What is an indicator of a poker player’s success? That’s right: profit, which, in turn, is determined by dollars per hour and the number of the dedicated hours. So, it would seem the more time we spend at the table, the more money we should be able to earn.

But there is a downside. Because of a bad regimen and the wrong approach to planning your day, your $/hour will inevitably fall and instead of the expected numbers, we can get a completely different, bleak outcome.

How can you preserve a large volume of play without losing the quality of your decisions? How can you properly prepare yourself for each session?

The head of the 2CardsCollege‘s coaching staff, Mozgolom26, will consult us on questions about proper daily routine planning.

The average worker in the United States earns about $25 per hour. That means $4,000 in monthly income. If we take the lowest bracket, it will be about $5 to $7 per hour. This type of money is earned by cleaners, washers, salespeople, porters, etc.

Of course, income levels vary greatly among different countries and the gap can be huge. Here are the minimum salaries for some countries:

• China – $0.80 per hour
• Afghanistan – $0.57 per hour
• Tajikistan – $0.40 per hour
• Kazakhstan – $0.52 per hour
• Uzbekistan – $0.18 per hour
• Kyrgyzstan – $0.07 per hour

(Statistics are taken from the database of the International Statistical Institute in the Hague.)

But what does it have to do with anything?

If your monthly salary is equal to the profit of a street vendor in Tashkent or a shepherd in Kabul, you should think about it very seriously. Is it worth playing $0.10 tournaments with 360 people or should you be a bit more expensive with your ABI?

Suppose you have a downswing for three months or maybe four. In the long-run, you lose. You real skill gets reflected in the results and your bankroll gets eaten up slowly but surely. It turns out that you do not earn anything at all, and even quite the contrary.

Organizing Your Workday

Few people in the poker world think about organizing their workday. Sessions jump from spot to spot on the calendar; some are during the days and others are at nights. Players make their bodies suffer without a clear-cut regime. They sleep when they have the time, eat if possible, and rest as soon as they build up bankroll. They pay for that with their health.

Poker is a real job based on the same principles and rules of any other. And if we approach it unprofessionally, sooner or later it will affect the state of your health, your psychological state, and your financial well-being.

I do not think my regime is perfect, but it has proven its worth in practice, so I am sharing with no remorse. I start at 9-10 o’clock in the evening, which is 7-8 in Central Europe. This is the time when the tournaments I play on a regular basis start. That’s also when you can find the sweetest fields. If there were any possibilities to have a good grind during the day, I would agree without hesitation. I usually end at 4-6am depending on any deep runs.

The dangerous time and sleeping

The most dangerous time is from 3 to 6 in the morning. The body decreases the production of melatonin, which is responsible for your mood. Therefore, those who are not asleep can get overcome by “dark” thoughts. This affects the game. At this point, there are only a few tables where you managed to go deep and every decision affects your eventual finishing place and your final prize.

Stocking up on some hard candy and chocolate is unacceptable; you’ll waste the work you’ve invested so many hours into. Instead, listen to some non-aggressive music: classical, nature sounds, some French pop. In the sleepiest period of the day, the main thing is your focus.

No other business after your session, either, just sleep! Sometimes there can be problems with falling asleep. Teach your body to fall asleep. For example, do light exercises (head, elbow joints rotations, shoulders), read a few pages of a thick book, or drink a glass of milk. A few weeks later, the body will get used to that and will be able to relax and rest after it.

I sleep until 1-2 in the afternoon. I strive for quality of sleep and not for duration. Every person needs a different amount of time to reload. Some sleep for 5 hours and it’s enough, while others feel rested only after 10 hours. But you should not go overboard with it. The feeling of an excessively long sleep is familiar to any player: frustration, headache, lethargy. On average, 7-9 hours of a good sleep is necessary for everyone, but again, everyone is very different. Sleep, but not oversleep; shake, but not stir.

The morning hours

After waking up, I exercise. That takes me about 20-30 minutes. The necessity of exercise is repeatedly discussed by everyone’s relatives, fitness coaches, and doctors, so I will not draw any additional attention to that.

Two o’clock is the best time for a hearty breakfast, as your stomach starts to digest food actively. But the blood supply of the brain is reduced, so do not engage in mental activities right after sleep. No impulsive sessions or analysis of the previous night’s play.

There is a peak of work ability from 3 to 5pm, so you can move mountains within this period. I typically work on my game and coach during this time.

Then there is free time before my session. I engage in school organizational issues, do some self-education, or do some non-poker business if there is any.

The weekend

I set aside two days off in a week. Now, it’s Monday and Thursday. The regular weekend for most people, Saturday and Sunday, should be excluded at once since these are the hardest workdays for us.

Ideally, you want to avoid computers and poker issues during days off, but in reality that may be very hard to accomplish.

Be that as it may, breaks from the game are required. Dedicate the days away from poker to your family and friends. Take your significant other to the park or to the movies, go bowling with your friends, visit a museum, or go shopping in the worst case. Relax in such a way that the next day 10 minutes before the start of the tournament session, you’re longing for action.

Remember, the daily routine is like getting to know a girl: the right approach rules.

This article was prepared by specialists from 2CardsCollege Pro Poker Training.