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Poker Strategy

Opponent Process Theory

In order to thwart your opponent you should be a strong opposition, without planning and analyzing moves of your opponent you cannot win over him. Opponent process theory plays an important role in poker. It has some strong applications in last rounds of the poker game. Basic theory states that emotions are paired as positive and negative. Relief is positive, fear is negative.

When one kind of emotion is experienced, other one is repressed. It is always said that in poker, negative emotion dominates the positive side. It is this negative emotion, which acts like a hungry bear and attacks the mindset of an individual. It can make a well experienced professional, loose the game. In poker, you always have a fear of firing three bullets on a bluff or semi-bluff. This fear may not be the same as the fear of running from a grizzly bear, it might be different. You might fear loosing the tournament, or fear of loosing the money.

While playing poker, you observe two things: one is that your opponent will be moving with the river quicker than before, second one is that he will be raising the bet more often. These two moves of your opponent make you weak, and increase the fear of loosing the game. Sometimes when moves don’t work players fear of loosing the game, and fear creates a negative impact on their mind.

Opponent process theory is designed to make an individual learn the game well, and prevent the negative emotion. In opponent process theory, basic strategy preached to poker players is emotion. In this theory, players are asked to have control on their emotions. Opponent process theory says that players should have a winning emotion in mind. This winning emotion decreases the negative feeling and improves performance of an individual. Most of the players play poker in an alcoholic mood. Alcohol creates a negative feeling inside the player and makes him loose his bets more often. On the other hand, positive feeling and good diet improves performance of a player and increases his strength. Whether winning or losing players should not get disappointed. If you win, then it’s for your good, and if you lose then it’s for your well being. Players should always maintain a balance, whether they win or lose the game.

Risk/reward evaluation: The better you play, better will be the result. The worse you play, worse will be the result. Success or failure in the game totally depends on your performance. Keep in mind poker is a game of stamina Tournaments take long hours, which require physical stamina; also poker requires a great deal of mental stamina to control the emotions that can be a determining factor.