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Copyright 2006 Full
Tilt Poker
February 6, 2006
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Poker Lessons)
Poker Lesson: On Cavemen and Poker
Players
Author: Ben Roberts
There are four possible outcomes for any session
of poker. You might
win a little, lose a little, win a lot, or lose a lot. Most of
us react differently to the different outcomes. When we win big,
we're elated; when we lose big we're upset. Think back to some
recent bad beats. Do you recall feeling a rush of adrenaline and
an overwhelming sense of rage? If you haven't encountered this,
you're lucky; most players have.
I believe that reactions at the poker table are
so strong because the game taps into a very primal portion of
our brains. In poker, we're fighting for something we view as
critical - money. In these days of relative safety and comfort,
our battles at the poker table are as close as we get to the life-and-death
struggles that our ancient ancestors encountered. Eons ago, the
adrenaline served a purpose - it triggered a response critical
to survival. Without thought or reason, ancient man knew two things:
Fight or flee. The quick surge of panic and anger kept the species
alive.
At the poker table, however, the same response serves
no useful purpose. You can't beat the dealer over the head with
a rock. Screaming in panic and running from the room isn't a great
idea either. So most of us just steam - we tilt. With no outlet
for the excess chemicals, we sit at the table, angry, while our
judgment becomes clouded. Maybe we blast off some money or run
a ridiculous bluff as a way to relieve the pressure.
The thing is, you need to overcome these instinctual
reactions if you're going to become a consistent winner at poker.
It's not easy to control the instinctual part of your brain, but
it's something that you can work on every time you play poker.
Endeavor to leave each session in the same emotional state. If
you win big, keep yourself from getting too excited. Remind yourself
that this is just one session that has gone well, and that another
is bound to go poorly. Reverse the argument after a big loss.
I believe that if you commit to engaging the thinking,
reasoning portion of your brain at every opportunity you can,
in time, overcome the primal reactions. It isn't easy. Some players
with incredible mastery of the game are long-term losers because
they can't get a handle on their emotions.
Embrace the challenge of evening your emotional
responses. It may be the most important thing you can do to improve
your poker results.
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