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The poker world has a lot writers who focus on the tactical side of poker. A few more focus on poker strategy.
But few write about the psychology of poker -- the mental side of the game. Poker players are their own greatest allies at the table,
but too often they end up their own greatest enemy for a variety of personal, "inner" reasons. While the entire playwinningpoker.com
site focuses on poker strategy, which always involves thought, linked below are three dozen articles that focus more on the
"inner game": attitude, discipline, personal demons, comprehensive thinking, game planning, preparation, financial responsibility, etc.
Winning poker is all about the long run. Despite this there is an endless amount of lazy play in the game, where players squander occasional
bets hour after hour. Those squandered bets represent a fortune. Every bet is important, as is every action, as is every reason for an action.
Conventional "wisdom" is usually wrong. Most players lose, so if you want to win, you often want to do things differently than most players!
While poker does have instances of immediate gratification (winning a pot usually isn't that hard, even if it seems that way sometimes),
consistent winning poker is a lot of work. Everybody is trying to beat you, a
rake has to be overcome, your own fragile psyche has to be kept
under control... There are endless enemies arrayed against you. Over the long run, you have to fight hard for your rewards. You have to earn them.
If you want an immediate reward, watch television. If you want to pay your dues and earn your way into the winner's circle, read on.
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