General Poker Discussion Poker Forums

Hi,

Does anyone here warm-up with a play money game, e.g. sng, before they buy in to a real one? Or instead, do you find it no benefit, and prefer to get going right away?

Thanks.

No benefit. People don't play right in play money games.

Some time ago i started my sessions playing nl2, and then moving to nl10 after a few hundred hands. Took me nowhere, and it's a pain in the ass when you run good only at the lowest stake. But i guess you can try it, it's better than warming up at the grat circus.

I watch actively (I do that now after watching The Haj School series) some training series episode, or a part of it, of live play and that gets me into right mind before starting my sessions.

+1 to watching a DC short or some of a DC vid to get your brain going and hyped to play well.

i think watching a DC short might have a benefit.
but watching a new serie is (imo) not verry constructive UNLESS you already see it.
but you shouldnt be learning new things right before playing.
you should be reviewing your mistakes in previous session, post some hands, discus some issues you are strugling with. Review a DC serie that you have already learned.

this is (imo) a good way to warm up (i do this in CASH games, not sure for SNG or TOURNEY)

but i think watching a NEW video might not be as good as you would think because you put a lot of new stuff in your brain and you forget the mistakes you made in precvious sessions and bring it to the new session.

this is in my opinion, wroks for me

oh yea, if your standard is 4 tables, start with 1 or 2 tables for like 10 or 15min and then add tables to start your real session

I watch a DC episode as warm-up, review my hands from yesterday (I do that too little) or I start by watching the games for 5 minutes to feel how they run, then I jump into the games.

as for sunday MTT's, before I start grinding the majors I usually start a few smaller ones to warm-up

I listen to a podcast... usually badugi allstars

Cheers for the responses.

Also, check out the pre-session routine part of this post:

http://www.deucescracked.com/blogs/tecmosuperbowl/87531-Lessons-Learned

Stay within your bank roll management system, play your game and have zero fear making the +EV decision.

Assuming you play SNGs, I imagine playing a couple at 1 level lower to your usually buy-in would be a good warm up. Also, +1 to starting out with a couple and gradually adding more, as well as, reviewing hands/forums discussions before you first session of the day.

I play cash games and I love to just watch tables and take notes before I start to sit down. Helps me identify the weaker players as well as warm up my poker thinking part of the brain.

Stay within your bank roll management system, play your game and have zero fear making the +EV decision.

i only do that in my cool down