Poker is in many ways a mental war first and a game of cards second. And in order to achieve real success in Poker, a healthy dose of mental tenacity is required. Mental tenacity in this case refers not only to knowing how to play a psychological game on others but also to knowing how to ward of mental tricks being played on you.
Holding your own is important, as is formulating a personal code of mental conduct of sorts. When deciding for yourself what kind of Poker player it is that you eventually want to be, the following must-follow rules will prove immensely helpful.
Control Those Emotions
Human beings are emotional creatures. We’re wired for emotional and social connection and as such, rely on emotional queues and responses in many situations. This is perfectly natural and should in fact be embraced. But not when playing Poker. Players who struggle with keeping their emptions in check basically give the game away piece by piece as they go along. Any show of anger, frustration, confidence, greed or even happiness is completely out of the question.
Being Realistic Helps
Optimism is a fantastic quality on any day of the week but its also important to be aware of your weaknesses and your strengths based on a situation, opponent or even hand. Hope and luck haven’t got rooms booked in the Poker hotel. Its important to rely on what you know instead of what you hope will or will not happen. The only way to increase your odds of winning is to know which areas require attention and working on.
Stay Calm And Play Poker
Want to become the best Poker playing version of yourself that you possible can be? Then realise the value of keeping cool and calm. Keeping calm serves a dual purpose. Not only will a calm demeanour fool your opponent into thinking that you have everything under control, but it will also help you to stay focused.
Concentration and keeping calm are mutually inclusive ideas. You cannot have focus with calm. It really is as simple as that. Even when you don’t feel calm, continue to act as if you are. Furthermore, remember that remaining calm isn’t a circumstance or a spontaneous state of being. It’s a decision to calm down and stay that way. Do this, and you will soon begin to reap the benefits.
Become An Observer Of People
Observing other people is key when trying to analyse your opponent. There are numerous ways to go about becoming an astute observer of others. There are even classes that you can take in order to learn how to expertly observe.
But there are also some handy exercises available to those wanting to become better observers. This can be as simple as visiting a public place such as a restaurant or bar and observing, from a distance of course, a random group of people. Take not of what each person is wearing – style, colours, whether business or casual, its all important. Then, outside for a minute or two and see how much you can remember. This should give you a good idea of how much of an observer you really are.