friend of mine who is on a big heater (I tried to incorporate some of his tricks to my game, but it did not work out cause we really don't have the same style)
- watching a lot of videos (while 2 tabling / playing settlers of Catan online / never taking notes or making commentaries, ...)
- eating 40 carrots a day, drinking 5 litters of water a day (my former ".55 smoking break " became the ".55 pee break", my skin turned orange).
oh yeah forgot to mention that after a 5 year abstention, I will play the WSOP main event, and I really want to prepare as good as possible to give me the best chances.
So what the hell can I do to really go back to my A+ game. I have got 5 weeks.
- taking a longer break, maybe 2 weeks without playing online at all.
- reviewing 2 full tournaments a day : one from my A+++ period, and one from my B- game period
- going back to the swimming pool everyday once I am not sick anymore. Before that, walking in the city everyday.
- meditating / relaxing everyday to be more in the present
- keep on coaching my student
- when I have my "food compensation crises", eating carrots, apples, bananas, yogurt
- spending more time with my friends / girlfriend / family and enjoying it. Stop feeling like an awful douche bag the times I fail.
- buying a crazy suit to look like a crazy pimp for my Vegas trip
- playing live CG and giving me some good exercises (play only the top 10% of your range for 3 hours for example)
- taking notes on journal
Guys what do you think?
Should I break longer than 2 weeks?
Should I only play on Sunday, and playing the very few best Sunday majors?
Should I break totally totally, no more poker / screen (uuushhhhk !) / coaching for X weeks?
Have you other ideas for a sport that I could be doing, knowing that my knees are shit (cannot jog)
How many shirts should I buy with my 2 suits?
Could you recommend some good books? trivial or useful
Could you recommend some cool things to do with the girlfriend?
Should I take notes on the computer? or on a physical note book?
Are we all computer addicts? is it bad?
Have you ever experimented special diets? not specially to loose weight, but to feel better / healthier
Are there some good things too do (not to take ;) to increase our focusing abilities?
I know that this post is long and weird, feel free to tell whatever you think.
xxxxx
Pierre
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