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