It’s no wonder that so many players at Bodog Poker are getting in the Zone. We’re talking Zone Poker, of course. Instead of waiting around for the next hand to be dealt after you fold, Bodog puts you at a brand-new table, instantly. With Zone Poker, you get to play more hands per hour, and you don’t have to worry about getting stuck sitting to the right of a tough player who’ll mess up all your plans.
So how do you get the most out of Zone Poker? If volume is what you’re after, you can play two tables of Zone at once, giving you somewhere around 500 hands per hour; you can also add two regular cash tables and bump that number up to about 700 hands, depending on how quickly you play. That’s enough hands per hour to cut through some of the variance that comes with big-bet poker, lowering your overall risk of ruin while ramping up production.
Zone Reads
That’s assuming you exercise proper bankroll management, of course. If you’re used to playing at one cash table – say, a 100NL table (that’s no-limit Hold’em at blinds of 50 cents and $1) – you don’t want to jump in right away and play seven times as many hands per hour at the same stakes. Even if your brain can handle it, your bankroll might not. Drop down in stakes instead when you add volume. That will let you smooth out your variance while facing what should be an easier player pool.
Don’t take on too much too quickly with Zone Poker. You might be surprised how much more focus is required when you make the switch. Start with one table of Zone Poker, and see how well you handle making three times as many decisions per hour as you would at a cash table. If and when you get your head wrapped around that, add the second table of Zone Poker. Then you can top up with the two cash tables if you want more.
You’d also be well-advised to take scheduled breaks between sessions of Zone Poker, and make sure those sessions don’t last much longer than 90 minutes. It’s easy to get into a “flow state” when you’re in the Zone at Bodog Poker, but once that focussed attention turns into a zombie-like stare, you know you’ve taken it a bit too far. Stay refreshed, keep your wheels on the road, and enjoy life in the fast lane.