The 4 Psychological Stages of Learning Poker

Have you ever felt like you started learning poker but couldn't apply what you learned?

Every player who realizes they need to learn poker to win has likely experienced this confusion at least once in their life.

These problems are common and can even seem insurmountable... but if there's one thing I've learned from this, it's never underestimate your ability to master a complex activity.

Admitting that you don't have the knowledge to handle a task is the first clear step toward changing that situation and mastering the activity.

This rule applies to poker and to life. Just like the awesome Jake from Adventure Time said...

So, I decided to write this article about the 4 psychological stages of skill acquisition according to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), applied to when you start learning poker. I'll give you a spoiler: the vast majority of people stop at stage three.

I hope you can identify which stage you're in and get the tools to take you to the next level of your game development.

Let's go!

Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence

You discover what poker is.

Imagine someone who has never sat at a table or opened a poker software. They have neither the skill nor the knowledge of what they need to do to start playing.

This person doesn't know hand rankings, doesn't know there are big blinds, small blinds, antes, ranges, pot odds, strategies, major tournaments, poker clubs, professional players...

This is stage zero.

At this point, we neither possess the skill nor are aware of the possibilities in this scenario.

Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence

You have no skill, but you are aware of your lack of skill.

At this stage, the player has understood the dynamics and goals of the game. They realize that if they want to win, they need to learn to define ranges and think strategically.

It is at this point that we discover poker is a game of skill, requiring learning to win, that it's possible to make money from the game, and that some people make a living from it.

In the second stage, we still lack the ability to perform specific tasks, but we are aware that we cannot.

Also in this stage, we start to understand what needs to be done to change this reality.

In poker, this is when we seek knowledge. We look for courses, coaches, and materials that help us understand the game variables.

When our goal is to become profitable through learning, we enter Stage 3...

Stage 3: Conscious Competence

You acquire a skill and perform it consciously.

At this point, the player has started learning poker, seeking courses/information, and begins to think about game variables before acting on each hand. This is when the player stops acting on impulse or "guessing" and starts making decisions based on theoretical foundations.

In this stage, our brain starts needing more time to make decisions. This is because our mind needs to search for more logic before giving the final answer.

To reach this point, it requires dedication to learning, patience to handle the long term, and focus on achieving the goal of becoming a better poker player.

Stage 3 is the longest, its duration varies from person to person, and the vast majority of players get stuck here.

It is here that players begin to put into practice the automated actions taught to them. These actions allow players to be profitable... but only to a certain extent. This is often because they are trained to repeat patterns without ever truly learning how to think about the game.

Therefore, at PokerLAB, we always encourage students to understand principles and think about how to analyze each variable inherent to poker in each situation.

This way, the chance of reaching Stage 4 increases significantly...

Stage 4: Unconscious Competence

The fourth and final stage when you start learning poker!

Upon reaching this level, you possess enough skill to perform tasks unconsciously. Yes, unconsciously!

You know how sometimes you can't understand how professional players make such precise reads in extremely short periods of time? It's because they have reached this stage.

This is because, after long hours of practice and study of the game, they have internalized almost all poker variables.

Repetition and time reinforce the skill and allow the brain to perform tasks in increasingly shorter times. Therefore, the player can execute the most profitable actions without spending too much time thinking.

Practice and learning make thinking about stack sizes, position, opponent types, tournament stage, game type, opponent ranges... all of this becomes faster and more natural when you play multiple tables simultaneously.

It may seem difficult, but it's not impossible!

Many times, you will feel unable to apply what you've just learned, but remember: practice makes perfect.

The more you learn, the better you'll master the game variables and interpret them in all contexts, even when you're at a table that "never folds."

Learning to think about poker will allow you to develop the best strategy for each situation, and at an ever-increasing speed!

So, if you want to get strong in poker, don't just do things for the sake of doing, and don't settle. Few people are willing and committed enough to an activity to reach the fourth stage.

In the end, the so-called "great human geniuses" are not geniuses, but ordinary people who were willing to go further, keep learning, and grow when everyone else settled.

Take courses, study, discuss hands with friends—this way you will internalize the most profitable actions, and in the future, your brain will be able to process all variables faster and more efficiently, improving your results.

Act now: Which stage are you in, and where do you want to go in poker?

See you next time! #RushB