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You heard right, poker training. It’s a little secret that the pros know, that the average player probably doesn’t. It involves getting oneself ready to play in the longer sessions. Think of it just like a marathon. You can’t jump right in and run a 10k, if all you’ve done is laid on the couch for the past six months and ate potato chips.

Likewise, poker is no different. Don’t expect to play in a six hour power session, and be playing at the top of your game the whole way though, if you’ve never done it before.

Poker is a game of the mind, as much as it is a game of probability. And when you’re mind isn’t there, your play suffers. So the following are some tips to help you stay on the top of your game, even during those grueling sessions that go in for what seems like eternity.

If you know you have a long sessions ahead of you be sure to rest up the night before. Just like anything else, you’ll play better if you’re fully rested. Try to get a full 8 hours.

Eat well the day of. Since food gives you energy, and you’ll be using a lot of brain power, you’ll want that extra energy. Some people swear by caffeine. And it has been proven to raise cognition ability.

Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Now of course the alcohol thing isn’t a necessity, if you’re just playing to have fun, as some people like having a drink or two during a game. But if you’re looking for a long session, be wary as alcohol will slow down your play, and make you tired much sooner.

Get up from the table from time to time, go stretch our, and clear your mind. You’ll likely get into a habit, and if you’re playing bad when this hits, then you’ll want to get up to break it. Kind of a way to get away from the monotony.

And work your way into it. When you start to feel tired, taking a break doesn’t help, then it’s time to call it a day…or night. If you continue to play and you’re not all the way in it, you’re prone to make some mistakes you wouldn’t make when you’re fresh.

And finally, condition yourself to get used to playing longer games. You don’t have to jump right into a 12 hour monster stretch of a game. Maybe start with 2 hours and work your way up. You’ll eventually be able to sit at those marathon games with the best of em.