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Is Your Ego Affecting Your Poker Game?

11 January, 2019 by Everette Renner
The link between Poker and your ego

In the game of poker, skill is always first and foremost in determining the winners from the losers. Patience, a thorough understanding of the game, as well as a healthy dose of mathematics proficiency all play a role. But, could it be that your ego that is a major barricade between you, and achieving a higher, more frequent level of true success?

One aspect of the game that is often overlooked is the necessity to endure losses, and weather out bad patches. In this regard, tanking losses is not just a good idea, it is absolutely necessary. Which means, of course, that being a loser is part of the equation. Is your ego preventing you from being a loser, when it is needed?

Enduring Losses

The simple truth is that you are not going to win every hand. You are going to lose, sometimes for long stretches. The game is about striking while the iron is hot, and making a good move when it is time to do so. Not about being the king of the table, and raking in money hand over first. No matter what the movies tell you.

The best players know that waiting out the periods of loss are as important as leaping at opportunity when it arises, and this requires putting ego aside. Not everyone is capable of doing this, and will fight an urge to want to bet on every hand, and take part in every pot. It may be natural instinct, but is absolutely not the way to be the best player possible.

Wait And Strike

Of course, enduring the losses is only temporary, and this is where the focus should always be when playing to win. Waiting, biding time, and attacking only at the right moment is the key to being the best of the best. A good hand will normally never be too far away, and may happen at any moment. Hence, making use of a good hand when it does arrive is just as important, and requires equal levels of skilful play.

Until that good hand does arrive, however, sucking it up, putting ego aside, and letting money pass between your fingers is going to be needed.

So the question remains; is your ego preventing you from being the best possible poker player you can be?

If the answer to this question is yes, it may well be time to learn that winning is not always the same as being a part of every round, and imitating movie players that are not based in reality is not a good idea.