The Mental Side of Poker and Football
You might think a solo card game and a physical team sport have very little in common with each other.
At first glance, when it comes to hobbies, poker and football appear to be at opposite ends of the scale.
Even in professional terms, elite footballers are paid a wage while poker players are required to win all their earnings. When you start to look at the details, however, there is a great deal of connection between football and poker.
More in common
While physically they are obviously very different, the mental sides of poker and football have a lot in common. Both require concentration, resilience, tactical awareness, excellent observation skills, and the ability to stay cool under pressure.
To succeed, participants in both sports must be at the top of their game every time they play. Taking your eye off the ball - or cards - even momentarily, gives opponents the opening they need to claim an advantage.
Lessons to learn
Even when playing poker online through quality platforms, there is much players can gain from footballing mentalities. Here are a few of the ways in which football and poker align and players can learn from each other.
You get out what you put in
Both football and poker can be played at a full range of levels from pure fun to serious business. A kickabout in the park is like dealing for matchsticks over drinks while both sports also have international elite-level tournaments.
What both games have in common is, in order to reach the top, you have to put in the work. Nobody climbs to the pinnacle of their sport, whatever that is, without dedicating themselves to practising and improving.
Tournaments require different skills
While a private game can still be fun, the big wins in both football and poker come from prestigious tournaments. Rising to the top in an extended competition needs a different level of mental toughness to winning a one-off game.
A tournament player needs to handle setbacks, formulate and execute plans, and keep going even when they are tired. Finding methods to keep your performance at its best for long, tough periods is key to success in both sports.
Training never ends
It’s tempting to believe that once you’ve honed your skills to their highest level the hard work is over. In both football and poker, however, standing still is a surefire way to find yourself left behind.
Skills and focus quickly fade if you don’t keep practising and training in order to remain at your peak. Similarly, your opponents will always be improving so you have to ensure you improve at the same pace or faster.
Preparation and tactics are vital
In any game you play against a human opponent, it's crucial you take the time to understand your competition. Football clubs dedicate huge resources to researching their rivals, and poker players must do the same to succeed.
The best way to play against one opponent might not be the best way to play against another. Taking time to prepare and develop the right tactics for each new test is an important part of both games.
You need to have confidence in the plan
Preparing in advance for games in both football and poker is only part of the process. The work you do is only useful if you put it into a plan you can trust and stick to.
Abandoning your carefully thought-out tactics at the first sign of trouble could be worse than never having them at all. Of course, flexibility of approach will always be useful but only within the boundaries of a confident and effective plan.
Controlled aggression is key
Watch any football match and you’ll see it's a sport that rewards aggression but punishes those who go too far. Playing timidly will see you dominated by opponents but losing control will also allow them to take an advantage.
Poker is also a game where apprehension is a weakness to be exploited but staying in control is essential. Managing your level of aggression to achieve your exact aims is at the core of both football and poker.
Patience is a virtue but hesitation is a sin
Watching the best football teams can feel frustrating as they seem content to hold the ball in their own half. In reality, they are waiting patiently for the right opportunity to strike with the highest chance of an effective result.
This tactic is a mark of excellence, so long as the right moment is always recognised and seized without hesitation. Playing poker is the same, fools rush in but champions know when the moment to strike is right.
As you can see, there are many similarities between the mental side of football and poker. If you play one of these games, perhaps you could develop your ability by also playing the other.
Try it out
Want to improve your football? Why not try online poker and see what lessons you can take back to the pitch with you?