Previous part of Mental Game of Poker: Strategic reminder, repetition on demand, stopping the game

4.2 Final solution

Once the faults that cause psychological problems in the game are corrected/trained to a level of unconscious competence, you have the right mindset to play poker. The right mindset becomes as automatic as the other technical poker skills that have reached the same level. Now, even under very high emotional pressure, with a small amount of effort you will be able to stay calm.

The final resolution of a problem means that the emotion that was associated with a particular psychological problem disappears. There is no longer any need to think about how to better deal with bad beatsbecause you do it automatically, and you bad beat does not cause anger. Solving the psychological problems in your game will help you play better, make more money and have more prospects in poker. You will also get the following money:

1. An uncluttered mind allows you to concentrate better. Lingering psychological problems in the game reduce your ability to concentrate, even when these problems are not present at the moment. Such problems are very similar to having a computer program running in the background that you are not using on your desktop. They just use up the energy you need to concentrate to play quality poker. The final resolution of the problem frees up your mental resources to concentrate at the poker table, which will allow you to play at a higher level, for longer sessions, and at more tables simultaneously.
2. "The Worm concept illustrates how the best you can be becomes even better. Most elite players have eliminated most of their psychological problems with the game (such as Bridge), allowing you to spend even more time continuously improving your poker skills.

A simple real-life example of how to deal with such psychological problems:

Let's say you're angry with a friend who was an asshole the last time you saw each other. Let's also say that you see him a few times a week, but you keep quiet about the fact that you have been angry with him for a month. In the meantime, the anger builds up and there is a clear sense of tension between you. It doesn't mean that you can't have a good time together, but things are not as good as they were before. Finally, after a good month, you mention the problem to him. However, he remembers almost nothing about the situation, is offended and denies that it could have happened. Both of you get bitter and decide to take a break and regain your sanity (basically insert logic). You come back, he apologises, you clear things up and agree that you won't let the unspoken things go on for so long. If the problem is indeed resolved, this means that there will be no more anger between you for the same reason (but it does not mean that there will be no anger at all).

Neither bad beatsnor do mistakes cause any emotion once the problem has been completely eliminated. Logic, or any other strategy for taming emotion, becomes unnecessary because there is no emotion left. The trigger is there, but it is ineffective.

A final solution to the problem does not happen quickly. It takes practice, constant repetition and concentration to change an old habit and make the new one work automatically. Players are often too quick to believe that they have solved a problem, but fall back into old habits as soon as they are faced with high levels of stress. This is something to be prepared for and expect. In reality, it is very difficult to tell when a problem is finally solved. Every time you face tension, use that opportunity to assess what has been learned to the level of unconscious competence and what still needs to be improved.

As you move towards the final resolution of the problems, add to the strategies you use the following strategies to manage the problems in the short term.

4.2.1 5-step protocol

The traditional approach to psychological problems in play tends to look at the problem itself and then immediately move on to the solution, without looking at why the problem occurs. Without understanding why the problem exists in the first place, it is not possible to design an effective solution to the problem. A superficial understanding will never solve the problem because it is not clearly identified.

To solve a psychological problem permanently, it is necessary to get to the root of the problem, to understand the logical causes of the problem, and to understand why that logic is flawed. Only then will it be possible to apply a solution to the problem that is not random and does not act merely as a placebo.

To permanently resolve your psychological problems, use the 5-step protocol outlined below. Players send me the information completed according to the protocol for review, in the same way as they would bid on hands played (hand history). As you do not have the opportunity to communicate directly with me, I provide a detailed analysis of each step, so that you can identify the causes of your problems and correct them yourself.

Be sure to write down your answers, otherwise you will overload your head with information and you will not be able to dig deeper into your own logic to find a solution to the problem. These answers may be given in just a few or one simple sentence. All players are different, so do as you see fit. In general, the more detailed the answers, the better.

Many players also use this protocol to identify and resolve technical flaws in the game. The following steps will help you forget old habits and replace them with new ones.

1. Describe the problem. Write down everything you would say to me if I asked you directly to describe your psychological problem with the game. It could be something like, "I'm starting to bridgewhen fish suckoutina against me" or "if I'm winning and doing well I'm starting to play too many hands"
2. What is the logical meaning of such a reaction, thinking or feeling? The question may seem to go against common sense, especially if the problem described in point 1 is completely illogical and irrational. But it is not. Psychological problems in the game are always there for a logical reason and usually consist of several levels/layers. If you identify more than one cause in this step, then follow the next steps for each cause separately.

The logical reason for your example above, which leads to your bridging every time fish suckoutinais the belief that you win every time you play against a bad player. And the reason for starting to play too many hands is overconfidence, thinking that everything is easy and that no matter what you do you will win anyway. The rationale behind these reasons makes sense, but you still have to try to eliminate them.

3. Why is this a logical flaw? Avoid clichéd answers to this question, unless you are sure that such answers are appropriate for you. An accurate answer is critical. Also, since there is more than one reason for your flawed logic, do not assume that you know all the reasons. The information in the chapters of this book will help you get to grips.

A negative emotion always has a predictable cause and cannot be considered wrong. The logical flaw in the example given in step 1 is clearly the ignoring of the reality of poker. No one can always win against fish regardless of how well they play. In other words, you think you have more control over the results than you actually do. For some players, this level of control is a fantasy that they would like to see become reality. When that wish turns out to be unrealistic, you react with great anger. Or conversely, when it turns out to be realistic, you react with great confidence. This illusion of control over results is an example of a flaw that is not easily detected. If you don't correct it, you can't expect to solve the problem completely.

4. What is the right way to deal with such a situation? Taking into account points 2 and 3, this step provides a simple way to correct the deep-seated, psychological causes of your playing problems. Be sure to use positive language when giving your answer.

If you were to skip points 2 and 3 in the examples above, you would probably come up with explanations similar to the following: "Bad beats things happen, you just don't have to worry about them too much" or "I'm probably very lucky at the moment; I don't need to pay attention to how lucky I am". These are good enough attacks on your flawed reaction to variation, but they do not explain the aforementioned sense of over-control. Therefore, add a statement that removes the illusion of control, such as "I can't control the cards, I can only control how well I play and how well I react to situations", or "If I start playing too many hands when I win, I have lost control of the game"

5. Why is this the right solution? This question identifies the logical explanation and justifies why the answer to step 4 is correct. In some cases, this step may not be necessary. However, in any case, repetition helps learning and adds further clarity to the problem.

In the examples given, that rationale would be: 'Control in poker comes through my decisions and how I handle what happens at the table. If I want to play profitably, in the long run bad beats have to happen, because without them, the whole game would be fundamentally changed." Or "If I start playing too many hands when I win, it means that I believe I can continue to win no matter how I play. This is, of course, not true, because there is variation in poker. So I have to force myself to play well and not think that I am a poker god."

Ultimately, full resolution of the problem means that steps 4 and 5 are learned to the level of unconscious competence. To reach this level, use the process model, the embeddable logic, the additional tactics outlined in this chapter, and whatever else you feel appropriate. Steps 3, 4 and 5 can be used as objectives for the psychological game before each session. For example, "I will understand how fisho a win in the short term will serve me well in the long term" or "I will maintain a solid strategy whether I win or lose". You can use what you sign in steps 3, 4, and 5 as statements for the embedding logic.

Also, keep in mind that as you learn more and more details about a particular problem, you will need to return to these 5 steps from time to time.

The psychological side of poker mistakes

Intense emotions block learning and prevent basic skills from being trained to a level of unconscious competence. As a result, players can make extremely bad decisions when playing poker. These decisions are incredibly bad and uncharacteristic of good players, but occur because players are in a high tilte. Such decisions are also known as "Mike Matusow Blow Up".

The emotions associated with the psychological problem of the game start to block the game, creating a wide qualitative range in the player's decision-making. Solving the problem removes the emotion, allowing the player to think soberly and his game to improve steadily.

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