Nick is a cash game player, content creator and part of 888poker’s Stream Team. Each week he shares his thoughts and experiences as a player dedicated to the daily grind. This week Nick looks back at a year of completed challenges, downswings and close calls, and does the only sensible thing: takes a vacation…
It’s been a very intense year on the poker grind, certainly my busiest so far. That is, of course, until I begin the cycle over again in January in search of that elusive final table on the live tour, with as many as 12 stops marked on my calendar already. This year, I also completed my $1,000 10NL Challenge after three years of hard graft and agony, and moved up to 100NL as my main stake. While I’ve enjoyed the new scenery, it’s certainly been very stressful in its own way. I’ve had one of my worst ever online downswings, while at the same time taking some brutal beats in the very late stages of some huge live tournaments.
It’s safe to say it’s time for a break, and that’s exactly what I am going to do.
The perfect time to reset
I had always earmarked this month as the prime candidate for some time off. The 888 live schedule finished with Coventry in late October, and our next event isn’t until mid-January. December is always busy and the tables tend to be a little more profitable overall, so November is a perfect time to reset.
I haven’t been on a non-poker holiday for over two years now, and while I absolutely love being on the live tour and getting involved wherever I can, it inevitably takes its toll over time.
I’d say that, for the first time in those last two years, I genuinely need a break. I’m quite used to the poker and content grind at this point, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but there’s rarely been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought about poker in some capacity for quite some time.
I think it’s pretty much inevitable that fatigue creeps in and it becomes somewhat unsustainable. I want to be able to play my best and make the best content I can, and eventually we all hit a point where we say it’s time to kick back.
I’ve certainly reached mine.
Besides it being a long time since a holiday, I don’t think there’s been a time where poker has been more intense. I spent years bricking every tournament, and while that was fairly tilting in its own right, I don’t think it’s comparable to making a deep run and getting that dagger to the heart so close to glory.
Coming back fresh
Much the same way as in the 10NL Challenge, where I obviously experienced a large degree of stress, the financial burden at least wasn’t a factor. Taking beating after beating at 100NL has left me wounded in a different way, and I’m fairly confident that drawing a line under this period of play will be extremely helpful.
Right now I load up a session and it feels like an extension of the battering I’ve experienced, and any small win is a meaningless dent in the arrears. I think a break will help to separate that and allow me to start off somewhat fresh with a different, healthier attitude towards the game.
So with that, I’m off to Bali for, shockingly, my first ever visit to Asia. I’ve always wanted to go but never found the right opportunity, so it’s definitely long overdue.
Of course, I’d be remiss in my duties if I left my column here unattended for two weeks, since I don’t plan to be writing articles by the poolside, and I’m not sure I’d have much to say anyway since I wouldn’t be taking my weekly hammering at the tables.
Please behave for the substitute teacher
As a result, I’ll be leaving you in the not-so-capable hands of my colleague and friend at 888poker, Ian Simpson. I’m not sure what things he will be sharing during his stint in charge of these articles, but I imagine it won’t be anything to do with how unbelievably lucky he is, since we have a strict word limit and there’s no way he would be able to cover everything.
Class, please give Mr Simpson your full attention.
On a serious note, I’d expect to hear a lot less complaining and a lot more informative and educational nuggets from Ian. As a former teacher, he certainly enjoys sowing his seeds of wisdom when given the chance, and you could certainly do a lot worse than hear him out.
See you in a few weeks!
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Additional image courtesy of 888poker/Gema Cristobal.