No Drinking, No Red Meat, No Talking to My Girlfriend, and So On

Poker is booming. Poker shows, poker rooms, and poker books are all on the rise like no one expected.

I recently was at dinner in Beverly Hills with Tournament Director Matt Savage. Because of the normal L.A. traffic, I was late, and Matt was waiting for me at the bar of a nice Italian restaurant. A person entered the place and also took a seat at the bar; he was carrying a bag of gambling chips. It was very early and the restaurant had just opened for dinner. Matt, dressed in a nice suit, as usual, asked to the distracted individual: "Where is the poker game?" Of course caught by surprise, the player, or maybe the aspiring poker director, responded in a scared and abrupt way: "There is no poker game here!" He must have thought Matt was an off-duty agent. The game was in the back among friends of the place. A few minutes later, Matt and I were seated in the empty restaurant. Close by, a table for three was soon full. The nice people at that table started having a discussion about poker. An older lady there was the most knowledgeable, naming players and places where she likes to play. These scenarios are happening everywhere: airports, restaurants, and shopping malls. One thing you can bet on is that America loves poker.

With all of this increased interest in poker, many books are coming out explaining how to play the game: technical explanations and analysis of hands, and so on. One subject that I do not see covered enough is how to prepare before and during play.

Having a positive attitude is a good start toward having a chance to play well. I have that in my character. I would say that's the first step to follow. There is, however, a set of more personal rules that I respect when I go to work. Since I turned pro, I have tried to understand the things that can damage my career by monitoring myself and my opponents. I've seen many players fall off their best game, and many quit poker because of several vices. The first and most common one is drinking on the job. Poker is one of the few jobs at which getting drunk while working is allowed. The problem is that being under the influence clearly affects your judgment and adversely impacts your income. This year at the L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino in California, I had two beers in three weeks of playing. They contributed to $9,000 of losses to my bankroll, which is very expensive. I knew that beforehand; no drinking is one of my rules when I play poker, but I was having fun in L.A. and thought I could break the rule and still win. Wrong.

My second rule of forbidden things to do while playing is: never eat red meat. If I had to pick one word to describe my game, it would be "sharp." I'm not sure if there is a clear medical explanation, but when I eat red meat, my brain seems to slow down during digestion. I have noticed it many times. I'm very proud of at least trying to play well at all times, and I rarely make real bad calls. However, they have been several instances when I have eaten red meat while playing and had to quit the game because I started making mistakes; my decisions were not as sharp as usual. I would recommend that if you are playing, eat something light so that your body can assimilate it quickly.

Here is my third very important rule: I never talk to my girlfriend while I'm in a game. This is probably something that everyone should do. I've seen this over and over again: a cellphone rings, a player answers it, and after the phone call, the game of this unfortunate individual gets way too loose. It may be that they had an argument, maybe she would like him to come home, or something else. Relationships are a big cause of losing money. The best thing to do is to turn off your phone while you're playing; you can always talk to her after work (and vice versa if the player is a woman).

There are exceptions to every set of rules. I do know some players who can drink and play well, like Mike Laing and "Minneapolis" Jim Meehan. There are also some players who have relationships with very understanding partners, although I cannot name one at this time!

The bottom line is that you should do what works for you. Try to observe the things that make you play badly or that make you think you are not at your best. If you need to take a small nap before going to play or need to watch some poker on television to get excited about going to work, go ahead and do it. Your determination and focus play a big part in your becoming and remaining a professional. If you are an amateur, you surely do not like to lose, so try to help yourself. And finally, if you do not feel like playing today, take a day off; you will be in a better frame of mind to win money tomorrow.

Max Pescatori has a site, www.maxpesca.com, where he occasionally writes a blog and handicaps poker betting.