Poker mindset

Well guys today is the day I found out i'm pretty bad at poker. I haven't played a very big amount of hands but I just know it, but i'm almost sure that it's not just a pure poker problem.

I study the game quite hard, maybe too hard sometimes, i'm always on the lookout for a new concept to add to my game.

My biggest problem is by far a mental problem, I just cannot have a 200 hand session (1 or 2 tables) that doesn't contain a couple of very big and obvious mistakes, I don't know where it comes from and it's just really annoying. I don't think it's really a patience problem, I can go for quite a while without playing a hand and it doesn't really bother me.

I'm starting to think that your mindset in everyday life has a huge impact on how you act at the poker table but I just can't find the link between the two, I'm a fairly happy guy with maybe a bit of a pessimistic attitude. Are all of you good players out there happy and calm people ? Do your log on to your room thinking you could beat anybody ?

How come I still make that bad call with TPTK even when I'm 99% certain that he has an overpair (an example). I mean sometimes I just start laughing so hard when I review my hands, i'm like wow thats a bad play, but I still go out and make similar mistakes the very next session.

I just started playing not too long ago so maybe I should just give it some time so that I can slowly stop making the mistakes I clearly see but can't seem to fix.

Are there any CCers out there that really have managed to get a firm grasp on the mental side of poker who have a few tips ? Any insight on how to get in the zone (if that zone exists) would be welcome. Also how do you guys actually use what you see during reviews on the table the next time ?

BTW I play 2nl almost all the time so i'm maybe thinking I could get away with a few more mistakes playing SNGs so maybe I should try that with the very little bankroll I have left (didn't deposit, up to ~22$, now down to about 6$)

Thanks in advance

I don't play much ring since I far prefer MTTs, so my sample size isn't huge, but I have managed to win at all the micro-levels. When I login to play, I'm not really thinking of beating people - not much anyway. Rather, my main focus is simply trying to play something approaching my A game. If I do that, the winning money part will take care of itself, albeit not every single session.

I can certainly understand where you are coming from as I get in those type of slumps as well.

Sometimes, like last night, I seemed to be "playing at playing" vice "taking it serious". I simply call it "not being focused and not taking it seriously". As you have so aptly stated, I seem to actually KNOW to not do something, but will sometimes go right ahead and do it anyways. Then, I say, "why did I do that", knowing better the whole time.

I think that playing good and solid poker is mostly about first being "in the correct state-of-mind" and maintaining that "focus" over the course of the game. At least, when I actually do win a tournament, this is exactly how I perceive that my play has gone.

Good and thoughtful post.

Wally

You might want to post this here -->> Ask Mental Game Coach Jared Tendler

Hey, at least you're recognizing your mistakes & always looking for ways in which to improve (it's a never-ending process but can be a cool journey...try not to get frustrated & look at the big picture more... ie. it won't matter a yr. from now, or even a mth. from now (maybe a min.?))

Thanks for the feedback guys

Yeah thanks for the tip I will post my thoughts there.