Hi guys been playing a lot more live lately but I’m having trouble staying focused at the table and watching/taking note of the action. I have decent knowledge but my lack of focus i really think is killing my winrate. I understand we should be putting people on ranges all the time and I’m not even thinking that deeply and I really want to.

Any tips as to how to be focusing all the time and ranging people properly and also in the 4-6 way limped pots that happen a lot live? The only thing I have been doing lately is keeping track of what’s in the pot street by street but I need to branch his out a lot more.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Kind regards Brad.

Why are you at the table in the first place? IMO a lack of focus can be a result of a lack of 'end game' or goals. I find my mind 'wandering' away from the table when I build up my stack a bit .. thinking I've figured out this table, no reason to pay attention anymore.

I play A LOT of regs so I have history with most of my opponents and thus can allow myself not to drain my brain by watching every waking moment every hand. The more you play the more you automatically pick up on bet sizing, stack sizes, possible steps out of line by opponents and, most importantly (to me), when your opponents lose interest in a hand or the game themselves thus opening up opportunities to steal those limpy types of pots.

Try just observing one player (and the pot) when you are out of the hand. Then move on to watching each player for a few hands each until you can get a feel for how they operate.

If you feel a loss of focus then go for a walk and try to come back 'better' or just go home. But again, it comes back to 'why' are you playing and focus your energy on fulfilling whatever it is that brings you to the game. GL

Sometimes the lack of focus can come from, well, a lack of focus. Instead of trying to watch the action and take in everything, focus on a few things at a time. Spend one orbit looking for tells. Spend another orbit focusing on bet sizing. Try and track a few of the more interesting players open or call rate, and see if you can put them on a range.

When you go into a session, decide what kind of question you want to be able to answer about a player or players, then focus your study on that question. Trying to just observe and learn is like going to a museum and not being able to read the placards. there is too much information and not enough focus, so you get overwhelmed and shut down.

Also, a very easy little trick to stay engaged...talk to the other players. Joke with them. Hell, if worse comes to worse, pick a fight with one of them (not an actual fight, but pick a player that, for whatever reason, has rubbed you the wrong way and focus your energies on trying to beat him).

If you know your lack of focus is killing your winrate, then all you need is a constant visual reminder of that to keep you focused. Maybe put a paper sticker on a card protector and write "LOF=WRK" on the sticker, which will stand for Lack Of Focus = Win Rate Killer. That way it's always in your face at the table. That should keep you focused.

At a limping LLSNL tables, ranges are almost meaningless pf. What I want to watch for is how good they think TP is. Is it a betting, calling or folding hand? If they limped pf, bet the flop, bet the turn and folded to a raise, they probably think TP is just ok. If they call down to the river and don't show at show down when 2 pair or better is revealed, they think TP is a winning hand.

There's a lot of money in knowing where your villains pain points are.

Are things outside of the table taking away your focus? Like the TVs or other distractions, phones, music devices? If so , these can be more easily dealt with. Many players lose interest in a hand if they are not in it. Good players use this "down time" to watch the action for tendencies in the other players. Knowing you have a leak or a problem is a long way towards solving it, so keep at it.

Also, be well rested when you play. And ackowledge that it is OK, during a long session, tot ake breaks from paying attention. Try to do two or three orbits of focused attention, then go into autopilot for an orbit.

Believe it or not, with enough practice, it becomes automatic. You are aware of player tendencies without actively tracking them.