Tips to keep your stress levels in check : Poker

“You are not defeated when you lose. You are defeated when you quit.” 

Every type of game or sport requires a sheer level of dedication, patience and perseverance. We often find ourselves in a spot of self-doubt now and then. Don’t we? What exactly leads us to that? The fear of losing, the fear of not living up to the expectations is what drives us to that very spot.

Winning and losing is a part of the game and no matter what, we will find ourselves in either of the two. There will be a sense of pride & confidence after a win in any type of game and we just feel on the top of the world, right? And we should. We deserve that feeling but at the same time when we lose, we also lose our morale, and confidence and ultimately the losing string continues. We are not able to get back up and play the next game with the same level of interest and trust as before. There’s a feeling of the void from within and it’s tough to get back on track but remember that it’s tough, not impossible!! We, humans, are capable of numerous things and conquering our fears is one of them.

No professional player reached the place where they are, without any losses. No one only saw wins in their way and made it to a successful place. The same thing applies in the game of poker as well. While the game requires an ample amount of time to master, it is also a game which will teach you a lot of things. You can acquire a wide span of skills through it. Overnight success is a myth. Losing in a game of poker doesn’t mean you can’t win the next one. Rather, it implies you can make a stronger comeback and smash a thrilling win the next time. Every professional poker player has seen a defeat in their career. If they chose to sit back and not play, will they be successful in their career? No. Of course not. Instead, they chose to turn their losses into wins.

If you are someone who gets nervous and is unable to deal with the stress after losing a few games in poker, don’t worry, we have got you covered. Smartly dealing with stress and anxiety, is one of the important steps toward turning the losses into wins. 

So, here are some tips on how to manage stress levels while losing in poker? and ultimately deal with the pressure in a better way. Let’s have a look!

1.   Test and analyze

     You have to find your style in poker. You can take tips from here and there but ultimately it is you and your methods that will take you far in the game. You have to play a few games, in the beginning, to see what works best for you and then ultimately decide on a game plan. You have to be good at managing your money and be prepared for a few losses. Good bankroll management is what is most important. A good analysis of that before every game will help you calm down and play the game with comfort and confidence. Because one bad decision and you are left with nothing. Thus, practising bankroll management is highly important.

2.   Don’t take it out on someone else

      We, humans, are programmed in such a way that we tend to lose our calm on someone who isn’t even responsible. While losing in poker, we are often surrounded by frustration and anger and we project those emotions onto someone else, our loved ones, social media etc. which isn’t the right thing to do. We have to take responsibility because venting those emotions won’t improve your game. Instead, spend the energy focusing on your game, evaluating your moves and trying to improve your skills to do better.

3.   Long-term gain 

      One bad game shouldn’t stop you from trying again. It’s completely fine to lose a game or two because it will help you evaluate where you went wrong and improve it the next time. You have to see poker as a long-term thing. You can’t just refrain from trying after a loss. The skills that you will develop from each game will help you in the long run and eventually see more wins. Hence, focus on the ocean and not on the drop.

4.   Assess your peak

     There’s only so much a person can handle. Smartness lies in the fact that you should know your peak in the game. Try to figure out your breaking point which means beyond that you don’t feel alright and you are surrounded by self-consciousness and self-doubt. Because often players don’t understand their peak and choose to play even after that and ultimately get so stressed that they can’t handle themselves. Thus, if you feel like you are constantly losing and unable to get back up then just take a step back, evaluate your skills, quit the game for some time and make a good comeback eventually. 

Summing up!

You don’t have to beat yourself so much with every loss. Learning with every game will take you places and if you inculcate all your learnings into the next game, it matters the most. You have to stay focused and control your anger so that you don’t end up venting it out on someone else. This way you will be more attentive to the game. While you try to do that, make sure to assess everything before a game, your plusses and minuses and thus make your next move. Analysing each and every step is very crucial for you as a player and it will act as a building block for your poker journey. You don’t want to go ahead with an unsteady base, do you? Ultimately you have to look at the game as a long-term gain and how you can achieve that. Try to focus your energy on the bigger picture and improve your skills with every bad game. With these above tips, you can surely take a step towards managing stress levels and play with a calm mind because that’s what a game of poker requires. Eventually, you will see yourselves being good at the game and thus be stress-free, full of confidence and enthusiasm that the game demands.