How do keep from making that one dumb mistake

[inmytaxi]

Yesterday, after six hours in a $1 MTT yesterday, had to be away from the table for a minute to help a roommate came back and sat in just as the button raised my SB. BB was sitting out and had been for a long time.

We had big stacks, $1m and .7M w/.5M average.

Lots of fish in the remaining 28 players, including me yes of course, but a more level playing field than I usually find deep.

I put him on a steal and reraised w. A6o and he shoved.

Without thinking I called and got stacked off to QQ. Finished in 28th place, one spot above the first money jump more than $1 ($16 to $20) and he went on to win the tourney for $1k. I had no reason to think he was on a steal other than oppty.

My question is, other than the whip of self-inflicted public humiliation, how does one maintain a strong level of concentration after sitting in one place for so long???

I've lost deep (150 or less left in a 3k entry) in the a dozen tournes making bad mistakes, not quite this bad, because I lose focus, get impatient, get distracted, whatever.

In fact, I believe I lose as often to idiot decisions as I do to bad play/bad luck.

As I get deep, I close out other tables, turn off browsers, play or turn off music (whichever is a change of pace).

What do you do?

edit:

I'd like to point this really happened.

I just read about Cheong's 3rd place blow out Sat. in the WSOP -- very similar hand.

[drmcboy]

why change your pace?

as you get more experience it gets easier to keep your wits as it gets later.

[OngBonga]

If it helps, three weeks ago I dumped out of a tourney in 11th place for a prize of $84 when I misraised KQo to 250k instead of the intended 25k, committing more than half my stack. I ran into AK. 1st place prize was $1500+, I had around 150% of the average stack and was sitting in 7th.

Three days ago, I finished third in $1 rebuy for a prize of $751.

Don't give up hope. Everyone is tired, most people can't wait for break so they can get more tea/coffee, everyone is capable of making stamina-based mistakes. It's very difficult to maintain 'A' game focus for an entire MTT, only the very best can do it hand after hand. You got deep, let it boost your confidence instead of thinking about what could have been, it seemed to work for me.

Good luck.

[djh860]

I find with me the problem is actually emotional. Too many junk hands in a row, a small pot I miss played, a bad beat, someone saying something that pissed me off. Most of all the feeling that I deserve a big pot, that it my turn, as if there was fairness god that had cheated me.

Learning to let go of negative energy has really helped my game. I actually have to think about my mood and get it right on purpose as the game moves along.

[stardustakos]

I wouldn't change anything that makes me comfortable. Why turn off music? If something is helping you eg not to tilt, don't change it.

The problem is (and I know cause this is MY main problem) hasty descisions. That and only that. You, we, don't have to insta do anything. You said "without thinking" and I know exactly what you mean. Damn, you played well, won enough coinflips to end up close to 2-3 tables, people sucked out on you and you were not eliminated and came back stronger and here you are. You invested 6 hours and you are close to giving your bankroll the boost you were waiting for and you are "not thinking"? THINK MAN. Get your hand off the damn mouse and think for a second. If you make a mistake, so be it. When people outplay me, it is ok I can accept that. But when I just "dont think" and I do something stupid, I swear to God I slap my self (literally). All these people here at the forum are giving us new paths of thinking in situations we couldn't even recognize. Betting lines, planning ahead etc. Every descision counts. We have to learn to give ourselves time to think. That is it.

[devilpig]

I've had situations like that described in the first post. In my case, it feels more like a test of my manhood when someone pops me with another raise. "Look, man, I raised you! You show me some respect and fold when I do that, no matter what your two cards are!" And so I will make a poor call like that just to show that I mean business.

Now, I have gotten much better at not doing this and continuing to use my head instead of my emotions, but that is what the above scenario reminds me of. So if you were feeling at all like what I described, my advice is to not take it personally when someone shoves you around. They just might have a good reason.

I agree with the poster who said that after being deep a few times, it becomes easier to focus at the end than it is in the earlier stages of a tourney.

[The Norg]

Sigh. Read this thread several times, thinking "Yeah, that's me too". No better example than Friday night playing one of the $8's on FT.

Played well, ran well. Didn't rush in there when the cards were running terribly, showed patience and all that. Most of my big hands got action, and all bar one held up iirc. All good, then Wham, bam, thank you mam.

With 4 of us left, I picked up AK. Got a caller to my raise, and played like an absolute idiot from there on, pushing losing chip after losing chip into the pot. I wasn't short stacked, I could have left this and been very much alive. Sigh. He was playing tight, obviously he hasn't got a 9 in his range for the trips, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I think I'm learning from my mistakes, but some of them are just horrible when you sit down analysing your game afterwards. Lol - At least when losing you are more likely to analyse your mistakes, than when you make them and still win.

[Extremophile]

My question is, other than the whip of self-inflicted public humiliation, how does one maintain a strong level of concentration after sitting in one place for so long???

Play chess as a training