Do you think confidence plays a big role in poker?

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Nesehorn156

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  • #1
I’ve been thinking about how much confidence affects decisions at the table. When I feel confident, I play more decisively and don’t second guess myself as much.

But too much confidence can probably lead to mistakes as well.

How important do you think confidence is in poker, and how do you keep it balanced?
 
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DiazPoker3101

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  • #2
Playing experience gives you more confidence in the decisions you make. Once you understand the game, the result becomes secondary, and making the right decision becomes more important than the outcome.
 
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ninocabral

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  • #3
you have to have a solid game and have confidence in your game style even when it is not going well you must maintain your game style
 
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comini

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  • #4
very important, psychological in poker makes a lot of difference!!
 
M6O6U6

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  • #5
Nesehorn156 said:
I’ve been thinking about how much confidence affects decisions at the table. When I feel confident, I play more decisively and don’t second guess myself as much.

But too much confidence can probably lead to mistakes as well.

How important do you think confidence is in poker, and how do you keep it balanced?
My approach is to trust the "process," not just the "results," maintaining the habit of reviewing and preparing before sessions, using positive and realistic self-talk, recognizing signs of imbalance, taking care of my body and my life outside the table, and accepting that uncertainty is part of the game.

Low confidence = passive and losing game.

Balanced confidence = quick, assertive, and process-based decisions.

Excessive confidence = tilt disguised as "I'm too good."
 
Pabloro10321

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  • #6
Trust is very important in poker, but it works best when it's well balanced with skill, experience and self-control.
 
veryluckyfish7k

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  • #7
Nesehorn156 said:
I’ve been thinking about how much confidence affects decisions at the table. When I feel confident, I play more decisively and don’t second guess myself as much.

But too much confidence can probably lead to mistakes as well.

How important do you think confidence is in poker, and how do you keep it balanced?
Confidence is very important in poker because it helps you make clear, decisive decisions and trust your reads. Without it, you start hesitating, overthinking, and making weaker plays.But too much confidence can turn into overconfidence, leading to loose calls, unnecessary bluffs, and ignoring good strategy. The key is balance: build confidence from solid fundamentals, study, and reviewing your hands not just results. Stay objective, stick to your strategy, and don’t let short-term wins or losses affect how you see your game.
 
chicbulls2

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  • #8
the less i think about the cards the better I am off
 
Sschafell

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  • #9
I think so
 
moraeskvmi

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  • #10
Confidence gives you the courage to be aggressive when the odds are in your favor, but too much of it can lead you to ignore the risks.
 
Roller

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  • #11
Confidence is huge in poker, without it, you hesitate, miss value, and avoid pulling the trigger in the right spots.
But too much confidence turns into ego, and that’s where mistakes get expensive, develop a blend ...
 
s0ftdumps

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  • #12
When I’m feeling confident, I definitely play more decisively too. The biggest benefit is that you don’t hesitate on spots you’ve already studied. You just execute. That alone prevents a lot of leaks like checking when you should bet or folding when you know it’s a call.

But overconfidence is dangerous because it turns into ego poker. That’s when you start convincing yourself opponents are bluffing because you want them to be.

What helps me keep it balanced is focusing on making the correct decision with the information available, not on being right about the outcome. If the decision was good, the result doesn’t matter.
 
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