Ego in Poker

We've all been the person winning the World...Or pretending that we're winning it. This may be strategical or it could just be because you cannot admit defeat (losing). Our ego can take over us in everyday life. When money is on the line and it's down to us whether we win or lose - It leaves our self esteem vulnerable and open to taking a hit.

Ego off the poker table

Pride is something poker players will hold onto - Maybe bragging about wins that happened a long time ago but never talking about losses which could be happening in the present. 

Ego can stop us thinking correctly, constantly telling people we are the best or we are winners can cloud our progression because we start to believe it ourselves. We always need to keep our feet on the ground and learn from mistakes. Ego can make us lose friends - Who in their right mind wants to hear about how great you are and how much money you have all the time? Ego can isolate us from our group. It can result in players going broke or egos clashing resulting in arguments and fights. A whole load of negativity that we simply don't need.

Even if you are one of the best in the world at poker, this success may not last forever. Progression in poker is everything and falling behind the skill level can happen very quickly. Learn from people who may not be as advanced from you, strive to think ahead of your opponents and outside of the conventional box.

Also do not try to follow and imitate someone who acts superior to everyone else - think about why they are doing that and the damages it can cause. No one likes a show off!

Ego on the poker table

Ego on the poker table is a very dangerous thing. Players who have big EGOS may try overly hard to win every pot and show the table who is boss. This can result in losses and then them levelling themselves. Trying to win every pot will not work in poker long term so trying to bully or hero call the wrong players will more than likely result in heavy losses and make you look very stupid.

We've all seen these plays occur on 'The Big Game' where a player will treat the £20k buy in as a laugh since he normally plays £100k buy in games. However, gradually as the hours progress and they lose more and more they become slumped down and start trying too hard to win. Their overly inflated ego has worked against them and now they're getting beat by players who they feel are far less superior than them. 

The truth is that losing money hurts. The moral is - Don't let your ego get the better of you at the table! Treat every game the same and stay disciplined..