Fatigue Makes Cowards of Us All

Vince Lombardi, the indefatigable and legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, was known for his quotes. One of the most memorable is "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."

Lombardi was a strict disciplinarian who had tight curfews on his players and who insisted on bedchecks to make sure his players got sufficient sleep before a game. He once fined Jerry Kramer and one of his wide receiver pals $500 after they missed a bedcheck. When they missed a second one, he upped the fine to $1,000. He also warned them that if they missed a third bedcheck, he would not only fine them $5,000 but promised to go with them to see what they were doing that was so interesting.

Lombardi was right on that quote. Fatigue DOES turn you into a coward on the field of battle, what ever the game. It's very true when it comes to poker.

Any poker player who is honest will tell you that playing while tired has cost that person money.

While fatigue is the biggest enemy to a poker player, anyone who plays the game while depressed, sick or feeling down because of something happening in his life is playing against the odds.

I have played while tired and I can vouch for the fact that it will not help you win. In fact, my biggest losses have occured while playing tired.

There is a connection between a person's energy level and the win button that cannot be denied. A person doesn't realize what a disadvantage fatigue gives them until they try to play alert players for cash. I distinctly remember a game I played a while back;

I was staying at Sam's Town on Boulder Highway in Las Vegas. It was a Saturday afternoon and I got up around 10 a.m. after a troubled night's sleep, planning to play poker.

As I began to leave the room, I changed my mind.

I just didn't feel good about playing. I was not confident and I actually was not looking forward to getting involved in the game.

Instead I went down to the swimming pool and swam for an hour. l then I took a nap beneath a hot Las Vegas sun. Then I retired to the bar for a cool cranberry cocktail -- and then I went to my room and fell into a deep sleep.

I awoke at midnight. I was bright, alert, full of energy -- and ready for action. I drove through the cool Las Vegas night to The Orleans and the poker room was full. I wasily found a game and played until dawn, winning over $700 before calling it a night. I am nearly sure I would not have booked such a win if I had left the room earlier.

The Packers outlasted their foes in games because they had the extra energy their boss Lombardi insisted they have if they wished to play for him. They won games and brought championships back to Green Bay , WIS. time after time. It was no accident.

Don't gamble when you are tired, depressed, sick or taking medication. Reserve your play for when you are in top shape. It will pay off.

I know of a top Las Vegas Player who sleeps during the days so he can play at night or in the early morning hours when the other players are tired. He said his earnings have climbed astoundingly since he started the practice.

Nobody likes to be a coward. But if you wear yourself out, you'll find fatigue making a coward out of you. And if that advice is good enough for the Green Bay Packers, it is good enough for me and certainly should be good enough for you.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).