Poker Practice: Control and Disciplie

Texas Hold'em, poker and gambling all require a level of control and discipline. A foundation of solid play and tables smart will usually lead to victory - but if it were that easy, then there would be many more poker players raking it in and dancing on the money train.

Discipline is vital in any skilled endeavor. It implies the ability to maintain standards and quality over a period of time and in effect, directly influences and is an integral part of consistency. Similar to a building, it requires a solid foundation built on knowledge, practice and ability. Without this foundation, players will find themselves losing, often without any real or specific idea of how that exactly occurred.

Listen to a few bad beat stories. Most boxers, before a prize fight, study their opponents and their prior fights, observing not just how their opponents fight but how the loser of that fight fared. Victory lies in observing both what lead to victory and what lead to defeat. After all, there were two people in the ring, the same way there's more than you at that Texas Hold'em table.

The true flaw in players often lies beneath the surface, at the foundation. They may blame the way they looked at the flop, while it could potentially lie in the fact that they played the hand to begin with. Those with constant win records look at what has kept them afloat thus far and what gave them trouble. Poker, like most competitive games have an array of variables that affect victory and defeat. This allows players the chance to shore up a weakness with an overpowering advantage - but despite these, these all stem from the same foundation.

The most important quality of a good Texas Hold'em player is self control. No matter how good you are, you will lose if you cannot keep yourself in check. All the skills in the world won't matter if you cannot keep yourself from playing at tables far above your bankroll or your budget for gambling. All the tactics in the world will not help if you know not to play certain hands and you dive in, dreaming of the amazing flop, turn and river that will pull you out of your bad decision.

All things run through discipline and it is this foundation that allows players to consistently stay at the top tables. To be successful and more importantly, happy with your playing, develop discipline and self control. Without that, you should be more prepared to spend more time at the bar than at the table.