Distracted Poker

Many of you might chuckle at the thought of playing poker while under the influence of alcohol, yet it's important to recognize that many players often find themselves mentally disengaged in a way that is equally detrimental.

With the rise of online poker, distractions are more prevalent than ever. Online players face challenges from chat messages, phone calls, browsing the internet, watching videos, incoming texts, emails, engaging in other games, video calls, and social media, making it almost too easy to lose focus. Unfortunately, this issue isn't commonly highlighted in recent poker strategy discussions. poker strategy What’s unsettling is that a significant number of players remain unaware of how much their level of distraction is costing them during their games.

Recent studies have shed light on the detrimental effects of distractions in various contexts. distraction in our lives Recent findings especially highlight the dangers of using a smartphone while driving. According to the National Highway & Transportation Administration, distractions caused by phones can increase accident risks by 23%, which is comparable to the heightened risk of driving after consuming four alcoholic beverages. Distracted behavior can lead to serious consequences in life, so it's logical to suggest that the same applies to the game of poker, even without direct evidence.

You might think that watching a poker tutorial while playing could be beneficial. You may not see the distractions as harmful to your game, similar to how many individuals don’t realize the dangers of distracted driving until it’s too late. If you're experiencing any of the following issues, it’s clear that distractions are negatively impacting your poker performance:

• Becoming disoriented during a hand, unsure of how you arrived at your current situation or what actions preceded it.
• Overlooking crucial details about your opponents that could inform your decisions.
• Putting too much emphasis on trivial pieces of information
• Having to revisit previous hand details mid-game to recall what an opponent did earlier.
• Feeling perplexed about the reasons behind winning or losing a past hand.
• Misreading your hand
• Mixing up players from one table with those from another.
• Running out of time on your turn when you believed you had plenty of it. major decisions on previous tables

You would likely avoid driving with distractions (or at least make a point to not do it again), so why would you jeopardize your poker career or bankroll? In an environment where distractions abound, players who cultivate a strong focus will find themselves at a unique advantage.

The secret to playing the mental game of poker Achieving skills at a profitable level largely hinges on concentration. Concentration serves as a tool for collecting vital information necessary for making informed decisions. However, when you split your attention between poker and checking social media, your mind fills up with unrelated content. This leads to a situation researchers refer to as 'attentional residue,' where your mind remains unfocused even after the distraction has been removed. Even if you exit out of Facebook, the thoughts related to what you’ve seen can linger for quite some time. Additionally, due to the mind's limited capacity, key poker details must compete for your attention against humorous memes or vacation pictures from friends.

Some of you may find it easier to minimize distractions during play or study sessions now that you're aware of their harmful effects. A key trait of successful poker players is the ability to put away their smartphones, log out of communication platforms, inform friends and family they are unavailable, and close unnecessary browser tabs. Achieving these actions is pivotal for regaining a strong focus. However, after years of coaching, I realize that simply educating players is often insufficient. Many will first need to acknowledge and fix the underlying cause What compels you to seek distractions? Do you get restless or bored when you're waiting for cards, even for just a few minutes? Is it more likely to happen when you're feeling fatigued? Do you feel an urgent need to reply to text messages or video calls immediately? Are the distractions you seek of lasting significance, or are they merely fleeting interests that quickly fade from your memory? Do you often find this happening when you’re facing losses, prompting feelings of disappointment?

If you have a constant need to keep in contact with friends and family, just going to lose anyway so why bother being focused?

While mandating focus won't bring overnight results, consistent practice will yield noticeable improvements over time. force yourself to focus Sure, taking notes can be distracting, but you’re doing it as part of a strategy to gather insights on your distraction patterns. Engage in this exercise over a week, or for an equivalent timeframe if you play less frequently, and then analyze the findings to identify what causes your distractions and why. After pinpointing the root causes, devise some strategies to counter them. Here are a few tips:

If it typically occurs when you’re feeling exhausted, challenge yourself to maintain focus for just an additional 5 to 10 minutes, as I advised in the previous chapter of this guide.

• If you find yourself constantly needing to stay connected with family, friends, or fellow poker enthusiasts, inform them in advance before you start playing that you won’t be available for a certain duration. If that doesn't stop the urge to stay in touch, delve into the reasons why you feel the need to remain updated.
• If you find poker tedious and distractions help to keep you engaged, seek ways to make the game more stimulating. There’s always something to learn about poker, even beyond the myriad of strategy articles available,
• like delving deeper into the thought processes and playing styles of your opponents.If frequent losses are your distraction, the issue lies more with your mindset towards losing than with focus. To improve your focus, you need to tackle the emotional pain associated with losses.
• We live in a time laden with a limitless array of distractions. Regardless of the reasons for your lapses in concentration during poker, take the task of eliminating distractions from your game earnestly. This advice will not only help you in poker, but it will also empower you to achieve greater success in other areas of life.

Jared Tendler, MS, LMHC, is a licensed therapist with expertise in sport psychology and is widely recognized as the leading expert on the psychological aspects of poker. Over nearly a decade of coaching poker professionals, he has assisted more than 500 players from over 45 nations, including numerous top-tier players globally. He is also the author of two widely acclaimed books on the mental aspects of poker: The Mental Game of Poker 1 and 2. play better poker Jared Tendler - Expert in Poker Psychology

Jared Tendler, MS, LMHC, is a licensed professional with specialized knowledge in sport psychology and a recognized authority on the mental dynamics of poker. In his extensive coaching career spanning almost ten years, he has supported over 500 players from 45 countries, many of whom are among the elite in the game. He has also written two best-selling texts on the subject, The Mental Game of Poker volumes 1 and 2 [add link to our book review section].