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Controlling your mental state while playing poker is crucial, especially since you can't control the element of "luck." Therefore, poker demands a higher level of mental adjustment from players. What are the main factors affecting your mental state when playing Texas Hold'em? Is it the outcome of the game? Not quite. Let's consider a common scenario: you're playing multiple tables simultaneously, and on one table, you're dealt pocket Aces (AA) in the Button position. The Cutoff raises, you 3-bet, the Cutoff re-raises, and you decide to go all-in. The Cutoff calls and turns over Kings (KK), beating your Aces. How do you feel about this outcome? You made the right decision; it was just bad luck. If the same situation occurs again, with you holding AA and facing a 4-bet, you'd still go all-in. Regardless of the outcome, you know your decision was correct.
If, in every game, you're confident that your decisions are right, whether or not you're making money, it won't negatively impact your mental state, and might even have a positive effect. Because you have enough confidence in your decision-making ability. However, if every decision you make feels risky, your mental state will inevitably suffer. Losing money will make you feel anxious and miserable, and these negative emotions will intensify with each loss, even though a profit might alleviate them momentarily.
But if you keep taking risky actions, negative emotions will persist, like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode with the next loss. When you reach this state, it's not like you're playing the cards; rather, the cards are playing you. You become increasingly uncertain about whether your decisions are correct or risky, unable to enjoy the pleasure of winning, and your reasons for playing are slowly eroded until you reach your breaking point.
In such cases, how do we adjust? When you find yourself doubting your decisions constantly, your focus diminishes, so the first step is to reduce the number of tables you're playing. The ideal number of tables to reduce to depends on your ability. For an experienced player, 4-6 tables are optimal. After reducing the number of tables, the next step is to focus on the game. Confidence in your decisions is essential, regardless of whether you're winning or losing. This confidence is built on the joy you feel when making decisions during the game. Even if you're losing, making a wise fold that you recognize as such will begin to restore your confidence. Similarly, if you win a hand but realize you made a mistake on the play, knowing that you only won because of your opponent's error, your confidence will gradually return because you made rational decisions. |
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Post time 1-3-2024 20:56:32
