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Coping with Stress in Poker. Part 1

• 30.06.2025 12:18 pm
• headhunter
• 0 Comments

Poker is: (a) Quite stressful; (b) Very relaxing; (c) Both.

I'd go with (c) Actually, your answer will depend.

It Will Depend On..

The approach taken, stakes played for and reasons for playing poker.

A majority of poker enthusiasts play for leisure; at home with friends, the casino once in a while and online when they're bored.

The stakes in such a scenario are very low; usually a few bucks. It doesn't really matter if they win or lose.

Things get thick when the stakes are raised and stirred up with bloated egos.

Dropping a few sawbucks to your pals is one thing; a cutthroat $10/25 NL game is a whole other story.

There's definitely lots of stress in such a setting and it can greatly impact your play.

How Does Stress Affect Your Poker Game?

You probably know that stress can greatly affect your decision making.

The key ingredient for stress is frustration which are a direct result of:

1. Goals are impeded (your bluffs all get found out)

2. Pressure (the c-bet you placed was raised for the 5^th time)

3. Thwarted progress (missing another draw)

You get more than your fair dose of this and all hell will break lose. Your adrenaline shoots, temperature raises and hypertension sets in.

When the stakes are high enough, the game can be quite nerve racking and frustrating.

Does it necessarily have to cause untold stress? Do the psychological ups and downs have to impact your game?

Granted, having to miss a dozen draws drives most players' blood pressure up a notch but this need not be the case. Some players find the situations merely annoying. No big deal; sort of like a buzzing fly. Not that the game is devoid of stress but they have learnt to control their emotions.

What is Your Emotional Poker Experience?

A few years ago, a study was done where a group of students were given an adrenaline shot after being told it was a "memory" drug. They were then asked to wait until the drug took effect.

They were put into two groups where one was put in the same room with a funny guy and the other totally depressive one.

Later on, they were quizzed about their experience and the group with the funny guy had totally loved the experience. The other group on the other hand thought it was unpleasant, depressing and experienced weird side effects.

The drug was the same with the same impact biologically but the emotional experience were totally different.

Stone-Cold Bluff: Gut Clenching or Zen Moment?

Here is a message to take to heart:

Remember when you last ran a stone-cold bluff at a big pot.  Your heart beating at incredible speeds and your gut clenching while you patiently waited for the opponent to make a classic lay-down.

A Zen moment; that's what it was for some and a very low point psychologically for others

More often than not, you can spot the difference in the manner in which the bluffer responds after making the lay-down.

Players, who handle stress well, rake in the pot; this is simply part of the game.

More often than not, these players might react openly, shake their heads, exhale loudly or even laugh. They go through stress much more poignantly compared to other.

The Game of Poker Requires Risk

Poker is a risk takers game.

Risk is inherently stressful and we all have our own ways of handling it. Some people learn how to manage it such that its impact on their decision making is greatly reduced.

Among them are pros that have played poker for decades as well as some good recreational players.

Some never learn; you will mostly find them playing lower limit games.

At the same time, the adrenaline rush is irresistible to some. They become Icarus characters of the poker game, action junkies who thrive for some time then disappear from the stage after they crush and burn.

You Can’t Avoid Stress in Poker – Just Learn to Control It

The truth is stress in poker is unavoidable. The only way is to learn how to control it. You can do this by staying in your comfort zone. This is nothing to be ashamed of because even top players do this.

Some time back, A billionaire from Dallas called Andy Beal challenged the best players to go heads-up for quite a lump sum. He had the sole intention of forcing these players out of their comfort zone.

In a somewhat inspired move the pros came together, combined bankrolls and then played in rotation

To counteract Beal’s gambit, the pros combined bankrolls and played in rotation, thereby distributing the financial liabilities and stress among them. This allowed them to share the stress. In the long run, they (credit to Phil Ivey) sent the billionaire home, millions poorer.

You should realize that it is not all about the money. A case in point is Bill Gates. He's a regular player but he won't at any one time play for more than $10/$20. The truth is he can play for virtually any amount without denting his fortunes but he just won't. He prefers to stick to his comfort zone, and rightly so. This ensure that his game is not affected in the slightest bit by emotional swings.

Practical Advice for Coping with Stress In Poker

1. Seek to understand how you cope with stress. If you are easily affected, start with modest levels. The lower levels don't have too much pressure and you might just thrive. You can then advance gradually as your skills level progresses.

2. What is your comfort zone? You need to establish the level at which you feel most comfortable playing.

3. Don't get addicted. Granted, the adrenaline rush of the game can be quite addictive. Keep your feet on the ground and be modest about your abilities.