The psychology of poker: how emotions become your ally 🎭
Emotions are not the problem. It's the key to gaining mastery! Unlike classic poker psychology, which views emotions as the enemy, this book offers a different view: emotions can be your assistant on the way to success. Let's find out how to properly perceive your emotions at the poker table and use them to improve your game.
🔍 Emotions as whistleblowers
Classical psychology often teaches us to suppress emotions, seeing them as the source of problems. Anger, fear and overconfidence are presented as obstacles to success. But in fact, emotions serve as signal lights, pointing out weaknesses in your psyche. For example, a bad beat can cause a tilt, but it's not the event itself, but your reaction to it based on a misperception of the game. If you realise that emotions are simply indicators of your psychological weaknesses, you can work on them.
⚖️ Principle of Equilibrium
When you begin to see emotions as a symptom rather than the cause of problems, you can achieve a state of balance. This means that you leave the positive emotions and get rid of the negative ones. Balance doesn't come by itself - you need to work on eliminating the causes of negative emotions. By eliminating psychological weaknesses, you strengthen your psychological resilience and achieve true strength of mind.
💡 Understanding the workings of the brain
Knowing how the brain functions can help you better control your emotions. Unconscious competence, emotions and higher brain functions interact in a hierarchical system. When emotions become overactive, they interfere with your mind's ability to make quality decisions. This is why it is so important to control your emotions before they reach a critical level.
🌊 The accumulation of emotions
Emotions tend to build up. Sometimes the frustration from a bad session can build up inside you and you may not be able to start the next game with a clean slate. Residual emotions can lower your response threshold and you may start to tilt faster or defend your winnings.
📈 Emotions and results
Emotions are essential to a successful game. The problem arises when there is too much or too little of it. The Yerkes-Dodson law shows the relationship between the level of arousal and the quality of your game: an optimal level of emotion increases the quality of your game, while excessive emotion leads to poorer results.
Практические задания для улучшения контроля над эмоциями 🧘♂️
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Self-analysis: After each game session, analyse your emotions. Write down what emotions arose and how they affected your game.
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Relaxation techniques: Develop a plan in case you feel yourself starting to tilt. Include breathing exercises or short breaks.
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Regular exercise: Engage in psychotherapy or meditation outside of game time to reduce built-up emotions and improve resilience.
Use these approaches to deal with your emotions and you'll notice your poker game becoming more stable and successful! 🎴💪
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