But poker fears and desires are never just money-related because money is not the only thing at stake. In the above scenario, you believe there’s a good chance your AJ is in the lead. You feel in your gut that this opponent is probably trying to bluff you out of the pot with an inferior hand. Are you afraid of letting him get away with it? Are you afraid that if you let him steamroll over you like this, that somehow it will make you feel worse as a poker player or even as a person? Or perhaps calling and busting out, going home empty-handed, will put a similar dent in your ego. Maybe your spouse doesn’t believe you’re a good poker player and was upset with you for spending all that money on a poker tournament. The fear of hearing “I told you so” can be just as bad as the fear of losing money.easy cards tricks
There are numerous forces at work in this seemingly simple decision. Aside from the purely strategic considerations, you also must contend with all that interference created by your fears and desires. If we take that same scenario and change one condition – let’s say that instead of footing the bill yourself, you won your entry fee in a cheap satellite tourney – that alters things considerably. You don’t have to worry about the monetary loss of your entry fee, or feel the desire to earn it back. Now it’s just a question of whether your poker ego is secure enough, and you can put aside your personal animus toward this opponent long enough, to make a purely strategic decision.juice cards
Let’s take that scenario and tweak it again. You’re facing the same all-in bet from the same obnoxious, hyper-aggressive, larger-stacked opponent, except that instead of being on the tournament bubble, you are on the final-table bubble. By making it this far, you’ve already ensured yourself a lucrative profit. But how badly do you want the monster prize money that awaits the final-tablists? How is that desire, that greed if you will, going to influence your decision now? And there’s yet another factor. Knowing that this final table will be filmed, do you care about being on television? While you’re pondering this all-in decision, is any part of your mind thinking about how impressed your family and friends will be if you make this final table and get on TV? If so, that’s another form of desire clouding your judgment.