Self-Management
Self-Management and Poker Success
22/10/08 11:46
One of the most important aspects of a poker game is self-control. We’ve all experienced times when our buy-in runs out and the first instinct is to cash in again but more often than not this hurts your overall success. There are obviously more topics within this one heading than can be explored here but a few aspects of psychological control are important to note.
A lot of players will refer to a downswing as an equivalent to a bad beat but there is a crucial difference. A downswing just means you’ve made poor decisions and luck probably isn’t going to change anything whereas a bad beat is actual chance gone wrong. Knowing the difference is crucial.
Keeping a cool head during bad beats is essential. It’s obviously the first reaction to get into a bad mood but taking risks and acting irrationally is the exact opposite of what should be done during a rough patch.
Patience is what makes a lot of professional poker players excel and should be the biggest psychological goal. Skill can go a long way but you have to be able to think rationally and play like you have all the time in the world to win.
A lot of players will refer to a downswing as an equivalent to a bad beat but there is a crucial difference. A downswing just means you’ve made poor decisions and luck probably isn’t going to change anything whereas a bad beat is actual chance gone wrong. Knowing the difference is crucial.
Keeping a cool head during bad beats is essential. It’s obviously the first reaction to get into a bad mood but taking risks and acting irrationally is the exact opposite of what should be done during a rough patch.
Patience is what makes a lot of professional poker players excel and should be the biggest psychological goal. Skill can go a long way but you have to be able to think rationally and play like you have all the time in the world to win.
