How I Deal With Poker Travel Scheduling.

I flew home from LA today.  I was at the Commerce Casino, working and playing poker the last 6 days.  This wasn’t the typical trip for me.  Usually I fly down on the one of the mid-morning flights.  Many flights of trial and error have led me to believe that is the best for me.  First of all, those flights aren’t too busy and I usually get upgraded to first class.  Many of the start of the day or end of the day flights have too many business travelers with higher frequent flyer status than me.  Second, I land at a time when traffic is light, so it doesn’t take too long to get to the Commerce.  Finally, I am situated and able to get in a poker session the day I arrive.  So the travel doesn’t cost me a day.  When you make a lot of trips that becomes important.

This trip, I wasn’t able to fly until the evening.  We have been working pretty hard on all the last minute things leading up to launch of The Poker Academy site.  I had a meeting and a call Friday afternoon, so I caught the 7:45 pm flight.  Everything went smoothly; I even took a nap on the plane.  When I got checked in at the Commerce, I immediately got a seat in a decent $300-$600 mixed game.  I played a few hours and called it a day.

Most days when I am at the Commerce, I play until I am tired if the game is good.  Then, when I get up the next day, I start with a walk to the Starbucks that is about a mile away.  I get a latte and a yogurt parfait and then I walk back to the Commerce.  I get showered and cleaned up.  Once or twice a trip, I will use the treadmill and jog a little instead of walking if I want a little more exercise.  Usually this is on a day I expect the poker to be a little slower.  The rest of the day is spent in a chair, so I definitely make sure I get a little exercise.

Then I play poker all day.  The middle of the day games are usually a little slower and smaller. But I am there to play, so I do.  Usually around dinner a bigger game or two will kick up and it will go pretty strong into the night.  This trip, my days were split between last minute edits for the website and playing poker.

When it is time to come home, I always take the 6am flight.  I play poker until 4 or so.  The average night, I am up until 2 or 3am anyway, so this is close to my normal schedule.  I pack up and get a ride to the airport.  I usually fall asleep in the car.  I have been upgraded on this flight for as long as I can remember, so I board as soon as they will let me and fall asleep in my window seat.  I sleep pretty much the whole way home.  I might take a nap for an hour or two once I get home.

I like that by noon or 1pm; I am home and can spend that day with my family.  So again, the travel doesn’t cost me a day, just a little sleep.  And that works out okay, since I want to be tired so I can get to bed by midnight and be back on a normal schedule at home.