Consistency struggle

[archmagi]

Hi,
I have a problem, and struggling to find a cure:
My game is very inconsistent. Whenever I play my best game (and I am very pleased with myself), the next day I play a terrible game. I become significantly less cautious. By the way, I am not classifying good and bad play days in terms of results, just by my quality of play, and the actions I take. Hence a terrible play day is not necessarily a loosing day, but is one when I makee many mistakes.
I assume it's because I am overestimating my play because of the previous day's good performance. The problem is what to do about this. I have tought about not playing the day after I play a very good game, but this can't be the solution for the long term.
/images/graemlins/confused.gif Any suggestions?

[AQheartbreak]

Someone respond to this. I have the same problem. Although, the day off seems like a good idea. I usually try to take a break after a good night. Simply to refresh. It takes a lot of brainwork to play your best, and rest is never bad.

[andyfox]

I think most of us do the same thing, or something similar. Everything fell into place yesterday; yes, we played well, but we also got some good breaks. That thick wad in your pocket has you feeling flush. Now you play a couple of hands you shouldn't have played and although youre down a stack or two, you rationalize by adding up yesterday's win and subtracting today's minus and figuring you're still ahead.

I try to do two things: 1) Imagine all the 2+2ers are watching me play pre-flop. Then, whenver I feel the urge to call with J-9 when the tightest player at the table has raised UTG, I throw it away. 2) Always consider all options on each post-flop round. There are only 3 things you can do in poker, so not to consider them all is a crime against humanity. This helps me focus on each and every action, helping me to play better post-flop instead of just assuming that, like yesterday, I'm going to make that flush draw once again.

[Mike]

I also have the same problem. I think it is fairly common. I do what Andy Fox suggested: I pretend someone is sitting behind me judging my play, and I have to justify every round of every hand I am in.

I also play hundreds of hands of TTH simulations a day. Nothing like playing an hours worth of TTH, to get the bad play out of my system, and get my self centered before going out and playing for money. I don't think our brains seperate reality from the sims as the actions are the same. Perhaps someone has a better take on this - Dr. Schoonmaker or Chesspain?

Doing these things has helped my focus at the table, and the early game too loose calls, I used to have a tendancy to make.

[Al Schoonmaker]

The first thing you MUST realize is that everybody, absolutely everybody, has a "struggle with consistency." I have read countless assertions that we should "always play our best game," and they are all BS.
Why do I take such an aggressive position? Because it is utterly impossible to always play your best. Giving people advice that is impossible to follow is BS.
Everything about you varies, even your heart rate and blood pressure. Everybody's performance varies. Tiger Woods shoots some bad rounds. Fine hitters go 0 for 14. Certainly, you should TRY to play your best every time, but you and I and every top professional will have days we play badly. I can remember playing so poorly one night that, even though I won a few dollars, I called Matt Lessinger to vent my anger at myself.
The specific suggestions that appear in the rest of this thread are excellent advice, especially the ones about imagining others reviewing your play.
But the most important advice I can give you is to accept that you're human, and being human ALWAYS means that your performance will vary, and you will occasionally play badly.
In other words, don't beat yourself up too badly.
And, when you get down on yourself, call a buddy to talk about it.
Regards,
Al