The Poker Mindset

by Matthew Hilger, Ian Taylor

The Poker Mindset has transformed the games of tens of thousands of poker players becoming one of the most popular poker books of all-time. The success of the book quickly spread around the world and is currently translated in eight different languages. Are you ready to look at poker in a different way and transform your own game? What "secret" separates top poker players from poker wannabes?Is it zen-like mind-reading skills, a computer-like brain or thousands of hours of play? No. It is a series of established approaches and behaviors that enables these experts to bring their "A" game to the table session after session, regardless of short-term results.In this groundbreaking book, Taylor and Hilger lay bare the secrets of the Poker Mindset : seven core attitudes and concepts that ensure you have the optimal emotional, psychological, and behavioral framework for playing superior poker. The Poker Mindset deeply explores vital topics that most poker books only touch What it really is, why and when you are most prone to it, and how you can avoid it.- A complete examination of bankroll management from a technical, but more importantly, from a psychological and emotional viewpoint.- How to determine your competitors' mental and emotional processes so that you can dominate, out think and outplay them.- Every poker player experiences them, but you will truly understand and be armed against low ebbs when they occur.- Bad The Poker Mindset will enable you to overcome the trauma of bad beats and losing big pots.Poker is a fun game, but it is even more fun when you win. The Poker Mindset may be the most valuable poker book you will ever read. Embrace its concepts and you can overcome the unseen obstacles that are limiting your success at the table.When you make the Poker Mindset your mindset, you will take control of your game and walk away a winner.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Games

280 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jefferson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Poker Mindset is the most repetitive book I have ever read. Ever.

Let’s Summarize: I have read The Poker Mindset. It was repetitive. I have read many other books. Some of those books were also repetitive. Of all of those repetitive books, this book, The Poker Mindset, is the most repetitive of them all.

In Conclusion, The Poker Mindset is a book. It is a book I have read. It was repetitive. It was a very, very repetitive book, that I have read. Of all the books I have ever read, this book was the most repetitive. To put it another way, repetitive books have been read by me, but this book is more repetitive than them all. So repetitive in fact, that it is actually the single most repetitive book I have ever read.

[Jesús · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le doy cinco estrellas simplemente por el mero hecho de que todo lo que dice es cierto y habría que aplicarlo en gran medida, es un libro que aunque casi la totalidad lo conocía, siempre está bien refrescar algunos conceptos que es bueno no olvidar.

Es un libro que si te gusta el poker y sobre todo si lo practicas tienes que leerlo, para no dejarte llevar e intentar ser lo más consciente y ver las realidades desde una perspectiva más que suficiente.

He disfrutado bastante de su lectura.

[Carlos Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es un libro imprescindible para cualquier persona que quiera saber verdaderamente como es el mundo del poker. Más allá de estrategias, probabilidades, estadísticas, odds, bad beats, entre otras muchas cosas que tiene que dominar un jugador de poker, está la psicología de los jugadores, este libro trata este tema de una manera espectacular. Lo recomiendo.

[Daniel Van Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for new players specially, The impact of emotional intelligence and psychology not only in poker but also in real life decisions are one of my favourites fields to learn constantly. (Sorry for my english), this book is not about stategy, it prepares the player, and explain him the reality of Poker and how to improve our results by taking better desisions.

[Andre Almeida · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book title speaks for itself. It's spot on

[Babak Jalilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting approach to poker and life!

[Seba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buen libro, toca temas relevantes como gestión del bankroll y consejos para el control emocional durante el juego. Me ha ayudado a ver el poker de otra manera.

[Norbert Kłodnicki]

9/10

[Sofía Vergara Leython · Rating 3 out of 5]

me gustaria leer este libro

[Daniel Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea lo mejor que pueda. Decida qué objetivos tiene en la vida y esfuércese para alcanzarlos. Por muy bien que crea que lo está haciendo, siempre habrá un área de su vida en la que pueda mejorar. Suba hasta la cima de la montaña y, cuando la alcance, empiece a pensar en alcanzar las estrellas

[Bedni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding.
Mandatory position for a every fellow who even thinks about starting playing poker for money.
Not even mention a person who is thinking about going pro and develop career lasting longer than few months.

[Mosaad M. Gamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The importance of psychology in financial decision taking , self understanding and knowing how you shape your biases would lead to better and efficient decision taking

[Zak-Folk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the first read to be suggested for a new poker player, but essential on improving the game.
Maybe a little tiring at times.

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea about poker rules and, frankly, didn't approach this as a game aid to start with

The book captures patterns of thinking, tactics and ideas useful in mastering high-variance activities. Poker just happens to one of those. Interviewing for jobs, dating, sales, startup building, initial batches of kombucha brewing – all fit the bill, and, consequently benefit from readers absorbing the ideas listed

There's a special chapter, which I think is either a complete bs or aiming at genius cohort – the pleasure of guessing which one it is was left as an exercise to a curious reader

The thing is short and easy to skim through thanks to summaries. Nice addition to the re-read pedestal

[James L · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is repetitive. However, I believe the point of the book is to reinforce the small key points over and over in slightly different ways to hammer home the points. Not rocket science, but I can definitely see where people go wrong and let emotions dictate their play. I never thought about probabilities in this way.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early in the book, Ian says that if you need to learn about pot odds and when to bluff, this isn't the first book you should read, but if you want to learn how to steel yourself from the ups and downs of that come with a game where luck plays a huge part, you need to read this book. I've read few of standard poker books, Harrington and Theory of Poker, and worked my way through a number of forums online, but none of them cover the ground that Ian does.

If you want to know why this is an important book, read the sections on managing downswing, bankrolls and tilt. For downswing, Ian notes that they are going to happen. Luck runs that way, the key is to realize that over time luck evens out and skill rules. Don't make drastic changes in your game, make sure you are not on tilt, review your starting hands, check out you hand analysis, but don't overhaul your game if it was working in the first place.

As for bankrolls, other authors have written about starting requirements, but Ian gets into why it's important not to cheat your bankroll.

[Nano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've played poker professionally for 12 years and this by far was the most impactful book in terms of effecting my winrate and volume in a positive way. I had hit a plateau but felt as though my game was good and heard friends rave about this book and I definitely understood why after I finished it. Took me from a 3bb/100 to 4bb/100 winrate but in reality it had the most effect on my VOLUME. So, I was able to sustain longer sessions without diminishing my play due to anger issues at the table. The most important thing I learned was that we must view this game like a never ending road instead of individual sessions.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book focusing on the precursors of success rather than the technical aspects of poker play. A lot of the ideas cross over into other areas of life and give good guidance for those who wish to excel in any area.

[Oto Bakradze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be the best you can be. Decide on your goals in life and then work toward them. No matter how well you think you are doing, always have an area of your life that you are looking to improve. Climb to the very top of the mountain, and once you get there, start looking to the stars.

[Erkko]

I can't believe this book has such high average rating. I had to cancel it for myself.
This book looks like to be for those who have never played or watched a pokergame and can't imagine the different psychological playground by players.

[Eugene Tung · Rating 5 out of 5]

If u wanna be a professional poker player, u needa read this book to learn the essential attitudes and correct mindsets needed to play this game for a living.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good book but very repetitive. Read the first chapter and you can move on.

Play for long-term, focus on making the right decision.

[Tuomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Nothing wrong with the information given, but this was maybe a bit repetitive and dull read.

[Raphael Clayette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for psychology of poker.