Taking a break every now and then is always a good idea, especially when playing online poker. From a few minutes or hours between games to a few days or weeks of not playing, poker breaks are not only essential but can actually help your game – and your mental well-being – in the long run.
Whether you’re playing recreationally or you’re a professional, here are a few benefits of taking a break from poker and the reasons it’s good to do so.
You Need a Break, Here’s Why
When you start making emotional decisions rather than decisions based on logic, it’s time for a breather. In poker, this is known as tilt and refers to the state of mental or emotional frustration players may fall into, especially after a loss. Tilting causes players to become overly aggressive and, in some cases, overly cautious.
Because poker is a game of highs and lows, it’s important that your mood remains stable and your mind clear. So, if you’re becoming agitated, are getting tired and losing concentration or notice that you’ve been playing for a number of hours, these are all clear indications that it’s time for a break.
Benefits and Reasons for Taking a Breather
Gain Some Perspective
High-pressure situations tend to cloud our judgment. Taking breaks between casino games is the best way to make sure you’re meeting each game with a clear mind and not running on autopilot. They also prevent a phenomenon known as “decision fatigue” – the idea that your ability to make good decisions, as well as your reasoning and willpower, diminishes over the course of the day when you’ve already made a number of decisions. Knowing when you’ve tilted isn’t always obvious. If you find yourself making a lot of exceptions to your usual gameplay or you’re bluffing way more than usual, these are clear indications.
A few minutes to breathe and reflect on the game at hand can open your eyes to things you may not have noticed before. It’ll also give you a boost of energy so you can continue your game with clarity and feel grounded and confident.
Regroup
Whether you’re feeling mentally frustrated or simply need to stretch, wash your face and have a bite to eat, regular breaks during long sessions allow you to regroup. When you’re feeling mentally and physically good, you’re more likely to make smart decisions, especially when it comes to your bankroll.
Should you lose money due to poor concentration, without a break, you risk starting a vicious cycle of trying to win your money back while not being able to make clear decisions. There’s absolutely no shame in stepping away or pulling out of a game when you no longer have the necessary focus. This will prove to be one of the best decisions in the long run and is an essential poker skill that can improve your life.
Give Yourself a Pep Talk
Maybe you need to check in with your bankroll, calm yourself down after a loss or give yourself a confidence boost. Taking a break has been scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, improve memory and boost your performance, whether you’re playing in a live poker tournament or having a friendly round of Texas Hold’em online.
If you’ve set a stop-loss number of buy-ins per session, which is always a good idea, be sure to train yourself to automatically quit the game and return at a later date to avoid going over your budget.
Benefits and Reasons for Taking Time Off
Creating Balance
Learning a new skill and eventually mastering it takes a lot of time and effort. Those looking to improve their strategy when they play poker online need to be focused and dedicated in their pursuit. Practice and continuous learning are what separate the good players from the great ones. With this in mind, you can see how it’s easy to lose balance.
Taking a prolonged poker break of a few days or weeks allows you to regain balance in all areas of your life and see to anything you may have neglected. Use this time to focus on your health and relationships and reconnect with other hobbies. The more fulfilled you are in your life, the more likely you are to play well, making what you eat, your exercise routine and spending quality time with loved ones just as vital to your poker game as the time you dedicate to it.
Time to Review Your Strategy
When you first started playing poker, you likely spent hours reading, researching and discussing poker hands, strategy and professional players. Starting a new hobby invites you into what Zen Buddhists call “beginner’s mind” – an attitude of openness and eagerness. Because you’re a beginner, there’s no pressure of having to win and you absorb information much more readily.
As you become more adept, however, while you certainly gain wisdom and experience, you’re also more likely to get stuck in certain ways of thinking and doing things, which can hinder your growth. Taking a break allows you to interrupt old habits and open yourself again to new ideas, concepts and strategies. Because you’re not preparing for any upcoming games, you can reread your favorite poker book or watch some online poker tournaments with a completely open mind, using the time to rethink your strategy and review where you could improve.
Remember Why You Love the Game
Many poker players are highly focused and driven people. These are great qualities that will likely have helped them develop into brilliant players, but it’s easy to lose track of why you’re doing something and focus purely on winning. If you’re out of touch with the reason you started playing in the first place, which should have been for the enjoyment of the game, it’s time to take a step back. This can mean trying your hand at games you haven’t played before and reconnecting with the joy of learning something new. You may also want to organize a few casual games among friends, where you’re playing purely for the fun of it.
This will allow you to come back to the poker table with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. The person who is genuinely having a good time is most likely going to be the most successful.
Enjoy Live Poker and More at Borgata Online
Borgata Online allows you to participate in a range of online poker games in your own time so that you never have to worry about missing out. We also offer an impressive variety of online slots, live dealer entertainment and other casino table games to give you some time away from your usual games. Register with our casino online to join our world-renowned poker community.