Thoughts on thinking and feeling.

I know there have been several books on the subject and it is becoming more and more emphasized yet I still feel the mental edge is neglected still. If you are not capable of processing the information presented to you with a clean crisp mind how will you be capable of putting it to proper use? Simply put you wont. You can read every book and study hours on end while playing 3 thousand plus hands a day but if you aren't thinking clearly you are going to get nowhere.

Don't get me wrong you might see positive results but they will be sub par to the results you could get with a clean mind. When I say clean mind what do I mean? I am speaking of a mind that is not tired, not upset over a bad beat, not fearful of losing, not unfocused, and not functioning without processing. In order to play at your optimal performance level you must be thinking clearly. The 1st thing I ask myself prior to every session is if I am well rested and capable of performing at my best. If the answer isn't yes I don't play. How will I be able to play poker at the level I want with the success I want if I am not on my A game. Simply, I wont and neither will you. Know yourself and know when you aren't capable. Always start your new sessions with a positive frame of mind.

The mental edge comes from being capable to play bot like poker with no emotion involved in processing the situations we become involved in. We are human so this is much easier said then done but with practice you will go numb. Avoid singling out an opponent. I am not saying not to target the donkey at the table but don't go out of your way to play big pots with hands you shouldn't be playing big pots with just because this guy is a donk. This is not bot play. Bots process the information, retain it for future battles and play the game. Let the game flow, force nothing. Stay calm mentally and emotionally and if you feel yourself slipping, quit.

The other key besides knowing when to play is knowing when to stop. Much easier said then done. We might think are AA vs KK suck out loss has no effect on us but it does. Some more then others. Until you can become consciously aware of this effect you will be helpless. Learn to identify when your play has changed and acknowledge it. Once you begin to acknowledge it you will be able to quit at such times. Quiting a session when your mind state has changed is so fucking +EV it is not even funny. Think of those long sessions where you lost 5+ BI. How much of that could have been avoided if you had just turned off your fucking computer? I know I am guilty of tilting. But now I quit. I walk away and think about why my mind state changed and how I can control it. Get your mind right and your game will be tight.