Alan Longo is a High Performance Psychologist with five years of experience coaching high-stakes poker players. Passionate about sports, he educates and empowers players with the tools to build their mental foundations, professional routines and competitive planning for consistent, high-level performance. Find out more at his website.
Imagine two players sitting at different tables. Both are dealt pocket kings, get all the money in pre-flop against an opponent, and lose to a brutal ace on the river.
The first player slams the table in frustration. Their focus shatters, and they spend the next hour making impulsive, emotionally-driven plays, trying to 'win back' what they lost. Their session spirals into a significant loss.
The second player takes a deep, steadying breath. They acknowledge the frustration but quickly file the hand away as a standard, unavoidable part of the game. They remain present, focused, and ready for the next hand, ultimately finishing their session with a small profit.
What is the real difference between these two players? It isn't their technical skill or their starting hand. The difference is their mindset.
This article will introduce this fundamental concept, explain why it is a critical tool for any serious poker player, and help you begin to reflect on your own mental approach to the game.
What exactly is a 'mindset'?
From a psychological perspective, a mindset is the collection of beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that acts as a mental filter. It is the invisible lens through which a player perceives and interprets everything that happens at the table — from a bad beat to a big win, from a tough opponent to a new strategic concept. As we discussed in our article on the mental foundations of poker, this is the element of your mental game that can be actively cultivated.
Think of it like wearing a pair of glasses. The glasses don’t change the objective facts of a hand, but they completely change how you experience those facts. Do you see a mistake as a harsh judgment on your ability, or do you see it as valuable data for improvement? Do you view a tough opponent as a threat to your ego, or as an opportunity to learn?
It is important to clarify that this concept goes deeper than just 'thinking positively.' A mindset isn't about ignoring reality or pretending that losing doesn't sting. It is about the deep, underlying beliefs that drive your automatic interpretations and, as a result, your actions and emotional responses at the table.
Why your mindset matters at the table
A player's mindset is not a trivial factor; it is the foundation upon which all technical skill is built. Its impact is felt in three critical areas of performance.
- It governs your response to adversity. Poker is a game defined by variance and adversity. Your mindset determines whether you interpret a downswing as a sign that you're a 'bad player' or as a normal, statistical reality that needs to be navigated with discipline and patience. One interpretation leads to burnout; the other leads to resilience.
- It fuels (or hinders) your willingness to learn. The game of poker is constantly evolving. Your mindset shapes your attitude toward improvement. Does facing a complex new strategy feel overwhelming, leading you to believe you simply 'can't get it'? Or does it feel like an interesting challenge that can elevate your game? One approach leads to stagnation, while the other fuels continuous growth.
- It plays a foundational role in emotional stability. The way a player interprets mistakes and losses is strongly influenced by their mindset. For example, a mindset that views these events as a reflection of personal failure can make a player more susceptible to frustration and poor decision-making. In contrast, a mindset that is able to see these same events as neutral feedback helps to foster a more stable, objective, and high-performing emotional state, a principle that aligns with the idea of treating emotions as informational signals, as we explored in our introduction to emotional regulation article.
A point of reflection: How do you filter the world?
Improving your mindset doesn't start with complex techniques. It begins with simple, honest awareness. The goal is not to immediately change your thinking, but to simply notice your current mental filter in action.
Take a moment to consider your own patterns. Ask yourself:
- When you lose a hand you believe you 'should have' won, what is the first story you tell yourself about why it happened?
- How do you feel when you sit at a table with players you know are very skilled? Do you feel intimidated and threatened, or curious and engaged?
- Think about the last time you dedicated time to studying poker. Did it feel like a chore you had to do, or an opportunity you got to take?
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Their purpose is to help you see the lens through which you are currently viewing the game.
The invisible hand
Your mindset is the invisible hand that guides your reactions, shapes your habits, and influences your trajectory in poker. While players spend countless hours refining their technical strategies, it is their underlying mindset that often determines how effectively those skills can be applied under pressure.
Understanding this internal way of thinking is critical because it shapes a player's entire experience of their career: it influences how they confront challenges, how they are affected emotionally by the highs and lows, and the behaviors they choose in crucial moments.
