| Gambling psychology for most people | | | | great because most of those who do not |
| conjures up images of stony faced poker | | | | know me personally will tend to assess |
| players and their habits and actions | | | | me as an inexperienced and poor player. |
| (tells) that suggest the value of the | | | | To me these are the unnoticed aspects of |
| cards they are holding. | | | | gambling psychology that all combine to |
| I contend that there is much more to | | | | build your personal confidence and allow |
| gambling psychology. When we look at | | | | you to exude confidence during your |
| successful gamblers, they all have a | | | | gambling session. |
| sound money management strategy, a sound | | | | Virtually everyone has heard about poker |
| game strategy, a high level of game | | | | tells even if they do not really know |
| skills, distinctive presentation and | | | | what they are. Tells are the subtle |
| when appropriate, the ability to psyche | | | | signs that others pick up on that give |
| their opponents. | | | | them a good idea as to the strength of |
| You may contend that that some of these | | | | our poker hand. Hiding these tells from |
| aspects of gambling do not involve | | | | your opponents, requires a great deal of |
| psychology. I disagree. | | | | acting skills and practice especially |
| The sound money management strategy | | | | when you suddenly find yourself sitting |
| allows the successful gambler to recover | | | | on a good full house or a royal flush. |
| from a number of consecutive loosing | | | | I recall playing against this stony |
| gambling sessions. Especially in poker, | | | | faced guy who hardly moved or spoke for |
| opponents notice these things and the | | | | hours when suddenly the artery on the |
| ability to bounce back has a subtle | | | | side of his neck started jumping like he |
| psychological effect on opponents. This | | | | had just run a marathon. He obviously |
| also allows you to approach the next | | | | had a hand that he found very exciting. |
| session in a better frame of mind than | | | | Whilst he could control his voluntary |
| what you would otherwise be in because | | | | actions, he could not control his |
| you know that if you should loose again, | | | | involuntary actions. All those who could |
| you still have adequate reserves to try | | | | see that side of his neck folded in |
| again multiple times. | | | | turn. If he had come dressed as dandy |
| Without a sound game strategy you will | | | | complete with a cravat, no one may have |
| be taken to the cleaners regardless of | | | | noticed his obvious excitement and his |
| the game you play or where you play it. | | | | pot would have been much bigger. |
| A sound strategy simply requires you to | | | | This incident vividly illustrates the |
| play the game to take advantage of all | | | | visible aspects of gambling psychology. |
| the favorable bets and to avoid those | | | | Lastly, I thought I should do some |
| bets where the house has an unreasonable | | | | research to see what the experts have to |
| advantage. | | | | say about gambling psychology. After a |
| This allows you to play with confidence | | | | few hours, of reading those papers, the |
| because once your strategy has been | | | | overwhelming thrust was that we were all |
| tested and proven, you know that when | | | | exhibiting the early signs of abnormal |
| you win, your winnings will be | | | | behavioral patterns and if caught early, |
| reasonable to quite good and on those | | | | the problem could respond to treatment. |
| occasions when you loose, your losses | | | | Unfortunately, there are some in our |
| will be relatively modest. | | | | midst where gambling has become a |
| Your game skills give you the confidence | | | | problem. |
| to adhere to your strategies when under | | | | I make a point of never gambling when |
| pressure so that you maximize your | | | | cash is short because it has been my sad |
| winnings and minimize your losses. If | | | | experience that whenever I have gambled |
| your game stresses you unduly, either | | | | in those situations, I have almost |
| find a game with lower limits or a | | | | always lost and such losses are doubly |
| different game that you find less | | | | painful. I have always won most whenever |
| stressful. If that is not possible, then | | | | I could well and truly have afforded the |
| it is time to find another past time. | | | | loss. Being cashed up removes the stress |
| Your distinctive presentation sends a | | | | and reduces the mistakes one makes when |
| message to your opponents. That message | | | | playing overly cautiously. |
| is dependant on where and with whom you | | | | To the intelligent gamblers in our midst |
| play. Many years ago, I worked as a | | | | who have sound strategies in place and |
| ringer (cowboy) and long wearing western | | | | who never bet more than they can afford |
| shirts, jeans and polished riding boots | | | | to loose, I say work on the |
| have been both my preferred work and | | | | psychological aspects of your game to |
| casual wear ever since. In the city, | | | | improbe your edge and Good Luck at the |
| that gives me the image of a hay seed | | | | Tables! |
| (hillbilly). At the poker tables, thats | | | | |