Texas Holdem Poker

I am sure we have all enjoyed the amusement provided by the “Matusow Blowup” and Phil Hellmuth’s endless rants. I always get a kick out of watching someone lose their mind after a sick beat or an unbelievable call. But what about when the explosion is from you? Is it all part of the game or is it a serious leak in many peoples games?

I have never understood what good can come from an explosion of emotions, in any direction, let alone negative. If you play this game to win money, there really is no room for emotion in your game. I have watched hundred of players blow through their bankrolls because their emotions got the better of them. Now, most people understand that going on tilt can have a very adverse affect on your game, but let’s look at how the flood of other emotions can affect your play.

One common scenario that is evident online, in live play and in some of the top games is the berating of opposition players. Whether the victim of the tirade has just delivered a huge suckout or was just out played for a massive pot, our berating poker player is hurting his game. What good comes from insulting a player for playing badly? I guess the opposing player could begin to play better poker, but why would we want that?

Not only does this tirade force our opposition to play better, as no one wants to be the subject of poor play, but our opponents will begin to tighten up their calling restrictions in many situations. As we discussed earlier in the week in “Table Image,” we want our competitors to call us down lightly. We want them chasing draws and calling down with middle pair. Sometimes we are going to catch a bad beat, but we will make up for it in the action received.

Psychologically poker players want to be accepted, they do not want to be singled out for bad play or berated at the table. This argument has taken place amongst many of the great poker minds as to why online games are often most looser and aggressive, as players do not have to face their peers face to face and be held accountable for their play. But that’s a debate for a different day.

I have always loved the demeanor of poker players such as Allen Cunningham, Phil Ivey and Patrik Antonius. These players have the ability to control their emotions, along with their game and to a large extent their opponents. They understand that luck plays a role in this game in the short term. Most players know the percentages and the fact that 2 out of 10 times, AA will lose to a smaller pair, but these players seem to take it in stride, just as they do when they win.

For the large part, pros seem to handle the swings of the game in stride compared to the average player. I believe this comes from the mentality and understanding of the long-term goals in poker. They know that if they keep making the right play, that over time the luck will even out and they will be long-term winners.

Poker is a series of decisions that add up to a long-term profit or loss. If you are making profitable decisions each day then over time you will be a winning player. You may go days, even weeks, when luck goes against you, but in the long-term the statistics don’t lie. You will win or lose based on your skill and decisions.

With all the decisions that take place in each hand at the table, emotion just doesn’t have a place at the poker table. Next time you find yourself itching to go on a tirade and fuming from a bad beat, remind yourself that this is part of the game and the statistics will even out in the long-term. Separate your emotions from the table and you are on your way to becoming a much stronger player. Until next time, get your money in with the best of it!