The 14 Virtues of a Winning Poker Player: Performing Well Under Pressure

What It Means: Performing well under pressure is the ability to make the same logical decision whether $1 or $1,000,000 is on the line, and not allow the pressure of the situation to influence your decision. Think of Michael Jordan’s performances in the clutch. Having the capability to perform ‘when it counts’ is the one trait that virtually every top player possesses.

The Flip-Side: Players who are unable to keep their emotions in control when the pressure is on tend to back-down, and are easily exploitable by any player who catches on to this tendency. Known in the poker world as “scared money” these players are some of the easiest to manipulate.

How It Relates to Poker: In a poker game most of your decisions are very simple, and unless you are playing way over your bankroll are extremely anti-climactic. However, there are times -perhaps once or twice a session-where a big pot comes up, and you need to be able to make the right choice and not worry about the possible outcomes.

Additionally, players who can treat the money they are using to play poker with as a tool, and disregard the denomination printed on the chip, tend to make the best decisions: Simply because they are thinking about one less thing than the other players… THE MONEY! Instead they are focused on the game, and doing their best in the game, regardless if they win, lose, or draw. Players who perform well under pressure aren’t interested in the results; they are interested in making the best decision given the situation.

How to Cope: If you find yourself backing down to aggressive opponents, and having a hard time pulling the trigger in spots you know you should be betting, you are likely playing in a poker game where the stakes are a bit too high for you.

Poker losses should sting, but they shouldn’t be substantial enough to send you to the psychiatrist. Everyone’s threshold for losses is different, and it really doesn’t matter how much money you have: I’ve seen a millionaire get furious over a $100 loss, and I’ve seen a player lose ½ their bankroll and just shrug it off, it all depends on the person.

Ways to Improve Your Ability to Perform Well Under Pressure: The best way to improve your ability to perform under pressure is to first play in a poker game where the stakes aren’t overwhelming to you. The second thing you need to do is to drill home the long-term ramifications of poker decisions, and have a good understanding of how variance works, and how it will affect your short-term results. If you can stop seeing a loss as a $500 loss -and a win as an $800 win-and instead look upon it for what it is, perhaps a $12 per hand profit in the long-run.