As an analysis of myself as a player I'd say I'm an extremely talented player that can play and beat the best in the world (I've played with Illari and Galfond and beat both of them)

or

the worst spewy tilt-monkey you've ever seen that can't beat the micros. My problem is that I seem to have an A+ game where I crush souls and absolutely dominate and an F- game where I spew every hand and my roll just vanishes into thin air. I'd like some advice or just a discussion on practices you guys use to play your A game more frequently and any rituals/routines pre/during/post session you find helps your view/reads of the game. (I assure you this isn't because of implementing a maniac strategy that depends on the cards, I'll play identical spots completely differently depending on which game I'm on, A+ game I can make brilliant bluffs on the river and induce bluffs, F- can't fold a terrible draw oop when I know I should and making bluffs/valuebets isn't even in my repertoire in this mindset).

I find sometimes I get in this mindset where I just don't care about the money and look at the spots nearly perfectly, if I'm in this mindset only the top 100 in the world can beat me..... I can bluff perfectly and valuebet perfectly. The flipside being I am desperate to win and I can't beat anyone, I mean I am the worst player you've ever seen in this state. I need advice on how to play more frequently in the confident positive state where I can see what's going on and less in the desperate to win spew-monkey can't fold state of mind. I'd be a millionaire if it weren't for the monster that escapes and busts my roll in 30 minutes. At my best I won 120k in 3 days, would like help getting back to that even if you don't play high limits, just want psychological advice.

Im happy to send you my hypnosis mp3 if your interested?

pm me

You're clearly full of **** and beating the "best in the world" a few sessions doesn't mean your good, just means you ran well. If I were you I would drop your ego, admit you have a lot to learn both personally (you're a bit delusional) and in poker and just accept the normal learning curve that is associated with players who play .10-.20 online and 1-2 live.

get elements of poker.

Spot on, end of thread.

nah I'm not delusional. I know exactly what my strengths and weaknesses are. Winning 170k while running 30k under ev in 80k hands takes skill, losing it all in a few days overshadows it completely. I know I have a lot to learn and have quite a small ego. Winning and losing 170k isn't something to boast about or inflate my ego, winning 170k and keeping it would be something to boast about. My ego can't really drop anymore, I'm completely honest and humble about my successes and failures which you misinterpreted for arrogance. There's money to be made in PLO and I'd like to grab some, that's all.

I will get elements of poker, thanks for the advice

You're probably one of those megalomaniac types. Chip on you shoulder, never really cared about much except a few things which you obsess over and sink all your time into. My advice is stay healthy, phsyically and emotionally. Make sure to make time for non poker related things.

My answer to this is in another tread so I'll just post a link (1st post itt)

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/26...-tilt-1057150/

Seems like no one is attempting to directly address op's question - tips for playing your A game.

So I'll attempt. I'm a live tournament player (since BF) and the pace is considerably slower than online play. However, if the pace at my table is fast I slow down the action, except when open folding. By slowing down the pace I can take the same amount of time for each decision, and not reveal the strength of my hand. Slowing down the pace is key in allowing me to execute one crucial thing before I play a hand. After reading a chapter in "Elements of Poker" I started to apply a simple question to myself: "Am I playing my A game?" Sounds stupid, that it's that simple but much of the time the answer I gave back to myself was "no", that I needed to adjust my mind set. If I had not won a pot in a long session or had just lost small or large pots, asking the question alerted me to the fact that I was off center, and by asking the question I re-aligned myself. If I went on tilt, I imagined myself on a boat that was tipping, sinking and by continuing to imagine this image I eventually found balance and got back to optimal play, sometimes taking 20 minutes or way longer. If I had a big stack and had a good run in the tournament, asking the question made me aware that I was too elated and had lost focus. To sit at a poker table to play optimally, one needs to focus on every action, every chip, every street, gathering information that will be ultimately needed later. If I missed some bit of information from distraction, the question made me return to the "A" state. And that's what it is a "state", a mental "state", a "zone." Only by keeping myself in the "zone" for long periods of time, was I able to make the right decisions when key crucial moments arose. It's like warming up for a sport. You need to warm up a long time. If you're not warmed up, you can't be in the "zone" to make the right play, at least not for me. I have extended the "A game" to regular life for use in personal or business matters to stay calm and make proper decisions. And like anything in life that's difficult, its hard to maintain unless you continually work at it. Fall of the horse and get back on.

Fold more

thanks chekhov, exactly the advice I needed. I know exactly what you mean by in the zone, I used to be able to find it more often and I think that's solely because I stopped eating healthy and exercising for so long.

I agree exercise and diet are extremely important. Folks that say poker is not a physical activity are very wrong.

Actually, if he's got the money (looks like he plays big), he can hire Tommy Angelo as a coach.

you have to be more humble.

I'm not opposed to hiring a coach, but I'm in Canada.

in which way? I've done incredibly stupid things in my life which I'm trying to correct now, I don't get some of the reactions here, there is nothing to brag about. I have sat with the best in the world and beat them, should I lie about that so people don't get where I'm coming from?