Post your pre-game routine

[x2ski]

Hi all,

I'm still trying to get a solid routine going when I start a session, Unfortunately, my impatience usually gets the best of me and I end up in frantic-mode for the first half-hour or so before I finally settle in.

I'd like to know what others do to get set up at tables (waiting lists, table selection, time spent scouting etc.)

Here's what I'm doing at the moment.

I fire up PT for auto-importing, PA HUD, Empire and Eurobet.

Starting with Empire, I sort by pot-size and put myself on the waiting lists of the first 6-8 tables. Then at Eurobet I sort by waiting list size and put myself on the first 6-8 tables with the smallest waiting list, preferably with pot sizes of 5BB or more. This strategy hopefully prevents me from being on the same table lists at Empire/Euro.

Now I wait. It usually begins as a trickle, with one or two tables opening up. I sit at the tables and deal myself out, expecting to wait until I have 8 good tables running before I start playing.

This is normally when all hell breaks loose. Some of the initial tables suck, so I leave, but by the time I'm "sitting out" at 3 juicy tables, I get restless. I don't want the fish to bust out before I start playing, so I sit in. Within a few minutes, the tables open up like wildfire, and I'm stuck trying to play hands, select tables, close tables etc.

What frustrates me most is when I've just played the blinds at an "OK" table, and all these tables are opening up and I have 4 Empire and/or Euro tabes open already so I must make the decision to leave "OK" tables in the middle of an orbit while risking sitting down at "even worse" tables, or sitting down at tables that I'm already sitting at (on the other skin). The "let me think about it" button gives you like 5 seconds to think about it, and that thing popping up constantly while I'm in the middle of hands and all this other crap popping up makes me want to pull my hair out.

After about half an hour of this, I just give up and take the first tables available until I have 8 tables going. Now 5-6 my tables are 17-22 vpip and I won't leave until they get below 15, for fear of going through the stress of table selection all over again.

There's gotta be a better way.

[J.R.]

[ QUOTE ]
Now I wait. It usually begins as a trickle, with one or two tables opening up. I sit at the tables and deal myself out, expecting to wait until I have 8 good tables running before I start playing.

[/ QUOTE ]

start playing the first couple of tables, getting reads and deciding if you like the table. Leave or stay, then repeat the process until you have the desired number of tables. you'll get to 8, just do it 1 or 2 at a time.

I hope its obvious that its more important to pay attention and play well at a few tables you sit in on than to be seated at 8 tables at once.

[Neil Stevens]

I make sure I have something to drink.

I load up the site.

I join some tables.

I start my stopwatch to time how long I play.

Very simple.

[ QUOTE ]
It usually begins as a trickle, with one or two tables opening up. I sit at the tables and deal myself out, expecting to wait until I have 8 good tables running before I start playing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why wait until you have 8 tables open to start playing? If you start playing them as soon as you open them up, you won't have to deal with the pop up things all at once. And if playing 8 tables is so stressful, why not play just 5-6 tables? If you're not feeling so stressed out, you'll be able to play a longer session and make up for the reduction in hands per hour.


As for my pregame routine, I like to flex the GUNZ in front of the mirror and shout "Who's the Man? Me! IMDAMAN! I'm gonna CRUSH this game punk! Bring it on bitches!"

Then I turn on my computer, start up the games while I read email, then read 2+2, then watch some porn, then eat lunch, then take a nap.

[itsmarty]

I also get on the waiting lists with the largest average pots (although they change enough that I'm likely wasting my time), but I avoid overlap by joining all numbered tables on Empire and named tables on another skin.

When a table pops up I first look at where the open seats are, because I like the ends. After that I look at stack sizes and only sit if there are a few people with well under the default buyin. I never sit if several people are significantly above the default buyin.

It will usually take a little while to get a couple of tables lined up, so I go back and get on some more lists and do it again. I leave a spot (or more) open for inspecting new tables, in case one comes along that looks way better than my current ones. I stay at tables way longer than a lot of people seem to, but once I see a couple of no flop hands go by I'm ready to move on.

I don't worry too much about paying blinds, and will post if I'm in late position rather than wait for my BB, so I definitely don't sit out and wait to be seated at all the tables before I start playing.

I don't use a HUD and would rather not know if I'm up or down while playing, so I don't start PT until afterwards. My pre-game is putting the kids to bed and finding something my wife and I both like on the Tivo [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Martin

[NiR]

sit down. open 4 empire/euro tables. and start playing.

[SoftcoreRevolt]

[ QUOTE ]
I make sure I have something to drink.

I load up the site.

I join some tables.

I start my stopwatch to time how long I play.

Very simple.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do this all minus the stopwatch. Instead I just say "Money money money money money" for an hour.

[rusellmj]

Get drink
Take dump (always)
Fire up PT
Select and open tables
Play when BB gets to me.
Open GT+ or PA HUD

[zaphod]

1) Wake up.
2) Turn on PC.
3) Go to toilett.
4) Put on coffee.
5) Get back to PC, that have started up by now. Start playing.
6) Run for coffee while folding at early levels of tournaments.
7) Play like a fool because i am not awake yet.
8) Make note to myself to never play before i am properly waken up again.

[LoveDub]

[ QUOTE ]

I fire up PT for auto-importing, PA HUD, Empire and Eurobet.

[/ QUOTE ]

You fire up Empire, and Eurobet? Is this allowed?