[detroitdad]

Hey all,

Most of the games I play in I have a 30 minute drive. The two primary places I play is AzCat's and Wedge Rocks. Both players are exceptional hosts, great equipment/structures (not much to do with the topic, other than the drive, sorry)

On my way to their house I usually listen to something along the lines of Guns-n-Roses, AC/DC, Kid Rock, Ozzy......along those lines (for whatever reason it helps me think, clears my head, gets me in the mood to play cards (not that I need to get in the mood)).

What I have found that has helped me in tourney's and cash games is if I spend the entire 30 minutes focusing on the game to come. Most of the time I will know who is playing, so I focus on the players in the game, their styles of play, how I think the table is going to flow, what strategy I want to use that night (base it on who is going to be at the table, the structure, cash or tourney, ect....). I also visualize positions that I might be put in, how I will handle it, plays I want to make, ect......

Anyone else do anything similiar to this.

When I host I try to find a few minutes to think about the game, but it isn't anywhere the same as when I drive to play (they host a much better game than I do).

B

[jojobinks]

Originally Posted by detroitdad

Hey all,

Most of the games I play in I have a 30 minute drive. The two primary places I play is AzCat's and Wedge Rocks. Both players are exceptional hosts, great equipment/structures (not much to do with the topic, other than the drive, sorry)

On my way to their house I usually listen to something along the lines of Guns-n-Roses, AC/DC, Kid Rock, Ozzy......along those lines (for whatever reason it helps me think, clears my head, gets me in the mood to play cards (not that I need to get in the mood)).

What I have found that has helped me in tourney's and cash games is if I spend the entire 30 minutes focusing on the game to come. Most of the time I will know who is playing, so I focus on the players in the game, their styles of play, how I think the table is going to flow, what strategy I want to use that night (base it on who is going to be at the table, the structure, cash or tourney, ect....). I also visualize positions that I might be put in, how I will handle it, plays I want to make, ect......

Anyone else do anything similiar to this.

When I host I try to find a few minutes to think about the game, but it isn't anywhere the same as when I drive to play (they host a much better game than I do).

B

absolutely. i usually start off with music, and quickly realize that it's not helping. then i turn off the music and just think the game through. this especially helps, as you say, with specific players and player types. in the game it's easy to get emotional (i'm tired of diablorojas floating the flop...i'm just gonna push the turn! ). in the car, away from the game, planning for that situation helps me to remove myself emotionally once i'm in the moment.

on the subject, this was really the hardest thing for me in my first year or two of NLHE...removing emotion from the equation. and, besides the money and competition, it was the thing that was most appealing to me...the zen-like control that it required of me (and that i sucked at).

[Jonah 99]

I try to only focus on playing patiently.
I've found if I try to visualize too much of how I think it should go, I end up forcing the action and getting in trouble.
You never know how things will go with the deck, so you need to be very flexible.

[detroitdad]

you obviously have to be flexible. It just helps me prepare for the tourney. I am on a very nice roll the last 8 months or so.

Last week I played in a $30 buy in, 15 man tourney. Being that I was only going to be familiar with about half of the players I was planning on playing tight, and focusing my strategy in that direction. Well the cards didn't dictate that, and I ended up playing more hands in a single tourney than I ever have. 3 out of the first 4 hands were pocket pairs, 1 of which boated and paid of very nice. My cards were hitting all night long. I ended up changing my "intent" early on. Thats how it rolls sometimes.

B

[FlopZnuts]

I'll bet every sports psychologist or coach worth their weight in chips use visualation as a way to help their atheletes to focus and "see" themselves being successful before they ever are. I heard once that "It has been said that seeing is believing, but that is wrong. You must first believe something, then and only then will you ever see it materialize." (Or something to that effect!)

[Nexttime]

Ty Webb: Just be the ball, be the ball, be the ball. You're not being the ball Danny.

Danny Noonan: It's hard when you're talking like that.

[guinness]

It takes me 2.5 to 3 hrs to get to Foxwoods, so I have plenty to think about. I find the more I think about the game to be played, the more defensive\tight I start the game. This ultimately leads me to observe before I play my more LAG game, resulting in a more profitable game.

When I don't do think about strategy, I usually find myself down 10%-20% of my starting stack within 30 minutes. I call it the premature ejac need when starting a game, but its nothing less then jumping in too deep early. At least the benefit of that loss is projecting a donkey image before taking pots.

[FlopZnuts]

OMG! That is ssoooo friggin funny! LMAO!

Originally Posted by Nexttime

Ty Webb: Just be the ball, be the ball, be the ball. You're not being the ball Danny.

Danny Noonan: It's hard when you're talking like that.

[Kefka891]

LOL Caddyshack.