Stay in comfort zone to win

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/04/2010 (5699 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Anytime we do something outside of our comfort zone we usually have little to no success. Poker isn’t any different. If we play within our comfort level we can usually maximize our profits by making better decisions. The problem is that if we want to take our game to the next level eventually we will move up in stakes so this can certainly take us out of our comfort zone.

Although our comfort level can be shaken by playing in games that are bigger than we are used to, that can also happen when we move from playing online or with buddies to all of a sudden playing in a casino with complete strangers. The ambience, however, is the easiest to fix; the more we play in a particular environment the more comfortable we will become with our surroundings. I’m sure most of us have seen some players wear sunglasses or hoodies in order to help them achieve a certain comfort level while playing in a live poker game.

As I started moving up in stakes there were several times when I didn’t feel comfortable at the table for one reason or another. The main reason was the fact that the pots I was playing for whenever I would move up in limits were much larger than pots I was used to playing for. For example, when I played 5-10 no-limit hold-’em and moved up to 10-20 no limit I could win or lose twice as much money in any given hand. Clearly you can see how this can take you out of your comfort level. This can lead to many problems and the main one that I find is that we begin to make less than optimal plays as we may be playing with scared money.

Playing with scared money is something that I can’t really say that I ever had a problem with, as the more I played the more I developed a complete disregard for money altogether. Poker players are a unique breed of individuals in that we risk money in order to make money — much like someone who invests in the stock market. There are, however, a few things we can do in order to be as comfortable at the table as possible.

Playing within our bankroll is the easiest way to assure a level of comfort at the table. The reason for this is that we won’t be scared of losing the money we are playing with, and as I’ve mentioned, playing with scared money is a sure way of losing money. Focusing on the players and the game flow will also help us obtain a certain level of comfort. Players play differently depending on the stakes involved and since we are moving up in limits we are going to see different plays in different spots, thus making it essential that we figure out as quickly as possible what is going on at the table. Game selection is also very important, as we must be in a game that is not too far from what we are used to. For example, if you like a more passive game and you sit down and every pot pre-flop is getting raised and reraised — well it’s probably a good idea to find another table to sit at.

Whether you are playing small or high stakes, try to find the games that best suit your style of play. As I’ve said numerous times in the past, we play to make money and in order to do so we must try to play our A game at all times. If we play within our comfort level we will at least make sure that we are on the right track.