Mess with Their Heads

How to get a psychological edge over your poker opponents...

Poker is a game where the psychological edge can be a deciding factor. When you arrive at a table for a poker game with people that you don't know, a big bluff can be a good way to start when you're digging in for the long haul. If you're up against someone in the showdown and they're struggling to make up their mind and you succeed into bluffing the into a fold, let everyone at the table know it was a bluff when the game's over. This will mess with their heads and have them second guessing every time you go after the pot.

Equally, if you happen to be the victim of an outrageous bluff, don't let the loss get to you emotionally. Professional poker players call that going on tilt or steaming. There's nothing other players like to see more than a player going on tilt. They'll gather like jackals at feeding time. Once you lose focus and your mind is snared by a previous mistake your game can become seriously unglued. If you can't find the discipline to let it go, take some time out until you can or you'll pay with your stack.

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