Poker News

Tom ‘Time’ Leonard

Let’s continue to examine if our persona of a disciplined, solid poker player doesn’t have a chink or two in its armor. Have you been working on your developmental needs list? Have you been totally open and honest with yourself? If you’re lying to yourself, you’re beyond help. Let’s look at a scenario that happens all the time. Have you ever sat in a game folding hand after hand of miserable rags only to see your opponents winning pot after pot with the same or even worse starting hands than the ones that you are mucking? Then to top this annoying turn of events off, you muck the 3-5 offsuit from middle position, as you certainly must do, and then the flop comes 3-5-5! This happens to us all, it’s part of the game. When this starts happening to you, does it make you want to let the clutch out a little? Or maybe even pop the clutch, peel rubber and start three betting every piece of cheese that you’re dealt? Don’t go over to the “Dark Side”. The “Dark Side” is playing any two cards in the hopes of hitting the flop. “Dark Side” players know that any two cards can win in Hold’em. Although this is basically true, you know it to be folly. You will destroy your bankroll. You must maintain your discipline and be patient. If you fall prey to these primal urges, you will be no better than the opponents whose play you eschew.

OK, we have a goal… namely, to maintain our discipline even with the mounting evidence that any two cards can win in Hold’em. Remember, folding is a weapon too! What might we do to help constantly remind ourselves that getting out of line is a major chip drainer? Many players bring to the table some kind of talisman and use it as a weight to protect their hand. A talisman is defined as an object that will bring good luck, keep away evil, or a charm that possesses magical power. Do the players that use these coins, chips, small statues and all manner of other things believe their lucky charms will, in fact, charm the poker Gods into granting them monster hands? I guess some do. Pity the fools. If they really do believe in mystical powers instead of probability, psychology and a deep understanding of the game, then you really do want these players at your table. Others however, use these personalized weights simply as a visual reminder that they are not there to ram and jam every pot, but to play disciplined, winning poker. When they get the urge to get “a little out of line”, one glance at their talisman reminds them to maintain their discipline.

The most common practice of protecting one’s hand by most players is to use a chip from their stack. However, using a chip from the game, while serving its intended purpose, has no special meaning or visual impact to its owner. I suggest you bring your own talisman to the table to protect your hand and more importantly to represent to you that you should never go over to the “Dark Side” and lower your discipline to the gambling, rambling maniacs that you see utilizing the any two cards can win strategy. Use your talisman as a powerful visual reminder to maintain your discipline and to play solid,winning poker.

If your opponents think you’re using a lucky charm to protect your hand because you believe it has mystical powers, so much the better. You will be using it for the exact opposite reason. To visually remind yourself to keep the clutch in until the proper situation presents itself allowing you to take their chips. You certainly can allow yourself a small smile on the way to the cashier’s cage to

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