The importance of self discipline

Poker Strategy / Marcus Bateman / 22 April 2010 / Leave a Comment

Good players thought process run through the moves of a hand well, but they also have the discipline and confidence to go with these choices - even if they look stupid on a given hand.

Although arguably the key area of poker discipline is bankroll management and tilt control, it is important in other areas of the game, and here I want to look at having the discipline to execute plays properly.

If you watch poker on TV, study a training video, or read a book with sample hands in it, you will notice your brain saying certain things to you. 'I should fold on the river here', 'This is a good spot to call', or the such like all become bread and butter thought processes in poker, but often we find ourselves unable to actually execute them.

How many times do you know you are beat and still call? Or fold when you are sure you are being bluffed? Having the self discipline to be able to trust your instincts and go with what feels right is fundamental to high level poker. Never feel bad about making plays that seem on the face of it to be 'bad' - it is precisely these plays that often separate good players from weak ones.

Good players thought process run through the moves of a hand well, but they also have the discipline and confidence to go with these choices - even if they look stupid on a given hand. I remember in a £5/£10 live game in London I was in a young player sitting down and making a very thin call after an hour or so or play. One of the tighter regulars nudged me and said something along the lines of how quickly that player would be broke. The regular thought this was a good bit of information about the new player being a fish, but in reality it was a pretty good sign that this player was very good.

As he had not been hero calling every hand, he was obviously not a fish, and now that the table had seen this one call, no one at the table tried to bluff him - a point he ruthlessly capitalised on for the rest of the session. Although he had been wrong on that exact hand, the fact that he had the guts and heart to make such a play showed he had the mental strength and discipline to make the brave choices of big bet poker, and it is critical if you want to take your game to the next level that you have the mental fortitude to back your own play when your heart takes over from your head.

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