A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the detrimental effect fear will have on your game. Yesterday, while playing in a live tournament, it suddenly struck me that having fun at the poker table actually helps you win.
My epiphany came as I sat with a hot Asian chick on my left who obviously was enjoying herself, kibbitzing and teasing, not taking the game like it was life and death. On my right sat Bad Luck Schleprock, a miserable grumbler who had his own personal rain-cloud hovering over him. There was another happy-go-lucky fellow at the table too, and this guy seemed to be unbeatable. He was playing every second or third pot and winning more than his fair share of them. Sure enough Schleprock's stack soon dwindled to nothing while Mr.Fun and Glamour Girl ran over the rest of us.
Does winning at poker make you happy? It seems like the answer should be an obvious yes, but I'm not so sure. What I am more confident in saying is that being happy makes you more likely to win at poker. Poker is, after all, a game. The playful mind sees possibilities where the grumpy mind sees foolishness. Furthermore a happy-go-lucky demeanour can put the grouches on tilt, the grouch is convinced Mr. Happy is not good but lucky, and they let this perception influence their decisions.
I once heard someone say you should play poker with a loose body and a tight mind. Maybe "happy" is too general a word for this "loose body" state I am referring to. It is a concept that I am still trying to understand. Any insights you would care to share would be appreciated.
Absolutely. A few weeks ago I logged my biggest winning session when I was on a high from having sighted a wolverine on the way to the game. I didn't care whether I won or lost, and once I began winning I became happier, which perpetuated the cycle. If you could only bottle that mindset...
ReplyDeleteI think it is a phenomenon that applies to live poker more than internet poker because other players sense you are "in the zone" and it puts them off their game.
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