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Rugby players for example play once a week for half the year.
the rest of the time they are practicing.
Can't you with poker do the same? there's thousands of hands people have posted online, videos of people playing. can't i just practice in my head playing those hands?
Rugby players practice between games, and simulate game type situations during practice.
If you studied and practiced between tournaments, and by practice I mean simulate game type situations, including distractions and time pressure, you might be able to improve without playing a lot. There is still no substitution for live experience, as you will be facing a lot of different mental pressures in a live game versus practice, and you will be facing a lot wider range of opponent types in a real game. Studying is a critical component of improvement, but you have to have time in the seat.
Yes, you can get better by reading 30 hours a week and playing once a month, but you won't be improving nearly as much as the guy who plays one hour for every hour he reads.
There is no substitute for game time experience. This is true in professions, sports, and just about any skill based activity.