Winners Concentrate Intensely

Concentration creates a huge edge. Hall of Famer Johnny Moss once said, "In an otherwise even contest, the man with the best concentration will almost always win." (Jason Misa, "The Ultimate Poker Skill," Card Player, Nov. 28, 1997) Winners concentrate intensely because winning is much more important to them than everything else.

Most people don't concentrate well. Their minds flit from subject to subject, and they may let trivial issues or feelings distract them.

The best winners study almost every card, bet, gesture, and word. They know how many chips opponents have, whether they are winning or losing, and how they play when they are ahead and behind. They remember who made each bet, and how it was made:

• Were the chips piled neatly or thrown messily?
• Was the bet made quickly or slowly?
• What did he say?
• How did he say it?

Roy Cooke's columns provide a clear illustration of intense concentration. He considers far more information than most players, and much of this information comes from concentrating after he folds. Most people "tune out" after folding, but winners stay focused, picking up points they might miss while playing.

Intuitive players such as Doyle Brunson and Layne Flack concentrate primarily on psychology. They study opponents' body language, listen to their words, and try to understand, adjust to, and manipulate them.

Logical players such as David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth concentrate primarily on mathematics and betting patterns.

Of course, neither type ignores the other subjects, nor should you. Mike Caro's and Joe Navarro's books can teach you how to read body language. Books by Sklansky, Malmuth and others can teach you how to play logically. But you must concentrate to get the information you need to apply any writer's principles.

Many opponents - especially the weaker ones - resent winners' intense concentration. They want to relax, tell jokes, flirt with the waitresses, make small talk, and treat poker as a game and social event. They may feel rejected when their small talk is ignored or criticize winners for taking the game too seriously.

Tommy Angelo, author of Elements of Poker, told our discussion group an amusing story. A babbler kept trying to talk to him, but Tommy said nothing. The babbler finally got angry, stood up, pointed to Tommy, and said loudly, "I'm talking to you!"
Tommy waited a moment and said nothing except, "And I'm listening."

Their concentration enables the best professionals to make amazing plays. They pick up signals that others would miss and remember them for years. They might explain an amazing call by saying: "About a year ago, the action and the board were about the same, and he bet with this little twist of his wrist. He was bluffing.

"He just did it again, the first time I've seen it in months. So, I called him, and, sure enough, he was bluffing again."

You may barely remember who was in last night's game, much less how they played a hand or the way they bet their chips, but many top professionals remember all of these things - and lots more.

Intense concentration does not occur only in big games. Howard, a successful CPA, plays for small stakes. Because he has an extreme desire to win, he concentrates like the top pros, and he wins with clockwork regularity. Since small games are usually quite relaxed, he irritates many people, but he doesn't care. He just wants to win. Unfortunately, he is so intense that many people - especially the weakest, most fun-loving players - won't play with him.

Many cardrooms are close to the race and sportsbooks, which are immense distractions. Some people divide their attention between poker, horses, and sports. They often lose at poker, and they may lose at all three.

Some losers let waiters distract them. While involved in a pot, a player got distracted when the waitress brought his coffee without sugar. He turned away from the table, talked to her, got his sugar, and asked: "What's the action?" He then made an idiotic bet that cost him more than $100. My private nickname for him is "Gold Dust." I have visualized his stirring $100 worth of gold dust into his coffee.

One problem is that there are so many interesting distractions. You may want to talk to an attractive woman or man, or learn about the local economy or football team, or get the latest political news. Don't do it.

If you really want to hit on someone, or you are more interested in politics or football than poker, leave the table and concentrate on attaining the more attractive goal.

Winners concentrate partly because the payoff is so large and obvious. Picking up a signal that results in the right play can yield hundreds or thousands of dollars. Conversely, nearly every one of us has learned from bitter experience how much it costs to miss a signal. We all have gotten distracted and made dumb plays.

Winners' Laws
1. Concentrate. Give the Game All of Your Attention. Shut out distractions and focus on learning about the players.

2. Select Situations That Minimize Distractions. Certain casinos, games, seats, and players are extremely distracting. For example, extremely loud music or a babbling opponent will distract almost anyone. Some people can't help looking at football games on silent televisions, while other people can ignore them.

Avoid situations that reduce your concentration. For example, if television distracts you, sit where you can't see it. If certain people annoy you or involve you in irrelevant conversations, avoid their games or sit far away from them.

3. Use "Tools" to Help You to Concentrate. A "tool" is anything that can increase your concentration and its results. For example, taking notes about other players encourages you to pay attention to them. Pick the tools that fit your personality and goals. If you are unwilling to write notes at the table, dictate notes onto a machine during brief breaks. Dictating machines are so valuable that Gus Hansen, a great player, uses one while playing - even when he is on television.

4. Don't be too Obvious. If you're too intense, the game may get tougher. Some opponents may become more serious, and some "let's have fun" players may even leave. Try to appear to be playing lightheartedly, while actually concentrating intensely.

How Do You Rate?
Circle the number that best describes your agreement with this statement: While playing poker, I always concentrate intensely. (7) Agree strongly, (6) Agree, (5) Agree somewhat, (4) Neutral, (3) Disagree somewhat, (2) Disagree, (1) Disagree strongly.

Then, answer two questions:
• What are the implications of my self-rating?
• What should I do differently? Don't give a vague answer, such as, "I should concentrate more." List the specific actions that you should take, such as avoiding babblers or taking notes.

Discuss your answers with someone you trust, and take good notes.

To learn more about yourself and other players, you can buy Dr. Schoonmaker's books, Your Worst Poker Enemy and Your Best Poker Friend, at CardPlayer.com.