Navigating the psychological minefield that is poker tournaments is often as relevant to the end result as the cards themselves, if not even more so. In particular, there are two lines of thinking that have claimed many a victim and set countless equity curves and chip stacks on fire. Let’s take a look at what they are and how to avoid them.
He/She Is Targeting Me
This is a common, often-paranoid thought that is somewhat inevitable during intense tournament play where every player is trying to get one over on their opponents. You look across the table after your opponent makes a big raise and think to yourself: they’re trying to exploit me. This thought pattern can, and often does, lead you down a rabbit hole of second-guessing and over-analyzing, a dangerous place to be in a poker tournament setting where staying even-keeled for hours and sometimes days at a time is paramount.
The Reality
When we’re talking about a live tournament setting, where you can watch every little move your opponent makes, being “targeted” is definitely a possibility; however, it happens far less frequently than our minds will tell us and almost certainly not until there has been extensive evidence as to your playing type.
However, in an online tournament where most people are multi-tabling or too busy watching YouTube on the side, expecting that your opponents are hyper-focused on everything you’re doing rather than living in their own world is a recipe for leveling yourself into reshoving too wide or making much too loose of a hero call. So remind yourself that rarely is anyone thinking of anyone other than themselves and that your opponents are allowed to have their fair share of hands, and
even bluffs, too.
I Have To Make A Move ASAP!
Obviously, at some point in most poker tournaments this thought pattern is going to be accurate, especially in turbo and hyper tournaments where the speedy structure necessitates near-constant action. However, more often, our emotions will start sounding the alarm bell far too soon, trying to convince us THERE’S NO TIME TO WAIT, I HAVE TO GET MY CHIPS IN NOW.
The Reality
If we take a deep breath and recognize that those thoughts we’re having are exactly that—an alarm bell meant to signal to us that it’s time to lock in and look for a good spot for us to (gently) expand our hand ranges—then our emotions become helpful guideposts rather than raging infernos that will often lead us straight into the fire.
So as you’re playing your next tournament, remember to remain vigilant against these tricks of the psyche and focus instead on channeling that energy into calm, unemotional, decision-making. Do that and you’ll not only survive the poker trenches but thrive in them. Good luck!
