One of the biggest mistakes people can make at the poker table is to take things personally. It might be that the button is raising your blinds relentlessly, or that they have put a few bad beats on you in a row. Of course, the natural reaction can be to want to “get them back”.
But the problem with poker is that you can’t simply make a decision to target a player because they’re annoying you. Sure, you can pick on weak players or take advantage of their mistakes, but making a decision to go after someone because you don’t like them or feel that you “owe them” is a recipe for disaster.
Why? Because the more you allow emotion to make your decisions for you, the less you are analyzing the hand in question and the more mistakes you are going to make yourself.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Poker, by its nature, is an emotional game. It is highly competitive and there are often large sums of cash at stake so it can be difficult to keep the emotions in check when things aren’t running your way.
But if you want to progress as a poker player, it’s a skill that must be learned. Rather than taking it personally, the next time you find yourself on the wrong end of the cards it’s time to take a deep breath and move on. Sure, it’s great to stack someone who has been getting on your nerves, but it’s even better to walk away from a long session knowing that you maintained you’re A-game the whole time. That alone will prove far more profitable in the long run.
