The Poker Mag

When we find ourselves raking in a nice pot, or indeed watching one being raked in by our opponent, it can sometimes have an effect on our confidence. Especially in times where we play a hand very well or make a mistake, there always seems to be some sort of momentum in poker while we play. This is perhaps not quite so noticeable for players who play very conservatively as much of the game is about waiting, but for most of us, when we get involved in a few pots, we can grow or shrink in confidence.

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This confidence that grows from success at the tables can carry us on to play better poker over the course of a session, in the same way as tilt can ruin our logical play if we are susceptible to it. You could perhaps say that such lucky or unlucky runs can shape the course of a week playing the game, or even a month. If you feel like everything is going your way, you are bound to be playing your best poker I feel.

I suppose that these winning runs are not entirely like a pendulum swinging in terms of momentum, as with poker, things can change very quickly indeed. The best thing we can do as players, is to try and plough on with our logical play when the going gets tough. As for when the momentum is with us, enjoy playing the game and continue to press your advantage without taking too many risks.

I cannot speak for other players of course, but I know from my own experiences that sometimes in poker, it is possible to try too hard. This can apply either in the sense of trying to win too many pots when you do not have the cards to back you up, or simply seeing too many flops, especially when the blinds are low.

It is easy to say that if you are in the sort of game with several players limping in to see flops, and the blinds are still low, that there is a lot of value in seeing flops in case you hit very well. In some senses this is true, but if you are choosing to see lots of flops with numerous players, you cannot try too hard to steal these pots when you miss.

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The evident problem with this, being that with several players taking flops, big draws and flopped two pairs and the like, will materialise more often, and you can easily play your way into trouble.

there is another side of the coin too however. Perhaps recently, I could say I have been trying too hard to make a great fold, when what I should really do is to consider that the pot odds are just about right to call, then shut my eyes and announce just that. Whilst I usually like to play aggressively, I do not enjoy being in three way pots where the action suddenly escalates, and will often put down my hand in this situation even if I happen to have hit the board quite well.

Sometimes in poker it is far better to try and let your game flow and have no fear of losing, than always looking to make a great fold when the raises and reraises start mounting up.