Peter Kurzdorfer has been a Chess Master since the early 1980s. He is the coauthor of The Everything Chess Basics Book with the U.S. Chess Federation and is the former editor of Chess Life magazine. In The Tao of Chess: 200 Principles to Transform Your Game and Your Life, Kurzdorfer shows how the complex game of chess can reveal underlying truths that one can adapt from the chessboard to every aspect of life, even to the no-limit hold’em tournament poker table.
Here are a few of Kurzdorfer’s competitive thinking insights, with each followed by my poker tournament translation:
1. “Attacking a well-prepared opponent on the fly will rarely work in any sport or game.” Page 57.
In a no-limit tournament, the all-in bet provides a player with a significant advantage. But, sometimes this advantage can be overused, leading to a false sense of security or superiority. If you repeatedly attack a smart, observant opponent, that opponent will adjust. It is then only a matter of time before an ill conceived all-in bet will lead to big trouble.
2. “The initiative is an advantage. Take it whenever you can, and take it back when you don’t have it, if at all possible.” Page 60.
“We know that if you want something to happen, you need to make it happen. And the way to make something happen is to go after it aggressively.” Page 102.
“The best way to psych out an opponent is to always play the strongest moves.” Page 213. And,
“Fortune favors the brave…At least one reason why this is so is that defending is such a distasteful activity for most players.” Page 219.
In practically every situation in hold’em poker, the aggressor is favored to win the pot. Thus, it is almost always preferable to bet or raise rather than call. When betting or raising are not feasible options, then the best next option is to fold. Becoming the table captain, or alpha player, is the goal. This position is achieved through relentless aggression.
3. “Completing a hugh task becomes possible when it is broken up into many connected little tasks. In other words, a journey of a thousand miles is carried out one mile at a time.” Page 129.
Playing in a poker tournament is an undertaking of mammoth proportions. There are literally thousands upon thousands of considerations about factors such as hands, opponents, odds, levels, and more. These many factors intertwine to create an endless stream of situations. And, each situation then requires the selection, from a menu of several, of the one best option. This is indeed an elephant way too big to eat in one bite. Even just the thought of winning a tournament can be overwhelming.
When overwhelmed, there is a mental fallback position. Remember that poker is a game of decisions. Winning poker is achieved by making one good decision at a time. And, that is all that is required. One good decision at a time, time after time.
4. “Every dog has his day. Don’t ever think you can win without effort.” Page 160.
We all know about dogs in poker. They are the hopeless, longshot hands held by an opponent. Hands that probably should never have even been played. But, there they are, anyway. Sucking-out on the river to win our rightful pot. It is maddening. It is the stuff that puts otherwise sound players on tilt.
And, therein is the challenge. And, therein is the meaning of winning against all odds, too. Or, at least against all hardships. This is not a time for whining and self pity. This is a time for redoubling our committment to winning.
5. “Be on the alert at all times for opportunities in any game that you play. They come up when least expected.” Page 173.
The windows of opportunity in a poker tournament occur during the play of a hand. These windows open unnoticeably, and close quickly and permanently. If a player is not informed, observant, and decisive, the opportunity will be missed. The lost opportunity might take the form of failing to raise against weakness, and thereby winning a pot right then, as opposed to losing it later. Or, many of the other moves in poker that are timing dependent.
6. “The hardest game to win is a won game.” Page 192.
The greatest disappointment in tournament poker: to become the bubble boy, after being chip leader. And, the second greatest: to place second, after being chip leader. Indeed, winning a won tournament seems to be a major accomplishment in and of itself. I suggest that you read Kurzdorfer’s book to learn how to overcome this hurdle.
7. “Anything that does not pertain to the position in front of you is extraneous thought: eliminate it.” Page 205.
Distractions. There is no room in any form of competition for mental distraction or loss of focus. Of course, to maintain one’s focus for hours at a time during a tournament while under pressure and duress is one huge objective. Especially, when you are competing on-line at home. So, learn the art of concentration. And, enlist any necessary aids, like disabling your email while you play.
8. “Think along strategic lines when it is your opponent’s turn and along tactical lines when it is your turn.” Page 207.
In other words, always pay attention to the action. Especially when you are not in the hand. The information you gain will help to shape your strategic plan. Then, as opportunities present themselves during the play of a hand, you can execute the tactical moves to advance your strategy.
9. “Patience…All strong players possess this virtue in abundance…”, page 214.
Every poker player has had the importance of patience drilled into their heads, over and over. For some players, patience is synonymous with self denial. For others, patience is an exercise in self discipline. Regardless of how you define patience, the result is the same. Patience is the ability to wait, and wait, and then wait a whole lot longer, to play only the right hand at the right time.
There is to be discover in Kurzdofer’s book an important universal truth about competitive thinking. It is this: regardless of the sport, whether it is chess, bridge, poker, martial arts, video games, or whatever, there are only a few fundamental rules for achieving a winning mind set. And most, if not all, of those rules can be found in his book.
R. Steve McCollum is a long time hold’em player. You may read many more of his sit ‘n’ go tips, tactics, secrets, and strategies at http://www.SitnGoHoldemPoker.com And, his poker book reviews at http://www.PokerBookReviews.info
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