Over the years, I have trained to win tournaments and to win at cash games. Sometimes my training has paid off and sometimes it hasn't. But it has always had a purpose and to be totally honest, it's been fun.
When I started playing poker seriously in Southern California, I was a bit of a drinker and, as all drinkers know, alcohol has consequences. I remember playing in a major poker tournament and imbibing too much wine. I made the final table which was set to resume at noon the following day.
I woke up the next morning by inches.
I guess that day I realized that what Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and B.B. King had told me about alcohol was true. Marijuana or the 'Blessed Herb,' as they refer to it in the Caribbean, is far superior to alcohol as a mood enhancer. For one thing, it doesn't leave you with an ugly wine hangover.
That morning I had a healthy breakfast and then I headed for the gym to clear up my head. In a couple of hours I was going to play for my share of $75,000 in cash money, and I wanted to be feeling as close to my best as I could muster.
The health attendants at the spa were wonderful. They understood my situation perfectly and gave me the best treatment they could to bring me into condition. Oxygen, an ice-cold bath in a sauna, followed by a plunge in a pool where the water temperature was 108 degrees.
From there, towel-clad, I walked into another room full of steam with medication oozing from the vents.
Around 11;30 a.m., my head began to clear up. The attendants gave me another extended whiff of oxygen. Ten minutes before the tournament resumed, I wandered from the spa and headed for the poker room.
That day despite being short in chips, I placed third and collected a nice bundle of cash. I attribute my luck to the wonderful attendants at the Riviera Casino. Thanks to all of you. You're the greatest.
A while back, I gave up drinking and started exercising to clear my head for those instant decisions that must be made when playing high stakes poker.
I divided my time between living in Lake Elsinore, CA. and Las Vegas. Lake Elsinore was interesting because it had several card rooms within a 30-mile drive of where I was staying. There was also a horse room a few miles down the road where I could bet on thoroughbred horse racing and greyhound dog races.
Before a tournament, I would head for the swimming pool and do my water exercises. They included 100 laps around the pool and 'jump-ups' in the water. Sometimes my antics would elicit smiles or curious stares from the other motel guests who were sunning themselves, but it didn't matter. I was training for a fight and that was all that mattered.
When I played in a tournament, I would wait for the break and head for the rest room. There I would do 100 pushups and an equal number of jumping jacks. Once an attendant wandered into the room and was astounded by what I was doing.
I explained my strategy and he grinned.
'Man, I was born in Louisiana and I seen a lot of things, but I never saw a man jumping up and down in a bathroom before,' he said. 'I thought you was having conniptions.'
Every poker player needs to work out his or her own training schedule. Some are content to listen to inspirational music. That is why you see them wearing ear plugs and moving to the music with eyes half-closed. Hey, if it works for them, great. If I thought listening to Beethoven or Mozart or maybe the Rolling Stones would make me play better, I would do the same.
Steve McQueen played at the Lake Elsinore Sahara Dunes Card Room. Before he took his seat at a poker table, he would ride down to Lake Elsinore two miles away and race his motorcycle around the shimmering lake. Faster and faster he would go until he was in the mood to win. Then he would return to the card room and sit down for some action.
All I know is that when you train to win at poker, you will play better. Will you win all the time? Probably not. But it sure beats trying to get rid of a wine hangover. Let the games begin.
