Your mind is remarkable. It is made up of more than 100 billion neurons, and its storage capacity is theoretically limitless.
It can transmit information throughout your body quicker than a Formula One car. That’s the claim made by Google, at least.
Moreover, embedded within that incredible biological machine is your mind . This enigmatic force governs various aspects, such as –
- Your likes and dislikes,
- Your mood
- Your attitude
- Your road-rage
- Who you fall in love with
- How you react under pressure
- Whether you like cheese
- Whether you like this article
- Your most brilliant poker moves (kudos to your brain!) along with your regrettable choices (thanks, brain!).
It’s the thing that makes you, you.
Contrary to what you've observed in movies like The Terminator, the most astounding aspect of the mind is its ability to be self-aware .
This self-awareness This self-awareness allows your mind to be flexible. With the right approach, you can reshape and enhance your mindset just as a long-distance runner enhances their endurance.
- A more focused mind leads to better decision-making, indicating that your success at the poker tables is directly linked to the condition of your mentality.
But how effective is your poker mindset? Let’s dissect it and uncover the truth.
Contents:
What Makes a Good Poker Mindset?
What Makes a Good Poker Mindset?
I believe there are two vital elements to enhancing your poker mindset :
- Minimising toxic habits.
- Improving what you’re doing right.
It may seem quite obvious. However, the challenge comes from human emotion , which can frequently obscure our view of reality.
Achieving poker success hinges on being truly self-critical and possessing a real urge to improve. The ability to identify your weaknesses and foster your strengths is crucial for enhancing your poker mindset .
While this advice appears straightforward, in reality, it’s not as simple as it seems.
- We humans are intricate beings: Arrogance can blind us from seeing the truth. Additionally, our habits may cause errors to become normalized and instinctual.
Turning inward requires a degree of vulnerability (which can often make individuals feel uneasy). Identifying your shortcomings can be particularly challenging.
However, here are a few common areas where individuals tend to struggle.
Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of individuals to recognize or acknowledge only information that aligns with their preconceived notions.
- It resembles having a selective recollection.
Have you ever noticed a pattern in the numbers on the clock, such as 1:23 or 2:34, repeatedly appearing whenever you glance at it?
This scenario is most likely an illustration of confirmation bias in action.
In truth, it is far more plausible that you've checked the clock numerous times with less intriguing outcomes. Yet your belief in those rhythmic readings leads you to overlook the more mundane times.
- The noteworthy instances confirm your belief.
- Thus, your confirmation bias directs more attention toward them.
While confirmation bias can manifest quite innocently when someone declares –
- “I must be the unluckiest player on the planet!”
- Or “you run so good against me!”
it can prove to be more harmful if it impacts your gameplay choices.
Verify Confirmation Bias
Assuming that a player is raising your blinds deliberately, for instance, may result in significant errors. You could make ill-informed and/or hasty adjustments as a result.
Unfortunately, confirmation bias is often tough to detect. By its nature, beliefs are perceived as truths.
Nevertheless, recognizing your confirmation bias is crucial for maintaining a healthy poker mindset. By being aware of it, you can prevent costly, avoidable mistakes.
| TIP: If you're uncertain whether your interpretations stem from confirmation bias, consult your database. (If you are playing live, jot down notes on your phone.) The factual numbers will present the complete picture and affirm your assessments. |
Denial, Ego and Self-Honesty
Denial and ego share similarities with confirmation bias as they can obstruct your view of the bigger picture.
- Poker is a fiercely competitive endeavor, and like any competition, it's accompanied by a sense of ego .
The issue with ego is that it can foster a misguided or exaggerated sense of self-assurance, particularly during winning streaks. This inflated confidence may cause you to overlook your opponents' abilities.
- You'll feel unbeatable and inflate your perceived skill level.
- This combination is a hazardous mix at the poker tables where fortunes can fluctuate in an instant.
- Short-term results are often a poor indicator of your actual skill.
(You can learn about swings in this poker variance guide )
It's tempting to attribute winning sessions to your abilities, especially after dedicating hours to refining your game. However, it's far more beneficial to examine your recurring mistakes and strategic weaknesses.
- As the Greek philosopher Epictetus wisely stated, 'To improve, one must be willing to be perceived as foolish and ignorant.'
This wisdom resonates with poker. If you refuse to acknowledge your leaks, how can you rectify them?
A healthy dose of confidence is advantageous, but genuine success is constructed upon an honest evaluation of your weaknesses.
- Ego and denial are as detrimental to your growth as tilt, as all three can distort your perception of reality.
Forget positive affirmations –
- You’re likely not the world’s best value bettor.
- Your ranges for river raises are probably far from perfect.
- You tend to call or fold too often in specific situations.
- And you certainly don’t possess ‘white magic.’
Believing you are a stronger player than you actually are can lead to disaster. It is essential to be truthful in your self-assessment.
- Ego and arrogance can divert your attention from your shortcomings.
- Denial may lead you to question their very existence.
Keep in mind that humility is an essential component of a robust poker mindset.
And just to clarify, no one is asking you to jot down your weaknesses and distribute copies at your local poker joint. One of the greatest advantages of self-honesty is the confidentiality that accompanies it.
Your weakness can be your biggest poker secret However, grasping and reflecting accurately on your poker skills is crucial.
Ultimately, if you can’t be truthful with yourself, you're on a path to failure.
As another Greek philosopher, Plato, aptly noted, “Self-deception is the most egregious of all deceptions.”
Understanding Tilt
No article on the poker mindset would be exhaustive without addressing tilt. There are countless pieces focused on this already, so we won’t delve deeply into it here.
Nonetheless, it's important to keep in mind that everyone experiences it. tilts differently:
Everyone Tilts Differently
Some players become destructive; others make reckless calls. Some players react by bluffing wildly.
- This behavior usually exacerbates their frustration, leading them to tilt again.
The entire vicious cycle continues until the player either finds a way to calm down or goes broke.
Personally, I tend to tilt when I dismiss my instincts and proceed with a play that I was aware was a mistake from the outset.
Usually, my frustrations manifest in my mouse usage. That's my computer mouse, just to clarify, in case any animal advocates are on alert!
Having played for so long, my tilt typically subsides after a deep breath and a bit of stressed-out mouse clicking. Additionally, I follow a baseball-style '3 strikes and you're out' approach to prevent any potential blow-ups.
I hold onto 3 poker chips in my hand, discarding one every time I recognize signs of tilting. Once all three are gone, I'm required to do 100 push-ups and take a break.
This shift in focus to exercise helps me release pent-up tension.
Tilt is a major mindset leak.
In many instances, the remedy can be as straightforward as taking a brief pause.
That said, I've witnessed numerous talented players lose control and squander sessions of profits simply because they refuse to take a step back and cool off.
Regrettably, taking a break tends to be the last thing on one's mind while tilting. However, individuals with a strong mindset manage to do just that.
Feeding the Tilt Trolls
Overcoming tilt is all about how you look at the situation.
I've come across numerous players who assert that they 'never experience tilt'. To put it bluntly, pretending you don't is akin to asserting that the moon landing was a hoax.
Tilt is fundamentally an emotional response to outcomes in poker, triggered by different events. These emotional reactions are part of our nature as humans. Thus, unless you are an automaton or something devoid of feelings, you are likely to experience tilt.
- But managing tilt is definitely achievable. Just like dealing with an addictive substance, the first step towards overcoming tilt is to recognize that it exists .
Acknowledging tilt helps you understand that controlling it is just as essential as having a reliable opening raise strategy.
| Keep in mind that tilt is like another opponent at the table that must be outsmarted. Imagine it as an internet troll; it’s always there, lurking, ready to invade your thoughts and disrupt your poker session. Don’t let it get the upper hand! |
If you engage with trolls, they tend to become more aggressive. However, if you ignore them, they get tired and eventually leave.
Rather than continuing to play while tilted and feeding the troll, step back, take a deep breath, and let it bother someone else for a while.
Get Out of Your Own Way
Get Out of Your Own Way
I started this article with some thoughts about the brain. While I intended it to catch your attention, my main goal was to underline the extraordinary capabilities of the human brain.
Despite its complexity, the most remarkable aspect of the human mind is its variety .
- Certainly, we can share similar abilities and passions with our friends.
- It's possible that we exhibit the same forgetfulness or clumsiness as certain peers or family members.
- Yet, the beautiful reality is that we each possess our unique individuality.
Naturally, the best insight into your personal uniqueness comes from you.
Admittedly, I can offer a few recommendations that might illuminate some areas for personal growth. Still, the biggest barrier to your progress is yourself.
There is no simple solution for addressing your mental game flaws. However, if I were to distill this into one sentence, it would read as follows:
“To achieve success, you must learn to step aside and let yourself excel.”
Chad Holloway shares valuable insights on overcoming self-impediments:
https://www.parquetbinet.com/magazine/strategy/6-tips-improve-your-poker-psychology
Impulse and Toxic Habits
The idea of self-honesty has been a recurring theme here, and it's crucial. You can only begin to move past your own limitations when you grasp the necessity of being truthful with yourself.
- We touched on strategic vulnerabilities earlier. Yet, there are countless personality traits and harmful habits that can obstruct your performance as well.
This list extends well beyond being merely lazy, aggressive, or impatient.
- Do you find it hard to control your gambling urges?
- Or do you catch yourself checking your social media instead of focusing on your opponents' gameplay?
This situation stems from a lack of concentration – which is another form of mental leak.
Just like experiencing tilt, this behavior creates a damaging cycle that can adversely affect your mindset and mood. bankroll .
Poor focus is a recipe for subpar play, which inevitably leads to Tiltsville!
Here’s a typical example of a significant mindset leak that I frequently observe in card rooms and poker discussions:
- Player A encounters a huge check-raise on the river with a JT44K board after flopping two pairs with JT.
- His opponent is a player who has entered the pot from an early position. Every instinct tells Player A to fold , yet he contemplates it anyway.
- He recalls that his opponent has opened several hands preflop .
- Assuming his opponent is aggressive, Player A decides to call, ultimately losing a huge pot.
What happened?
To put it simply, Player A refused to fold.
So, he found any reason he could not to.
In truth, the frequency of Player B’s preflop raising is irrelevant to how he operates on the river. Driven by a desire to call, Player A misinterpreted his opponent’s preflop aggression, using it as justification for his call.
Player A lost a significant pot because he lacked the mental fortitude to be truthful about his opponent’s potential. A player with a firm mindset wouldn't have deceived themselves like this.
Self-deception is a common trait among players with a fragile mindset .
Consider these additional examples of how we mislead ourselves:
https://www.parquetbinet.com/magazine/strategy/tilting-poker-5-lies-we-tell-ourselves
Poker Mindset - Final thoughts
In poker, there isn’t a secret elixir. Only you possess the knowledge needed to mend your mental game , achieved through heightened self-awareness.
We hope this article inspires you to adopt a more critical view of your poker mindset, facilitating your journey towards improvement.