Poker Performance Cycles
Poker Performance Cycles - Gain an Edge Through Better Game Selection
Smart poker players know that game selection isn't just about finding soft tables; it's about knowing when YOU should be at the table. Enter your birthdate for a 60-day forecast of your mental and physical performance cycles, geared towards cerebral gambling.
Your Performance Windows:
🔥 Premium Performance Days: Maximum edge: your A game
✅ Good Performance Days: Strong play: solid decision-making
➖ Average Performance Days: Baseline: know your limitations
⚠️ Challenging Performance Days: Reduced edge: avoid playing
The Poker Edge: Variance is tough enough without adding performance variance. I've tracked my cycles for 40+ years, and the pattern is clear: my win rate is significantly higher on Premium and Good days. On Challenging days, I just don't play. I feel by playing on those days, I will miss subtle tells, and my emotional control would be more likely to slip.
Your bankroll will thank you for not forcing sessions on Challenging Days. And when you can't avoid playing (Day 2 of a tournament, league obligations), at least you'll know to:
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Get extra rest the night before
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Stay hydrated throughout
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Eat properly (avoid sugar crashes)
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Play tighter and more straightforward; no fancy play
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Take more breaks
Check your forecast before booking that poker trip or entering that high buy-in tournament.
About Performance Cycles
This calculator is based on biorhythm theory; a system that tracks physical, emotional, and intellectual cycles from your birthdate. While scientifically controversial, I've found personal value in using it for over 40 years to optimize timing and self-awareness. This calculator is optimized for poker performance, or other intensely cerebral forms of gambling.
The Origins
Biorhythm theory emerged in the 1890s when Wilhelm Fliess and Hermann Swoboda independently proposed that human performance follows predictable cycles:
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Physical cycle: 23 days
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Emotional cycle: 28 days
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Intellectual cycle: 33 days (added by Alfred Teltscher in the 1920s)
The theory peaked in popularity during the 1970s but was later dismissed by the scientific community after studies failed to validate predictions. Today, biorhythms are considered pseudoscience, distinct from chronobiology, the scientific study of biological rhythms.
Why Use It Anyway?
Despite the scientific skepticism, tracking these cycles has helped me make better gambling decisions for four decades. Whether the benefit comes from the cycles themselves, heightened self-awareness, or simply more intentional planning, the practice has value.
The Real Tool: Planning ahead and daily check-ins. Each morning and throughout the day, assess how you're feeling physically and emotionally. Compare it to your forecast. Try it. Track patterns. See if it works for you. Try to avoid playing on Challenging Performance Days.
Looking for Everyday Performance Optimization?
This is the poker-specific version of our performance calculator. If you want to optimize your:
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Workout schedule
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Work productivity
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Important meetings
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Creative projects
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Daily energy management
Check out our Everyday Performance Cycles Calculator - designed for life beyond the poker table.