I would guess most people would say a shorter session against good players is more difficult than a longer session against recs, but I'm not sure - that's why I'm asking.
My experience is mostly tournaments, mostly single day tournaments, mostly in the NH cardrooms, where the competition isn't particularly good, with less play at places like Encore Boston, Foxwoods, and Mohegan sun, where the competition is a little stronger. I can play a MTT in NH, and not even start to feel fatigue until maybe the 8th hour? Similarly, a weekday, low-buyin tournament at foxwoods - the competition is definitely a little stronger, but still, it isn't exhausting. And of course, I've played home games for quarters that go until the sun rises - like 9-10 hours, but that "up all night" tired isn't what I'm talking about.
I'll never forget a two-day, multi-flight tournament I played at Mohegan sun - the competition was by far the best I'd ever faced. There was never a limped pot, and the majority of pots were 3-bet preflop - you know, poker how it's supposed to be played? It was nothing I couldn't handle; I've certainly watched enough professional play to know what was going on, and what I was doing, but it was definitely far more intense than what I was used to. One of those "if you can't spot the fish in the first 30 minutes" situations - there weren't many fish.
Anyway, the flight only lasted about 6 hours I think. Maybe 7. And I did manage to bag. But by the time we bagged, I could barely talk. It wasn't late - maybe midnight or one, and we'd had ample breaks. But that intense competition - can't take a hand off, every street is important, every single action matters - like I said, it was more than I was used to, and it wore me out hard.
Is that how most people feel - that intense competition is more draining than long hours?
It certainly gives me more appreciation for guys like Negreanu and Deeb, who chase player of the year at the WSOP, so they're playing both long hours AND strong competition, for weeks and weeks.
My experience is mostly tournaments, mostly single day tournaments, mostly in the NH cardrooms, where the competition isn't particularly good, with less play at places like Encore Boston, Foxwoods, and Mohegan sun, where the competition is a little stronger. I can play a MTT in NH, and not even start to feel fatigue until maybe the 8th hour? Similarly, a weekday, low-buyin tournament at foxwoods - the competition is definitely a little stronger, but still, it isn't exhausting. And of course, I've played home games for quarters that go until the sun rises - like 9-10 hours, but that "up all night" tired isn't what I'm talking about.
I'll never forget a two-day, multi-flight tournament I played at Mohegan sun - the competition was by far the best I'd ever faced. There was never a limped pot, and the majority of pots were 3-bet preflop - you know, poker how it's supposed to be played? It was nothing I couldn't handle; I've certainly watched enough professional play to know what was going on, and what I was doing, but it was definitely far more intense than what I was used to. One of those "if you can't spot the fish in the first 30 minutes" situations - there weren't many fish.
Anyway, the flight only lasted about 6 hours I think. Maybe 7. And I did manage to bag. But by the time we bagged, I could barely talk. It wasn't late - maybe midnight or one, and we'd had ample breaks. But that intense competition - can't take a hand off, every street is important, every single action matters - like I said, it was more than I was used to, and it wore me out hard.
Is that how most people feel - that intense competition is more draining than long hours?
It certainly gives me more appreciation for guys like Negreanu and Deeb, who chase player of the year at the WSOP, so they're playing both long hours AND strong competition, for weeks and weeks.
