No Regrets

After playing an unimaginable amount of poker in the past few months, I have picked up on some pretty important concepts that have really helped me with my game and my life as a poker player. These "new" concepts are definitely not new, just new to me; they are things that I have become more and more aware of as I develop my game.

One of the most important things I have noticed is that as my friends and I get better and better at the technical aspects of the game, what differentiates our skill level and success from most players is our mental game. I have noticed that the cards are becoming almost meaningless. It seems that what makes me a winner or a loser for the day is my mindset. To make yourself a consistent winner, you really have to examine and figure out within yourself what it is that can keep you thinking positively.

I recently played a couple of the local Vegas tournaments at Bellagio and The Mirage that helped me put into perspective this very issue. Basically, I played amazing poker at three straight tournaments and came away from them with hardly any money at all. I made one final table and got bubbled in the other two tournaments. While I was driving home after my second straight bubble finish, I was very discouraged. However, as the time passed and I had a chance to reflect on my experiences in those tournaments, I knew that I had to stay focused and figure out a way to cure my mental anguish. I found myself regretting some of the plays I had made in those tournaments, but quickly realized how detrimental it is to have regrets while playing poker. I had played very well in those tournaments in order to get myself into prime position to score some big dough, and there is nothing at all to regret about that. I re-enacted the hands I was questioning in my mind over and over again, until I came to the conclusion that I hadn't made any mistakes at all. It was very important for me to accept the fact that I had indeed made each of the questionable plays for a very specific reason at that given time. A poker player must trust his own judgment when analyzing situations that arise at the table. Confidence is a huge factor in being successful in poker, and if you start to doubt yourself, you can get into some big trouble.

I don't claim to be an expert on this issue, and I haven't had a chance to read any of the books that cover psychology and how the mind affects these types of things, but I have become extremely aware of how my mindset directly affects my level of play at any given time. I happen to have spent a lot of time recently pondering these things, and I hope that this might inspire others to do the same. Always try to stay as positive as you can regardless of any short-term results, and you will come out ahead in the long run.

Play online with Scott at www.thefishtank.com and check out his website, www.scottfischman.com, to find out the latest happenings.