I have some problems with focusing and concentration, so it's too dificult for me to learn, and specially, to concentrate while I'm playing.

I was looking in the internet for something about concentration and I read about mind maps. Can this help to learn poker? And how?

I have no idea what mind maps are.

Personally I slam back energy drinks while I play, it keeps me focused, all that caffeine, tuarine, and b vitamins mmmh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

I'd think so. You can probably apply the concept to help you with anything - important thing to remember is that you should create a mindmap with the help of some rule books so you're not remembering the wrong stuff.

This sounds pretty interesting. If you don't mind OP, can you give us an example of a mind map that you would be using? heh

Sounds interesting.

Basically, it looks like the way arty farty crowd does their lists. They are unable to list them sequentially proceeded by i) ii) iii) or 1) 2) 3) (as this looks far too organised), so they arrange them all around a bit of paper, with pretty colours and fonts. Arrows can go around the place.

Good idea actually, might make one up myself.

Eg you could have tightness, agressive, passivity, table image, opponent tendencies, etc

I use mindmaps when I want to cover certain leaks or areas where I want to reconstruct or think a route which I'm doing unconciously but want to alter it in another direction.

I've used them extensively at university to cover vast amounts of material shortly or to memorise key concepts.

The basics of mind maps is that there is one central theme and trees,branches break off from the theme to cover sub themes. If you are not good at memorising things in a sequential list order than maybe mind mapping is good way to go.

I had problems with learning things that i wasn't interested in. Then i found out about memory techniques and it helped a lot. For example: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTIM_00.htm
Also there are some yoga exercises that help to improve concentration and bloodflow in your brain. The simplest thing to do to improve concentration is to run long distances (worked for me anyway).

If you don't switch off your brain you will improve your concentration.

Its like the feeling you get when you go on a break on holiday for 2 weeks come back to work and feel like you don't want to do anything. Knowing how to get back into a groove again is a great skill.

I force myself to stop for awhile, then I find that I want to play so much that I am super focused. However, I cannot say anything about staying focused more than 2 hours, cuz this is my standard session time. I do 2 a day of course.

I've used mindmaps (spider diagrams, whatever you want to call them) a fair bit. Used them for summarising stuff I'm trying to learn, and also used them in creative projects when I'm trying to get ideas down on paper.

I've found them extremely useful.

There are several computer programs you can buy that'll get you mindmapping on a PC. Also several open source packages.

I read a great memory book when i was in university and have found it very useful since then. Well, perhaps not extremely useful but fun to use sometimes when you really need to keep something in mind.

Kinda interesting was the fact that it was co-authored by Jerry Lucas of NBA fame. Take a peak -

Memory book.

Basically I can memorize a deck of cards, and i know the 50 states in alphabetical order (and their capital city too hahah).

but ya, anything you can do to exercise your mind is good - and it benefits your poker game too - no doubt.

READ this article too. It speaks of patterns in poker. Once you get to a certain #hands played you will find it easier to recognize situations and not depend so heavily on your deduction and brainworks...you can go straight to experience.

This is partly why so many young multi-tabling internet players have made such fast leaps and bounds - their recognition of hands is so high from shear volume.

i hope this helps. GL

I downloaded the software MindManager... let's see how it works...

The link isn't working.

http://www.pokerlistings.com/strateg...ins-and-change

Here is it.

I use mind maps for studying but not for playing poker. Poker is a dynamic game and there are too many variables to consider to make a mind map. If it becomes too complex it will become useless.

Creating a mind map for poker is easy with a mind mapping software like Creately. Here is something I found in the diagram community.