What do you guys do? Let me know.

This is one of my worst things. I play reasonably well on A game, but when I drop below that I can make a few mistakes here and there. I think I still play ok, but I want to keep up that sharpness.

Play short high-intensity focused sessions. Gradually build your session length till you reach your optimum time length.

Play shorter sessions.
Don't have any background distractions, ie music and youtube. All that the music/yt does is make the session seemingly shorter.

Shorter sessions are the way to go

So what you guys are saying is to play shorter session, right?

:P

I play less tables and less hands

Read mental game of poker 1 and 2

Sweet, thanks guys. I'm playing shorter sessions and working to bigger ones.

Will definitely read that book took.

I'm not convinced that playing short-sessions is the key to maintaining your A-game.

I think people are suggesting to play shorter sessions because they assume it lowers the chance that you'll suffer from tilt. But playing long sessions isn't the inherent cause of tilt. Things that cause tilt are fatigue, lack of focus, irrational thinking, problems that are happening off-the-felt, etc. So the key to staying on your A-game is to make sure you keep these things in check. The length of your session is irrelevant. That being said, if you find that fatigue and lack of focus is a direct result of longer sessions, then you may want to consider not playing for such extended periods of time.

Personally, I think the key to maintaining A-game is all to do with how you approach life away from the tables. Keep healthy, keep fit, keep studying, be well-fed, well-rested, hydrated, balance your poker with some other form of socialising, make sure not to put in a session if you've just had a fight or are in a bad mood. If you do these things then you'll be less likely to encounter those things that cause tilt, thus putting you in a better position to stay on your A-game. If you can do that, then the length of your sessions doesn't really matter.

EDIT: I wish I followed this advice all the time, because I also have trouble staying on my A-game.

changing games after a double up so you can pocket ur profits

Thanks Dashy. I think my big problem is my preparation and apprach to sitting down. At the moment I find it's "I think I'll play poker!"
BAM! One buyin down. I've got to get my poker mindset on before I get my poker on.

Once I settle in, I find I lock in to A game, as long as I stay connected to what I'm doing. But I'm also still learning the game, so even my best game is nowhere near optimal. I've just got to keep that in perspective.

Maybe if I'm tired or playing terrible I can play shorter. I'll look at the session length of my better sessions and see if I'm making more money on short sessions, but I want to be able to play at a crushing level 8 hours straight (in the future).

And PokeYourFace, I find that when I have a big stack I generally don't spew, because I get locked in and just start absorbing other people's stacks. Once I'm ahead, I generally stay ahead.

According to Gordon Gekko (sp) tilt is consciously making the wrong decision. I do agree in terms of A game you need to find what time lengths work for you. I have finally evolved to play an hour 30 mins take 5 to 10 mins where I sit out abs leave the room (bathroom, snack, get a drink etc). Usually play about 4 to 5 of these 1.5 sessions then take an hour break for dinner. I also take two days poker free each week. In game something that really helps me is talking to my self about what villains range is street by street what my range typically is. You can also record your sessions and see if your in game philosophy is consistent with outside, notice your tilt tendencies so you can recognize and fix them, and just overall review. Finally I would study stoicism and apply it to everyday life and poker it's a healthy outlook on life and can add a rational rather on life/poker.

Stoicism is basically that you should focus on what you can change and not in what you can't change i.e. bad bears death taxes etc. About of the info in this post is supported by geckos tilt free in 30 days series, split suits video on youtube, and personal experience on my own battle over coming tilt and transitioning my self into a winning 1/2 player. Good luck and run good.

Mateo94, that is a brilliantly concise explanation of tilt. That's something I will be able to spot much more easily now.

Will also look up stoicism. Hopefully it doesn't go over my head like game theory does, haha. I need to read up more solidly on that though.

I'm smart, really, I am!

Thanks for the recommendation. And advice!

One needs to play often to stay sharp. Other than that i remember starting to blunder after 3.5 months of playingabout 12 to 16 hours every day. Blundered two weeks after that, lost my bodily strengths also. Then on, not been that ignorant, need some rest for body, brain and some more movements for the body probably will help the brain also to stay stronger.

I coach others for free in the Mental Game.

Here's some stuff you'll love:

1.) Identify what your "A-Game" really is: How can you attempt to play it if you have no idea what it is?

2.) H.A.L.T. : Avoid your C-Game by not playing when you are Hungry, Angry(emotional), Lonely(bored) or Tired(sluggish)... H-A-L-T= HALT

3.) Use a D.E.A.L.T. diary and analyse it to find variables responsible for your A-Game:

This 3rd point will take a bit of explaining...

DEALT is something I created that allows people to keep a log for their mental game. It takes less than 1 minute to do and I get my clients to do it pre-session and post-session every time they play.

All you have to do is open a notepad file, write each of the initials and fill it out.

* Date: (what the date and time is, also record if it is presession or post session)

* Emotions: (how do you feel both mentally and physically at the moment?)

* Attributes: (What do you think has caused you to feel this way? Is anything on your mind?)

* Lifestyle: (How's your life overall? Are you eating, drinking, sleeping and socialising enough? Do you feel anything in your lifestyle needs improving?)

*Tilt: (How have you been playing? Are your decisions both on and off the table okay? Review your plays and write down anything significant. Give yourself a grade from A* to C-.)

Do the DEALT log at least once daily and save it to a folder on your PC. Once a month, open them up and complete an A-C game analysis by a technique we use in qualitative psychology called "Content Analysis" (more specifically= THEMATIC ANALYSIS). This involves separating the diary entries from good days and bad days into 2 separate files. A+B game days are good, C is bad. After this is done, start scanning the text and reducing the data down to key themes that repeat themselves frequently. For example, one theme might be "lack of rest" for a bad day. This will show lack of sleep is seriously affecting your play.

Of course, using this technique you will be able to find the variables that are unique to you and allow you to trigger your A-Game. After you find them, all you need to do is replicate the conditions!

This is a great method and many of my clients have had huge success using it as it is personal and unique to them. They find out what works for them and not a generalised or wishy-washy opinion from someone. It is unique and personal to them as a person and has massive relevance as well as validity!

Enjoy!

Thanks, I'll definitely have to try that myself! Self examination is a powerful way to improve oneself.

^^Works at ToysRUs

Smoke some nugs.