Mental Concentration

About the most things about Texas holdem is that it takes a minimal amount of time to teach the game, that makes it great for casual players. They are able to come in and play a few hands before more experienced players run them out. For a few, Texas Hold'em is similar to the slots with friends. They will forever believe that poker is based off luck. God bless 'em.

Whether you're playing on line or offline, the first faltering step to taking your game seriously gets mentally prepared. Does that mean you should cram your head with statistics, hand odds and dominoqiuqiu scenarios?

Just the opposite in fact.

Maintaining your head clear is the approach to take, like prepping for a pop quiz instead of the final. Overloading your brain with facts, figures and reminders only distracts you from your game. Try to stay relaxed and calm as you pick your seat at the table and try to be aware of only the players and the table.

What about the other distractions? Science suggests that being well rested after a light meal is the best time a body can concentrate. While it's obvious that being tired or starving doesn't help your concentration, a heavy meal is no help either. Dense dinners cause your blood flow to center around the stomach and away from your extremities, together with your head.

The second trick is always to keep up your concentration within a tournament or a long night of online poker. When you get a chance, take a break; walk around to clear your face especially if you've had a bad beat early in the game.

A whole lot of poker experts will tell you a string of bad luck is mentally devastating, completely distracting them from solid play. So by refusing to let a bad beat haunt the remainder of your play, you're already ahead of the game compared to many of your fellow players.

Realistically, you should be prepared for that bad beat that can strike anytime. If you truly accept that it will eventually happen, you'll lessen the psychological impact each time a bad beat rolls you over. You can take a page from cina strategist, Miyamoto Musashi, when it comes to overcoming adversity. He said, "... the way in which of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death. " Here in the West, Shakespeare said it most useful, "Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste of death but once. "