I use a gaming-mode for that. Like this:

# Create a gaming mode
mode "gaming" {
    # switch to workspace
    bindsym $mod+1 workspace number $ws1 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+2 workspace number $ws2 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+3 workspace number $ws3 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+4 workspace number $ws4 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+5 workspace number $ws5 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+6 workspace number $ws6 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+7 workspace number $ws7 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+8 workspace number $ws8 ; mode "default"
    bindsym $mod+9 workspace number $ws9 ; mode "default"

    # move focused container to workspace
    bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace number $ws1
    bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace number $ws2
    bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace number $ws3
    bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace number $ws4
    bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace number $ws5
    bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace number $ws6
    bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace number $ws7
    bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace number $ws8
    bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace number $ws9
    bindsym $mod+Shift+0 move container to workspace number $ws10
}

# Enter the gaming mode when a game is started
for_window [class="^steam_app_"] move to workspace $ws10; workspace $ws10; mode "gaming"
for_window [class="^hl2_linux"] move to workspace $ws10; workspace $ws10; mode "gaming"

This automatically moves (most) games to workspaces 10 and switches to that workspace. This allows me to use key combinations that would otherwise be used by i3.

I use hyprland, but what I do may help (and open the door to all other stupid shit and ways to rice rather than work) Rather than having keybinds to focua a direction, I have it run a script that dumps info about the window or workspace it might move into. It then decides what to do based on the window. In your case, you can have it bind/unbind they key of interest.

And remember kids. Asking questions to proprietary generative AI enshitifies everything for everyone.

Use a mode. Not at my computer right now, but off the top of my head, something like this example from the manual:

# Press $mod+o followed by either f, t, Escape or Return to launch firefox,
# thunderbird or return to the default mode, respectively.
set $mode_launcher Launch: [f]irefox [t]hunderbird
bindsym $mod+o mode "$mode_launcher"

mode "$mode_launcher" {
    bindsym f exec firefox
    bindsym t exec thunderbird

    bindsym Escape mode "default"
    bindsym Return mode "default"
}

Change ’$mod+o’ to your own combination. Inside the Mode Definition, before the exec, change your key bindings, and change them back afterwards, before you exit with mode default.

I asked bing because I miss using I3, and here’s the short version of what it gave me.

bindsym --release --no-repeat $mod+Shift+q [class="Firefox"] nop

Might have to fiddle with it, but then dropped the command into a new chat and had it explain what it does, and it figured out that it should use nop when Firefox is focused.

So, hope it helps some. Now I’ll go think about getting back to i3 somehow.