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Poker Psychology: guides to master the psychological aspects of poker
Many factors can affect your emotions and subsequent play style in poker. This is why it is essential to understand which psychological characteristics can impact your game and how you can control them to perform at your very best.
It is also important to learn the tips and tricks which can be used to better yourself against your opponents such as learning how to spot when their own emotions get the better of them and how to take advantage of such situations.
This poker psychology section aims to help you get to grip with all these different psychological aspects within poker so you can approach your next game with the confidence you need to win.
Poker tilt
There are a number of ways in which your mental state can influence your game. Poker Tilt (or going on tilt) is when your emotions take control of the game resulting in poor decision making and limiting your chances of success. It is one of the undesirable symptoms of poker psychology.
Take a look at the poker tilt article to learn more about tilt, how it can affect your game and what measures you can take to prevent it.
Spotting a fish
A poker fish refers to a player at the poker table who may have little to no experience of the game. Players who are considered as being a “fish” in poker generally lack the experience of more mature players and as a result give away tell-tale signs that they are new to the game.
Discover how to identify a poker fish as well as tips on how to play against them. If you’re a fish yourself learn how to hide those signs that may give your game away!
The art of the bluff
One of the most well-known forms of poker psychology is the art of bluffing and how it can help you to deceive your opponents. It is simply not enough to just go into a match and assume you can bluff your way through it as one important aspect of bluffing is knowing how to read situations and to bluff at the right time during a game.
Learn how to bluff against the different styles of players you will come across at the poker table and how to read situations/opponents before attempting to bluff..
Poker tells
Poker tells are changes in the body language and/or behaviour of players that can provide signals about their hands. It is well worth learning about the most common tells in poker so that not only you can read your opponents but also learn how to hide your own tells that may end up harming your game.
Learn about how to read your opponents and how to decipher their tells with the help of our poker tells page.
Poker styles
Each player tends to have their unique poker playing style. Some players prefer to play tight whereby they play very few hands and play it safe whilst others such as maniacs who, as the name implies, tend to bet more, bluff more and generally play for much higher stakes.
It is essential if you want to improve your poker skills to learn about these different styles of play and how to effectively play against them. Find out more about the main poker styles.
Staying focused
Focus is another aspect of the psychology in poker that if not properly managed can lead to potential losses. This is especially true when one of your biggest challenges as a player may be to keep focused on the game and not succumb to boredom or distractions.
Take a look at our poker focus page to find out tips to improve your concentration so you don’t let your game slip and put them into practice for your next game!
If you want to improve your poker game further and learn more about the different poker rules, a range of helpful guides will help you get the better of yourself at the poker games. Check them out.