zen like state of poker bliss

[oddjob]

has anyone else ever acheived this in a session or two? lately i feel like i'm playing above my par game.

i've been catching good tells from tough opponents, reading hands pretty much on the money, knowing when i'm beat, knowing when i'm good and extracting the near maximum from my winning hands.

i've even been playing good psychological poker as well. laughing it up with the tourist, putting people on tilt, being nowhere near tilt myself, and have "encouraged" about 3 or 4 huge stacks to play their less than optimal draws to the river... and bleeding the money back. by this i don't mean i tell them to chase their gutshots, but give them sympathetic encouragement, that seems to reassure them that they're not being foolish.

in fact, nothing was really bothering me the whole time i played, which i think made me play even better. that guy who sucked out on me at the river? it happens, move on to the next hand. i didn't try to gun for him at all, or anyone else... i just played my cards, and adjusted to whichever opponents i was in the hand with.

i'm not trying to brag or be cocky, but it's the first time in a long time, i've felt really, really, really good about my game, and was wondering how many other people have acheived this zen like state of poker bliss. perhaps this is the level you've gotten to that you play at all the time.

hopefully it's something that will stay with me, but if not, i'll just have to take advantage of it while it's here.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

In a true zen state you would feel neutral about your game; at peace with it regardless of whether you were winning or losing.

[mike l.]

"perhaps this is the level you've gotten to that you play at all the time."

well that's pretty much it i guess. i look to the casual observer to be completely on tilt, playing every marginal dominated piece of trash to the river for as many bets as possible. but in fact im in a state of zen-like expert play that im so used to by now i dont even think about it.