Keeping focus on poker

[winky51]

I feel I know a lot of strategy and there are nights I remember everything and other nights my mind is distracted and forgets to use all my knowledge.

How a player bets.
Did he raise pre-flop.
How did he call on the flop.
What kind of player he is.
Play on the flop, on the turn.
and so on.

Ideas on keeping mental focus guys?

[Webster]

I guess that's a good question.

Online you are talking?

For me - I don't. Good players are the ones that you never notice. (I talk to much). They play few hands so you never get a good read on them.

[rdu $teve]

The best recipe for good concentration is eliminating distractions. No IM, surfing, TV, BJ from wife/gf(well....maybe), ect.

If you are still having trouble, once all that stuff is out of the way, you may have to reduce the number of tables you are playing at once. At least until you get used to it.

Right now, I cant play more than 4 tables without losing track of this stuff. Im sure that after a while, I can begin increasing up to my goal of 6 tables.

[winky51]

Yup that does make a difference I noticed. I have been keeping records on me playing without distractions and with the TV on, surfing, daydreaming, no BJs though.

I do notice I win more not distracted. Most of the time its that one hand an hour that I get because I have a tell off a player. I either save money of make money.

Thanks.

[Blarg]

There was a thread on this just this past week in the psychology section. What's said there applies to you as well.

A lot more of it is biological than you think. It's much harder to think when you're at biological low points -- when you're tired, you've just eaten, you've got some junk food or sugar being input into your body, you're dehydrated, etc. It can be hard to believe you're being affected by this stuff because most people aren't very aware of what's going on in their bodies and ascribe it all to attitude, and think attitude is all you need to fix any problems.

Be sure you're tending to the physical machine well. Only being able to maintain concentration for short periods is a sign of mental and or physical exhaustion -- it could even be a sign of too much stress not being properly worked out. So be sure you get enough rest and exercise, don't eat a lot of crap, and be sure you stay hydrated. There are brain chemicals that can get depleted too, and the regular cycles of eating and burning up sugars in the course of the day can make your energy spike way up and down; you might want to try regulating it a bit by taking some Vitamin C. Check out the other thread in the psychology forum where the guy talks about having trouble concentrating for a bit more depth on the subject.

[klagett]

I find playing 2 or 3 sessions a day for an hour and a half to three hours each helps me maintain focus.

[winky51]

I agree. at most I can play 3 hours.

[Boopotts]

I don't know what limits you're playing, but if you're playing in the smaller games then almost none of this stuff is very important.

Untill you reach 15-30, it's largely just a game of agressively value betting your hands (that includes draws, btw) and working in the occasional sneaky bluff on the flop in small pots. Just assume everyone plays badly, and you'll almost never be far from correct.

[PITTM]

a BJ during a poker session sounds VERY +EV to me...

rj

[Blarg]

For a new player, 2/4 might as well be 15/30.