So far, we have looked at all aspects of the mind from top to bottom, but we have never analysed the actual experience of playing poker. So, let's peel back the veil of a real poker session and think about what we really experience when we play poker. In this article, we will discuss some simple and practical tips to help you prepare for your session.
Remember, the session always starts before you sit down to play. Before you play your first hand, or even get to the table at all, you have to subconsciously accept two things: first, that you are playing at this moment, and second, that you are playing with the state of mind you are in. These two factors have a big influence on your EV. You should therefore experiment to see at what time and in what state of mind you tend to play the best you can.
Also consider your daily routine leading up to the start of the session. Have you exercised, eaten or meditated? All of these elements have a positive impact on your state of mind and brain activity, so after that, it's a really good time to start playing poker. Playing tic-tac-toe when you get up or after watching TV can be a very bad idea. Try to stagger your sessions at optimal intervals, followed by stress-reducing activities to help you 'cool down'.
And yet, your session doesn't start until you have completed the pre-session rituals. These are the things you do right before a session to calm your mind. This could be light stretching or breathing exercises, visualisation, reviewing poker hands, chanting a mantra, revising your goals, listening to motivating music, and so on. It is not particularly important that you do all of the things listed here, but we would recommend that you experiment with each one to find what works for you and use at least one of them. If you consistently use these rituals before you start playing, you will put yourself in a state of extreme concentration (a la Pavlovian conditioning/classical conditioning). And you will also be able to stay focused and not be distracted.
EN 
LT 
DE 
FR 
SV 
ES 
IT 
FI 
LV 
SK 
SL 
TR 