Playing conditions / mental state

[moritzey]

Hey,

I know this is a bit random, but I was just wondering under which conditions you usually play poker online. Looking at my stats from the last few month, I realised that I made most of my money when playing in the middle of the night, i.e. tired, drunk or both, and my ROI from those sessions is significantly higher than my average. Does anyone else experience that, or is that just me being weird?
I suppose it might have to do something with the way it affects my play, as it is looser/more aggressive when in such a state, but then I thought I would play more disciplined and actually take pot-odds/EV/implied odds etc into account when playing at other times, so I was quite surprised when I saw those statistics. Anyway, would be interesting to hear your opinions on this.

moritzey

[jezza777]

My girlfriend swears by having a couple of glasses of wine before she gets her A game out. I think it is good that you are looking at your state of mind but have you considered that you may well be playing people who are in worse states than you because of the time? I used to love the NTX on crypto on Fri nights it started at midnight and got around 130 runners and a lot of them were pissed . If I hadn't doubled through in the first level I was dissappointed. Also I have heard it said that some pros get up early and play on the American sites to take advantage of the after bar crowd.

[NoflopsHomer]

My girlfriend swears by having a couple of glasses of wine before she gets her A game out. I think it is good that you are looking at your state of mind but have you considered that you may well be playing people who are in worse states than you because of the time? I used to love the NTX on crypto on Fri nights it started at midnight and got around 130 runners and a lot of them were pissed . If I hadn't doubled through in the first level I was dissappointed. Also I have heard it said that some pros get up early and play on the American sites to take advantage of the after bar crowd.

NTX has gone up to a £2.5k guaranteed tournament now. You'd also get decent value in the $5000 at 1am too, never more than a couple of hundred runners and the play is appalling, trust me.

[Poppet7]

Hi Moritzey

I don't know why but I seem to play better at night, playing in the day just seems weird to me, I hardly ever drink though so that doesn't really matter, although the other day I had a big bottle of wine to myself then played live poker, that was very funny! They all folded when I raised cos they knew how much I'd had to drink!

If you play better at night then carry on... it obviously works.

Good Luck

Sophie xx

[thetank]

Playing better in the middle of the night probably has less to do with your mental state and more to do with the change in quality of opposition during the small hours.

That being said, your playing enviroment is very important. Get a comfy seat, remove visual distractions (television) and make sure you have adequate fluids within arms reach.

I try to avoid alcoholic beverages before, and certainly during an online session. Even a couple of pints will make me more prone to fatigue, forcing me to cut short a potentially lucrative sesh.
I save the booze for playing live 

[crip17]

Jezza makes a couple of good points.  I think it could be more to do with the state of the opposition at that time.   Im no pro but this the reason i play at this time.  It can be a gold mine of the US sites especially at the week ends.
On the topic of mental state i have also lost a lot of money playing while i was in the wrong fame of mind.  I had lost a lot of money on sports betting and went to the 5 -10 nl and tried to chase my losses.  I dread even to look at the hand history of those sessions as it would be appauling to look at.  I hadnt the sense to stop and lost control of motions altogether.   Basically i had a gambling problem and it got out of control and as a result if messed up my poker BR.   Now i dont sports bet at all and just play poker and am beginning to inrerease my BR again after going broke. 

[ACE2M]

I play at all hours, basically whenever i get the chance.

I find the best times for cash play are if you try to hit the times everyone gets home from work and logs on... 3 shots at this with east and west coasts of america and the UK.
Also hitting the 11pm crowd and again you get three bites at this.

Another thing i find rewarding is starting new tables or sitting at tables with only a couple of players, as people are always far more loose with their money when they first sit down (how many times have you done your buy in or a big chunk of it in the first 15 mins?).

I will have a glass of wine or two but i never get drunk and play. Lately i have been stocking up on snacks to save me running round in the 5 min breaks trying rustle something up.

[madasahatstand]

i play better when im in a risky mood. in other words, am going to have more of a gamble. my best games are usually when i am distracted by the tv or some music or surfing the net. i have the tendancy to become impatient and want some action even if i had rubbish cards. i used to talk a  lot to other players which i found lost my chips so now i try not to get caught up with all the concersations. the last thing is the comfy seat. i dont have one! at the beginning of the night, its good but the impatience really sets in when my back starts getting sore. i end up going all in some nights on the gamble as i know im going to have to get off my seat. maybe i should invest in a nice lazy boy??

mad

[moritzey]

Cheers for all the feedback, I suppose the weaker competition point makes a lot of sense, never really thought of that before. Will give one of those midnighty/1am tournaments a go soon and then report back

Totally agree with what Ace2m said about people being looser when they first sit down at a cash table. I only play short handed cash games, but been in that situation plenty of times myself, sitting down, blowing everything in 10 minutes and then playing proper poker for another 50 to get back to where I started from .. should probably look into buying in with a smaller amount originally, and then with my standard amount for the first rebuy?

[M3boy]

I think mental state has ALOT to do with it

You should NEVER play when :

1) Too many distractions
2) In a bad mood
3) Drunk

Those are mine, just a shame I dont stick to them   (specially no2)

[Sark79]

I find playing between 10:30pm and about 2am is my best time for playing.

Having to play during the day at weekends is tough. It is not just poker, studying, reading or anything else where I need to concentrate are the same. I am just a night person. I always think alot clearer at night.

I normally play at night with my headphones on and in a dimly lit room. I like to shut myself off from everything while playing. This means turning the phone off, making sure my dogs and cats are out of the room. As I said in another post, my dog is a Kleptomaniac and generally leaves my room where I play poker with my wallet  or some other item in his mouth. He doesn't know he is doing it. He lost my 24 boxset this way. I don't like putting him in the hall because I am afraid he will think he has done something wrong. But I say to him, Lewis has to play poker now, if I win I will buy you a bone or new toy. 

By shutting everything else out I can concentrate only on poker. I used to get stressed and pumped up after winning or losing a pot. But now after a comment Tank made last week about other people feelings I stay alot more relaxed. Also, Tank refered to remaining calm online is a good way to practice for live play. Keep your emotions in check. I still feel pumped up when I win, but now I think to myself ' Be the Ice Man...Keep Calm'..lol

[madasahatstand]

yes sark, bradley used to ger REALLY upset when he lost and would shout and occassionally punch his own leg with rage. i told  that he would be better controlling himself because this might come out in a live game. so far in live games he sits as quiet as a mouse and does better than me. what the world coming to?