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Poker Hands

As your poker career advances and you become a better tournament player, you’ll find yourself playing increasingly long hours at the poker table either online or in a live event tournament.

Staying focused and remaining comfortable becomes just as challenging as the game itself.

Because most poker players don’t have the physical strength to sit at a table for long hours’ they think, ‘Hey, it’s just SITTING.’ But it’s much more than that. Just think if you have a bad back, stomache problems or get tired very easily you will simply not h ave the stamina to remain focussed for long periods of time.

Playing Texas Holdem for eight hours’ or often times much MORE can definitely be a physical and mental drain. So prepare your body for it, just as you would any other sport. If you don’t feel good, you won’t play good.

There are other things I’ll also do in preparation for those long poker sessions. Here are a few of them:

- Never start a game on an empty stomach.
- Take breaks during the game.
- Breathe. I know it sounds silly, but a few deep breaths can keep your brain more alert.
- Drink caffeine instead of alcohol. Alcohol is a downer, caffeine is an upper.
- Grab a bit to eat during the game.

Find an approach that works for you and stick to it. Mastering this aspect of poker will automatically give you an edge over your opponents when playing in long poker tournaments.