In boxing, fighters have an adage. \u201cYou\nhave to learn to fight tired. It\u2019s a different skill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of us have played a sport which has\ncompletely run us down. In the final moments of the game, when we are\ncompletely spent, we still know how to move and position ourselves. A\nsubconscious will takes over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can develop that in poker as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to play tournament poker, you\nwill have to learn how to play tired. Day fives are brutal, especially if\nyou\u2019re actually paying attention to most hands. Online poker has tournaments\nthat go late into the night. You\u2019ll need to get your nerve up if you\u2019re going\nto play these events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, if you play cash, you\u2019ll often\nfind guys lose their mind late into the night. It\u2019s about 3:00 AM when the\nliquor starts saturating their mind and the money is good. You will need to be\nalert during that witching hour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you do this? There\u2019s a few quick\ntips that can put things in your favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First of all, this should be obvious, but\nkeep your head clear. A beer will slow you down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second of all, keep hydrated. I\u2019ve run this\ndrill hundreds of times. Hydration seems to be the biggest deciding factor in\nkeeping ahead of the game. Down water religiously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before they started making it for adults, I\nactually used to go to Dollar Stores and buy out their PediaLyte solutions. It\ntastes awful, but the electrolyte cocktails helped considerably during the late\nnights. Now, you can buy the stuff tailored for adults, and avoid the stares I\nused to get in the checkout line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you need caffeine, stick to black coffee\nor tea. All the added sugars and artificial sweeteners that come with energy\ndrinks and Starbucks lattes seem to eventually create a spike and crash. A\ncrash late at night when the game is not breaking is awful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try to stay away from espresso shots until you absolutely need them. That\u2019s your turbo shot. If you think you have multiple guys ready to crack and you\u2019re fading fast, go to the espresso shot. There will be a crash, but most likely the witching hour is at hand, so we\u2019ll take that risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t eat anything with sugar in it, that gives you that crash. A lot of those energy bars are just loaded with sugar, they hide it in the ingredients all the time. They\u2019ll call it a syrup, say it\u2019s a natural flavor, whatever. Just don\u2019t go to them if you\u2019re starving, bring a sack of almonds, and if you\u2019re feeling ambitious, put avocado slices in a Tupperware. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, let\u2019s talk about the actual play\nof poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A very basic player can make real money during these hours, my career is a testament to this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All you have to do is not crack. Most other\nguys will crack. You need to be the guy who doesn\u2019t crack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think of the hand before you do anything.\nImagine the hand as if you were seeing it in a hand history replayer. Get a\nbird\u2019s eye view of the table in your mind. What would you do if you saw this in\na hand history? Do that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
DO NOT get creative at this moment. Your exhaustion is playing with your mind. NO big calls unless you have excellent evidence. NO big bluffs unless you know the player incredibly well. Stick to fundamentals<\/a>. Focus. Wait them out. Don\u2019t crack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At some point, one of your opponents will\ncrack when you have something. This generally comes in the form of big calls\nthey can\u2019t justify. They like their hand and they\u2019re done folding. They\u2019ve been\nwaiting around for hours and hours for a big pot. They haven\u2019t had one. They\u2019re\ngoing to force it now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your job is to wait until they are prepared\nto give up. Your job is to recognize top pair with a second kicker is good\nenough for the kill shot in this moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n