Bobostonepony

By Spadebeats

There’s an off-season in every major sport. Football takes the spring off, baseball takes winter, basketball takes summer, you get the idea. The question is, should there be an “off-season” in cards? Many people might argue there is an off-season, considering the WSOP is the coup de gras of the poker season, but when you really think about it, you can play cards all year. The question then becomes, should a player take some time off from the game or should you play year round?

I suppose I pose the question (and answer it as well) because I’m considering a little time off myself. I’ve been playing online almost every day for the last year. That is a lot of cards. The problem I’m having is I’m not winning as much as I used to. That’s caused a serious lack of confidence. Nine months ago, I averaged one-out-of-three wins in 10 person sit-n-goes; the two I wasn’t winning were usually top three finishes. Now, as time has passed, I find myself getting bored with the games. I will play hands out of boredom to stir something up, not to win, but just to play. That is a BAD thing! To put the cherry on top, I’ve had an awful string of bad beats on some online poker sites. I’m talking trip aces beat by Q 5 off. Ridiculous!

If you are a new player, you must play as often as possible, but what if you’ve been in the game a while? Should you play every day or as often as possible? I suggest the answer is no. There’s nothing wrong with taking a little time off. Take the time to study the game, maybe read a book or some articles. Everyone is going to go on losing streaks, it just happens. I suggest, and I know others will argue against it, you should take a moment to gather yourself before you continue the game. Think about why you’re losing and fix it. When you feel you’ve spent enough time away (as in, you can’t wait to find a game) go back to the table and plug away. If you come back on fire, you know you’ve done the right thing.