4 Psychological Stages You Experience When Learning Texas Hold'em

Have you ever felt that after starting to learn poker, you couldn't apply what you learned?

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

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

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

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

So, I decided to write this article about the 4 psychological stages of skill acquisition according to NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and apply it to when you start learning poker. I'll spoil it for you: 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 poker table or opened a poker software. They have neither skill nor knowledge of what needs to be done to start playing.

This person doesn't know hand rankings, doesn't know about the big blind, small blind, ante, ranges, pot odds, strategies, major tournaments, poker clubs, professional players...

This is stage zero.

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

Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence

You lack skill, but you're aware of your lack of skill.

At this stage, the player already understands the dynamics and objective of the game. They realize that to win, they need to learn how to define ranges and think strategically.

It's at this point we discover that poker is a game of skill, requiring learning to win, that you can 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're aware of our inability.

Also at this stage, we begin to understand what needs to be done to change this reality.

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

When our goal becomes profitable through learning, we enter Stage 3...

Stage 3: Conscious Competence

You acquire a skill and execute it consciously.

At this stage, 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 "guesswork" and starts making decisions based on theoretical foundations.

In this phase, our brain needs more time when making decisions. That's because our mind seeks more logic before giving the final answer.

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

Stage 3 is the longest, with duration varying per person, and the vast majority of players stop here.

It's here that players begin to put into practice the automatic actions they've been taught. These actions allow players to be profitable... but only to a certain extent. This is often because they've been trained to repeat patterns, never learning to truly think about the game.

That's why at PokerLAB, we always encourage students to understand the principles and think about how to analyze each variable inherent to poker in every 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!

After reaching this level, you possess enough skill to perform tasks without conscious thought. Yes, unconscious!

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

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

Repetition and time reinforce skills and make the brain execute tasks in increasingly shorter times. Therefore, the player can execute the most profitable actions without spending much time thinking.

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

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

Many times you'll feel like you can't apply what you've just learned, but remember: practice makes perfect.

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

Learning to think about poker will enable you to devise the best strategy for each situation, and with increasing speed!

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

In the end, the so-called "great human geniuses" aren't geniuses; they're ordinary people who were willing to go further, keep learning, and grow when everyone else settled.

Take courses, learn, discuss hands with friends, and you will internalize the most profitable behaviors. In the future, your brain will handle all variables faster and more efficiently, improving your results.

Now act: What stage are you in, and where do you want to go in poker?

See you next time! #Let'sGo!