The emotional poker player
March 27, 2008
At one point in your life, you will bump into an emotional poker player. This player is someone you should watch out for. This player is the most unpredictable player because he or she relies mostly on his or her feeling and not on his or her intellect. When someone always follows his or her gut feel, it is very difficult to read if you are the opponent. These emotional poker players will be able to have the gut feel to sense that the river card is what they want. This is what makes them dangerous. In one way or another, you can call the emotional poker player the player that will make the most dramatic calls and the most dramatic raises.
For example, if the emotional poker player is holding a king and a jack and at the turn, there is a queen and a ten already, all that is needed for a straight is a nine or an ace. The emotional poker player can go all in on this. Even if at the moment, his or her highest five card is a king high, this emotional poker player knows when the ace will turn up or when a nine could show up. This emotional player really doesn’t care if he or she makes the straight or not. This emotional player only cares about the emotional rush that he or she can derive from the experience. He or she seeks the thrill of hitting that straight at such an odd moment. It has happened to him or her already in the past and this emotional poker player is looking for that same old rush. Everyone chases a rush. Emotional people chase the rush of emotions. Aggressive people chase the rush of challenge. Drug addicts chase the rush of a high. Achievers chase the rush of accomplishment. Everyone has his or her own rush in life and he or she chases this rush every time he or she gets the chance to do so.
I am sure that you have been an emotional player once in a while. You have wanted to hit a flush on the river or you have wanted to hit a straight on the river. You have made it before and you think that you will be able to make it again. Your emotions are rushing. You want to make that straight and you want to complete that flush. You know how good that feels and you know how much you want it. At some point, you have to restrain yourself. The best way to play poker is to play with your heads up, not with your heart all over the place. You may encounter emotional players along the way but if they have to win, just give it to them. In the long run, the rational players will still be more consistent and more successful. The emotional player loves the drama of poker. The professional player loves the science of winning at the game. Which one are you?