Many players who fall under the spell of online poker find the game surprisingly irresistible. They can play for hours and hours on end, but is that the right thing to do?
A lot of poker pros boast the fact they can spend countless hours at the poker tables and make the most of poker bonuses, and some players declared they can place bets for 10 to 12 hours straight. However, the fact that they can keep playing for so long doesn’t mean they are making the smart choice.
Sometimes, when you play for too long, you lose perspective of the game, which is when mistakes are made. You can miss an obvious tell, miscalculate your odds, or make the wrong decision in a very specific situation.
Even the smallest mistake can lead to dire consequences. Apart from losing cash, a bad call can rattle your confidence and affect future decisions as well, causing you to tilt. So to avoid getting into such a bad spot in the first place, you should find out what is the optimal session length for you.
To do that, you have to consider the different aspects of online gambling that can influence how long you can play:
- If you are new to online poker and you’re still learning the ropes, you have to focus more on every detail as you place your bets, which requires more effort on your part. Such levels of concentration can tire you out quite quickly and affect the length of your poker session.
- Spending hours at the poker tables require certain conditions if you want to keep your energy levels up long enough. Make sure to have a good night’s sleep and eat nutritional foods at regular intervals on days you play. According to research, lack of sleep and an unbalanced menu can lead to forgetfulness and a distracted mindset that will affect your play.
- Poker pros often strive to challenge themselves by multi-tabling. However, playing numerous games at once requires a lot more focus, so the more tables you play, the quicker you’ll get tired and distracted.
Know When to Quit
So how should you know what is the perfect length for a poker session? To figure that out, you need to have a few test-runs and be on the lookout for signs to stop playing.
First and foremost, if you start feeling physical fatigue, accompanied by yawning or general tiredness, it’s time for you to take a break.
Also, if you’re having trouble staying focused on the action happening in front of you, and you get distracted more easily by your immediate surroundings, that’s another sign you should consider stopping.
You should also think about ending your poker session if you experience a major loss that puts a damper on your mood and ability to keep thinking rationally. But even if you had a successful session without losing too much, you should consider calling it quits when you’re still on a roll.
Last but not least, pay attention to the actions of the other players at the table. If the whale at the table bows out, it might mean you no longer have a reason to keep playing as well.
In Conclusion
While there is something exciting about being able to play poker for long stretches, but that’s not always the best strategy for a successful session. Knowing how long you can play without losing focus is a crucial part of becoming a poker pro!