Float around the poker community long enough and you’ll eventually hear someone tell you that all you need is “a chip and a chair”.
What they’re referring to is the legendary mentality of famous poker players that believed that as long as you have a single chip left in your stack, you’re still in the action with a chance to get back in the running.
I have seen players rise from the ashes with a single chip left to their name and go on to win large tournaments. This teaches us that no matter how up against the wall we might be, as long as we keep a positive mindset we can still make the best of any situation.
Don’t Forget The Importance Of A Positive Mentality
So much time is dedicated to the discussion of hand selection, positioning and other advanced poker theories that many times the importance of having a positive mindset is overlooked, which is unfortunate since poker is a game that is often more mentally taxing than physically.
You can try and follow perfect technique as much as possible, but the reality is that your decision-making process is going to be severely hampered if you allow yourself to accept a defeatist attitude.
Find Ways To Minimise The Impact Of Emotions On Your Game
When it comes to keeping and maintaining a positive mindset when you suffer a staggering bad beat or lose the majority of your stack, the methods tend to vary depending on the individual.
The way that I compose myself will be different to the way you regain your calm. You should already have an idea of how to cool off and hit the restart button mentally; the trick is making sure that you follow your own process.
The key to sticking with the chip and chair mindset is to have the discipline to be able to control your emotions in order to adapt and survive. Think about it a little and see if you can’t make the necessary adjustments the next time the scenario presents itself.
Chris
- Chris Laquinta is a magazine editor, content specialist and poker fanatic with 10+ years writing experience and over 1,500 published articles. Chris is a naitive of Southern California, where he spent his entire life learning gaming concepts and theories from relatives that had been former professional gamblers. He currently resides in Torrance, CA where he works as a professional content writer and part-time SNG professional.
