We asked the lucky ones who recently played their best (or almost best) month, what helped them show good results. As with many pursuits, the main thing is to find your motivation.
Scenotaph // Omsk resident gets out from NL100
For me, there are two key factors:
- Dispersion
- Volume
And if the first factor can only be influenced by whining in a blog, the second can be significantly improved. It is worth mentioning that by increasing the volume I do not mean playing in any lineups, 6+ zoom tables, etc. I am rather talking about finding more time for poker without harming your everyday life and relationships with loved ones.
The biggest boost for me was the almost complete refusal to play computer games. The worst thing, in my opinion (there is probably a term for such games) are non-plot cyclical games, like CS and Dota, because it is almost impossible to stop playing them since they do not have a “logical ending”, unlike plot games, which I occasionally allow myself to play. One winter evening, I looked at how many thousands of hours I spent on Dota, multiplied it by the minimum win rate, thought for two seconds and deleted it. You can have fun in other ways – even conditional watching of TV series will be much more useful, some kind of education.
The second boost is getting up early. Much has already been said about this, but I will add one thing that I am telling everyone now: quit smoking. In just three weeks, you will start waking up easier in the morning (of course, if you do not go to bed at five in the morning), lying in bed will seem illogical and excessively lazy, since your body will be magically full of energy and ready to sit down at the table almost immediately. Also, for many, the morning hours, one way or another, cover part of prime time, which is also +EV.
The third boost (on the one hand, objectively the most useful, and on the other hand, the most controversial) is giving up alcohol or at least reducing its intake. Often, morning and evening, the prime time, have to be skipped because of an evening at the bar, and then a morning hangover. Last month, I experimented with completely giving up alcohol – I played an excellent amount of hands without any effort)
I touched on quantitative rather than qualitative changes because, in my opinion, this is how you can start changing the situation here and now. You can spend a whole month working non-stop in the solver, but it is unlikely that you will show a significant increase in win rates in the next month. But if you manage to play one and a half or even twice as many hands in a month as usual, then your results will almost certainly be better.
PS: Naturally, it is implied that by increasing the volume, you should not jump above your head. Marathons in the C and D-games did not lead to anything good for anyone.
Ilya KARACHEVSKII // Ego is a minor
You just work a lot regularly, as a result, a critical mass of relevant knowledge accumulates + a good round of dispersion is needed. There is no magic.
I talked to Kolya Durdom in March of this year, wrote to him that I have been working on the theory for about half a year, and I am very upset that I played the last 200k hands at 1EVbb/100 at midstakes, although I feel that I am doing everything right. So the main thing is to believe in yourself and continue to work hard.
Pavel cruel_river // Daydreams at river streams
The main indicator that helped me to have the best month was a large amount of work. I think for this you need to ask yourself the question: "What could make us work a lot?"
In my case, these are the following points:
- Real motivation. My training contract was ending in September, and I was trying to give it my all to finish on a good note. Plus, it was a fairly short-term goal (I only had to do well for one month), so it was easier to achieve.
- No distractions. I stopped using TikTok, I hardly opened YouTube, and I read a book in the evenings.
- Daily routine. I got up and went to bed at the same time, plus I had a plan for the day in advance, what and when I would do.
Alexey Fapnik // Spain, sun, poker, rb
I wouldn't say my October result was anything special: I played 30 chipEV with an average of 35 in the pool. By the way, I made a mistake in the report, it wasn't the best month, it was the second one in terms of income this year. But at the same time, I made 2X of the average annual expectation. You could say that the result has improved.
What helped? I think the work of my coach Ilya Obv_nosolver. I usually don't like it when my videos or database are analyzed, but this time I asked for it. When you are literally poked in the nose with hands where you played frankly badly – it helps.
It also worked that I went down two limits. In $25 spins, my red line started to fall a lot and I didn’t understand what the problem was. I went down to tens, where the red line was supposed to go up. I used to play a lot on tens, and everything was fine with it there. But then, even on tens, the red line continued to fall. Then I decided to go even lower, to fives. On fives, the cost of a mistake is five times lower than on the working limit, and then I started playing the way I should: betting where I should, check-raising, and so on. I realized that I did almost none of this on the “twenty fives” because of tilt, fear, and a downswing — all together. I played 1.5k tournaments on fives, and it helped me a lot. After that, I skipped tens and immediately went back to the $25 limit, where I started playing normally.
I also changed my schedule a bit. I work as a coach at FireStorm and train the group once a week. I usually did them during the day and then played again in the evening if I didn't manage to complete my quota. But I don't feel comfortable skating in the evenings – I'm used to playing either early in the morning or during the day. So I moved my training to the evenings and left the daytime for skating. Interestingly, I got more days off, although I didn't change anything in terms of time – I played and trained the same amount of time.
- Increased first deposit bonus
- Increased rakeback and reloads
- Help with deposits and cashouts
- Access to private freerolls
- Round-the-clock support
NOTfishON // Mr. Bottom Gudgeon
I don't have a clear recipe. A lot depends on ranges, mental state, availability of free time, motivation, and other factors beyond our control. But still, we can and should influence some things.
First of all, the desire to show a good result. Another important factor is confidence in your game . It is important to understand that you are good against the background of the field, and are satisfied with the level of your game. For me, it was enough to admit that I am not a strong poker player, rather just an ordinary micro-limit player, somewhere stronger, and somewhere weaker than my opponents, but this is normal, the main thing is that I beat the game and in the long term there will be a result. Well, and, of course, the desire to roll the distance. For me, this is probably the most important factor – to multiply the dollar/hour in order to see a pleasant amount at the end of the month)
Another thing that helps me personally is a mix of limits and long/short tables. It is very important for me to feel and hear myself! For example, if I feel unsure, doubt the quality of the hands I played or lost a couple of buy-ins in a row, I go down to a lower limit, where the game is easier. I can also calmly start a session at a lower limit if I am not ready to experience mental stress and money pressure today. It works the other way around for me too, sometimes it doesn’t work out, you lose a line at the top and decide that today is a day of rest at a lower limit. You sit down and just play your best poker. It is not necessary to be in the black, you just play good hands, where you lead the range, make competent subtle folds and calls, then confidence returns. I spend the next session at a higher limit. If I listened to myself and my feelings more often, I think the results would be even better)
So be careful with yourself and good luck at the tables!)
Alexander OGamee // Attempts to get out of micro limits
I will write a banal thing – to make the best month, you need a normal human upstreak, without it it will be very difficult. Since I play cash, regular tables, then for me the main tool that helps to show a good result is, of course, the select. And yes, I spend a lot of time in the lobby, sitting and waiting for the moment. Yes, often you have to play 1-2 tables and monitor a lot, but this is what the select looks like in 2024.
It will also be hard to get the best month if you play little. All my upstreaks happened when I spent 150+ hours playing. Plus, theory classes are a must. We continue to develop and improve our skills, and this prevents us from slipping into a dull autopilot.
Ivan IvanG212 // 100 degrees Celsius. Boiling over
I will say right away that my results in poker are not impressive, especially in comparison with the top players. However, in recent months I have managed to make progress, and I see that this is not a coincidence.
The first thing I realized is that it is important to maintain balance. In poker, this is especially difficult. I know people who play for 48 hours straight, play 150 tournaments per session and eventually burn out. There are also those who, faced with losses, withdraw and try to get everything back at any cost. I chose a different approach – clear planning, time for rest and attention to my own state.
The “12 weeks a year” methodology helps me. The year is divided into four 12-week cycles, each of which is perceived as a mini-life. I set goals, make plans for each month and week, and at the end of the cycle I always reward myself with something nice: a purchase, a short trip, or just an evening of relaxation. This approach allows me to regularly summarize and adjust the course, without putting it off until next January. I talked about this in more detail in the blog and recorded a video.
Tools
In my work, I use Maxim Dorofeev's technique from the book "Jedi Techniques" about the "monkey in the head" and the clarity of tasks. The point is to break down big goals into specific and achievable steps. When the task becomes clear, its implementation ceases to be difficult.
In addition, I keep a wish list that is always in front of my eyes. For example, I have long wanted to get a French bulldog. At the moment, this is impossible due to living conditions, but the goal itself motivates me to improve my life.
Teaching others as a path to self-development
Since 2018, I have taught classes to 1,000+ people. This experience has taught me to understand the game better. When you explain, you start thinking differently yourself. Let's say you have 1,000 attempts to solve a problem, and you see how you can do it more effectively.
To analyze and track my progress, I use a report form that helps me record session results, evaluate mistakes, and see growth. I also gave instructions on keeping poker records in my blog.
Modern technologies and personal changes
Now I actively use neural networks. They help where there is not enough knowledge or time: from analyzing contracts to generating ideas for training. I even tried programming with their help, although not always successfully.
I have also changed physically in the last six months. I lost 47 kg, walked 100,000 steps in 19 hours – it was a challenge to myself. During that walk, I realized how important it is to notice the little things. Even in monotonous tasks, there are always details that inspire.
While walking, which has become a new habit for me, I listen to audiobooks. Right now, for example, Tony Schwartz: “The way we work is not working.” One of the ideas in the book about nutrition inspired me: high-octane and low-octane nutrition give different energy. Proper nutrition helped me feel better, sleep less and get more done.
Conclusion
To sum it up, my recipe for success is balance, constant development and joy from the process. Find a system that suits you, learn to notice details, set goals and don’t be afraid to change. Look for mentors – they can show you the way where you don’t see it yet.
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope it inspires someone! 😊
