In poker, I think the most important thing is to accurately see what's actually going on in a hand. This is important because if you put someone on a range of hands, but you're including hands it's impossible for them to have, you're making suboptimal decisions. That's just one example but there's so many ways for cognitive deficits to the get in the way of playing properly.

I'm not crazy, but are there any tips or exercises I can do outside of poker that would help get in even better touch with reality? This is sort of a different question than how you can play your A-game or keeping your mind sharp. Because for me, when I reach those levels where I'm feeling on top of things, I'm still making blunders. When you look at people who are really good, it seems they never miss the clear signals of what they should do in a hand. I do meditation, but looking for other things I should be doing.

Can you try re-stating the question? I'm having difficulty getting at what you're asking and by that I mean everybody struggles w/ the same 'problem' (such as it is), there's no such thing as 'never miss the clear signals' (everybody makes what look like mistakes).

Btw, since 'nobody' plays limit anymore () I'm going to suggest trying it and you'll see 'hands it's impossible for them to have' repeatedly.

Hi Howard,

I understand that everybody struggles with playing hands well, but I'm trying to define what makes a person struggle with that.

My question put another way is, when you see people posting hands on the strategy forums and the solution to the hand is obvious to you, why is it not obvious to the person who posted it? Likewise, I often find myself confused in spots that are obvious to other people, and when they point it out, it becomes obvious to me...BUT ONLY FOR THAT HAND. It does not necessarily mean I'll play future hands better because I just don't see things as clearly as they do.

My theory is that the person who has a misunderstanding of the hand has a worse "grip" on how winning poker plays are made. This is NOT just saying they have better technical understanding of the game. In my theory, everyone is on a continuium of how accurate their perceptions of what goes on at the table are. The more accurate their version of reality is, the better they can play hands. The guy who thinks everyone is always bluffing has a very distorted view of poker.

I don't really think the solution to this is "be smarter", though it might. Is there anything I can do to improve myself along that continuium is what I want to know.

IDK how long you've been playing but, for me, I've noticed that I keep on learning and I'm nearly 67. That age and still learning. It reads as if you simply need to pay attention and keep on learning and you'll get better and better.

Here's a word of encouragement: You are on the right track. Post strat questions, pay attention at the table, watch what the players you admire do (I learned an enormous amount that way) and, w/ the dedication you apparently have, you will succeed.

Hindsight is always 20/20 and people on the strat forums have time to digest the hand without the pressure of potentially losing money and potentially looking foolish in front of others.

I think two things are going on for you:

First, it sounds like you have only a moderate amount of experience and need to play more. For me, there came a time where I rounded a corner and everything just began to click. That made hand reading a lot easier and I think what changed is what I'm going to mention next....

Second thing I think is going on is either a fear of losing money and/or a fear of looking foolish. It sounds like your fears are putting doubts in your mind and causing you to second guess what you find to be clear and obvious upon analyzing the hand after the fact. Personally, I found I had a hard time folding to opponents who I knew were less skilled because that would mean they "beat" me and I shouldn't lose a hand to some random donk. Once I let that go and humbled myself, I became more willing to fold to opponents even if I knew I had more experience and skill than they did.

It sounds like you need more experience and that you have some sort of mental block while in the moment of a hand that leads you to make poor decisions. Give it some exploration and examine yourself. I mean really examine yourself and your mentality. You may not like what you identify as your hurdle but identifying it is the first step to overcoming it. Good luck!

The answers are not obvious to many because they do not have a firm grasp of the fundamentals. I recommend TOP, The Theory of Poker. Without the fundamentals, it's like speaking in a foreign language. It's first a math barrier, not a psychological one.

Liking your questions and your points a lot.

Letting go of your ego is a tough thing to do. Some argue it can only be contained and controlled, not extricated and exorcized from the self. Fear of losing money is financial anxiety, but fear of looking a certain way (either positively or negatively) and having trouble dealing with being beaten by inferior opposition is all ego.

Data collection, statistical analysis, inference.

As I was reading that I was thinking "meditation" ... then you went and named it yourself at the end. So, maybe we are on the same wavelength.

Oddly, swimming can have an effect. There is no breathing like with swimming (at least in any sport I ever played), the powerful exhale and then sucking deep for wind, and a powerful effect can show up in the brain. Also, what some call "tapping." Take both hands, tap a couple times with fingers on forehead, then cheek bones, then chin, then collar bone, then on arms with opposite hand. Even just hold your head in your hands and feel that (or better yet have someone else/partner do it). Get a massage and really feel and concentrate, even naming, whatever body part is being worked on at the moment.

Anything that enhances presence. Slow down in everything. Do the dishes slowly and pay attention instead of zoning out and rushing. Walk slowly, drive slowly, brush your teeth slowly and be there, etc.

Presence/concentration/integration is devastating and it is what you wisely seek.