Does studying psychology help with poker performance?

[0546474]

To win at poker you must use any legal methods to increase your chance of winning!!! Things like position and range of hands are very important but the psychological aspect also plays a very important role in poker!!! I listened to the audiobook Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow!!!

 

[vnnby]

Yes, psychology definitely helps in key moments.

 

[sincos]

In general, yes, but it doesn't help me personally.

 

[heguli82]

Playin poker game involves lots of psychological and social information (live more then online). When its our turn put blinds, go all in, or we win; three game events that eliciting psychophysiological responses in us most often. Behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) control those responses. How sensitive those moderators are, how well we can moderate our behaviour, depends e.g (mostly) by our natural personality. And that is hard to change by training, practice or any other way, we are stuck that for life. Our personality cathces us at some point at least. ( studies goes both ways here, or its been argued that practicing e.g self reflection you can avoid tilts that harm your game. )

Did you know that you probably give away, or at least there is more happening inside of you when you see other player go all in, win, bluff draw, etc., compare to the player/s on turn.

You can see other player at the table then player/s who are at the moment all in, breaking and coming out their robot-mode (=start talking, stretched, feeling joy, empaty etc.)

 

[BillyR23]

To be successful in both live and online poker, you need to have a good mental poker game and studying psychology surely helps... Nowadays, games are tougher and tougher(especially online), so any methods that can improve your chances of winning are worth trying...

 

[danydidi]

in live poker i think yes a little ,it helps you understand your opponent better

 

[fullclock]

It would be ideal to study some psychology to improve your poker performance. I think that if I recommend it and everything to improve is welcome.

 

[Duxflux]

It definitely helps. Whether you can study it I don't know but what definitely helps is life experience. The more you observe people, the better you can understand their traits.

 

[Berandir]

I totally agree! Poker is a game of mind, of patience and if you are not with a balanced mind, it can compromise your results.

 

[DiegoRamos]

Good afternoon my friends and friends. In my humble opinion, working on the psychology side helps a lot to be a more controlling and less compulsive player, improving your game, especially in the extra game. What do you guys think?

Yes, it will help your mental game, helping you to understand your head and perhaps helping to stabilize your feelings, resulting in an improvement in your performance.

 

[RustyRed83]

Absolutely, the mental toughness needed to become a successful poker player. You need to stay focused, stay calm, become disciplined, among many other traits that affect emotions.

 

[sincos]

I think it will be important for high stakes

 

[jazux48]

of course, yes, your actions in the game will depend on your psychological state, you should not succumb to emotions, although it is very difficult (

 

[badbanking79]

Nope, but it helps me to understand my girlfriend a lot better..........

 

[Damian Baez]

I think if psychology is important in poker

 

[nakiesQUensyyy]

Yes, you tilt less from defeats and stay longer, as they say, distance will bring everything back if you play right.

 

[takinitSLEAZEE]

Whenever you successfully bluff another player you've "psyched" them out of their chips. Of course this all depends on your image as a player and how that player is playing. There are some "true crime" and detective shows out there I like that can me help w/the protocols of replaying a hand. You know, they go back to the beginning and work their way up to the present, kinda like analyzing the situations of pre-flop, flop, turn, and river.

 

[ElScorcho008]

Playing in person, absolutely. You have to be able to read people to make money

 

[Brunette112]

Yes

 

[istbno]

Studying psychology can certainly help improve poker performance. Poker is not just a game of cards but also a game of people, and understanding the psychological aspects can give you an edge at the table. Here are a few ways studying psychology can benefit your poker game:

1. Understanding Human Behavior: Poker involves reading and interpreting the behavior and actions of your opponents. Studying psychology can help you better understand human behavior, including body language, facial expressions, and verbal cues. This can aid in identifying patterns, spotting tells, and making more accurate reads on your opponents.
2. Emotional Control: Poker can be an emotionally challenging game, and managing your own emotions is crucial for optimal performance. Psychological studies and techniques can help you develop strategies for emotional control, such as managing tilt (emotional frustration), handling losses, and staying focused under pressure. This can help you make rational decisions and avoid costly mistakes driven by emotional reactions.
3. Decision-Making and Risk Assessment: Cognitive psychology can provide insights into decision-making processes and biases that can impact poker play. Understanding concepts like cognitive biases, probability judgments, and risk assessment can help you make more informed and logical decisions at the poker table.
4. Mindset and Mental Game: The mental aspect of poker is often underestimated but can have a significant impact on performance. Studying psychology can help you develop a strong mindset, improve mental resilience, and cultivate a positive attitude towards the game. Techniques such as visualization, mindfulness, and self-talk can enhance focus, concentration, and overall mental well-being during poker sessions.
5. Table Image and Manipulation: Psychological principles can be applied to shape your own table image and manipulate the perception of your opponents. Understanding concepts like self-presentation, impression management, and social dynamics can help you strategically project an image that influences how others perceive and play against you.
6. Psychological Warfare: Poker involves psychological warfare and strategic mind games. Studying psychology can provide insights into persuasion, influence, negotiation, and game theory, allowing you to better strategize and exploit psychological vulnerabilities in your opponents.

By studying psychology, you can gain a deeper understanding of human behavior, improve your emotional control, enhance decision-making skills, develop a strong mental game, and apply psychological principles strategically at the poker table. Ultimately, this can give you a competitive advantage and improve your overall poker performance.

 

[lifecoach22]

I think that if we are talking about offline poker, then yes, you can notice those minimal movements of the players that the rest will not notice, and these movements can make you understand how a person feels in a given situation. And if we talk about online poker, then of course not)

 

[jonaselloco]

According to what type of Psychology.
If you go on the side of deep psychology, this will make you see reality, let's say where you are standing.
Maybe I can help you with patience, decision making, etc.
If you go by the side of Lacanian psychology, it is very likely that it can embolden you to be number 1, the bad thing is if you do not succeed, that is where disappointment and a deeper crisis can come.
All psychologies have their pros and cons, that for me is essential to take into account.
Greetings

 

[akhilbansal]

Yes, yes, yes... poker is as much a people's game as much it is a card game. 3 levels to deal with -
1. Play the cards you are dealt with.
2. Read what opp is trying to rep and whether how much confidence you have he is representing it correctly or is trying to create a fake narrative.
3. What you want to rep to your opp, and whether it is a fact or a false narrative. How do you convince the opp for your narrative.

#2, and #3 definitely can use some help from psychology.

 

[888NOX888]

Of course, knowledge of psychology and the ability to control yourself helps a lot in the game, especially playing live poker.

 

[Dimidrol2]

Psychology is part of poker, so I think it definitely helps. At least there is an explanation and logical thinking about the behavior of rivals and the control of their emotions.