What's the Deal? #4
By Sharla Lehrmann

When I finally decided to take the game of poker seriously, I found every possible book to read on the game of Texas Hold’em. I looked at low limit books, high limit books, books that had so much math that it made my head swim, books that gave me groups to make decisions by, and books that gave sound strategy and basic rules. I found books by the master players of the game, books that were written poorly and books that I have read so many times I have tattered the poor little pages to a pulp.

I do enjoy the books that give examples and concepts. Books written for the non-technical mind are more up my alley. There are people learning poker who are extremely fact oriented and must have proof of all things. There are great books for those readers. I guess I enjoy the subjective more than the objective. If I can somehow put things into story form, it just makes so much more sense to me. Sometimes I drag out one book in particular to help me sleep when I am having trouble. So, there are many uses for all the books I have purchased. One in particular makes a great paperweight. But, all in all, reading all of these books has improved my game tremendously. I giggle when I think of the things I used to do, and thought I was a halfway decent player. Phffffft!

The reason I am writing about books today, is because I was advised by a very wise player to pick up the book called Zen and the Art of Poker by Larry W. Phillips. I play in a little kitchen game on Sunday afternoon at this friend’s house. She and her husband hold a 15 person mini-tournament first and then break into a limit game as we one by one fall out of the money. She showed me this book and I smiled a perfunctory smile and said, “oh, how nice.” She insisted that it has helped her more than any book as far as improving the “mental” side of her game. Well, let me tell you a little bit about this friend of mine. She has been playing poker for about 2 years and is a novice quickly moving with grace and speed into a very fine amateur player. She began to play tournaments about 6 months ago and then went full steam ahead with the PokerPages WSOP Warm Up event. She read and re-read the above-mentioned book. She is Rio Rita, the second place “cruise taken champion” of the PokerPages event. She is my new idol!

Rio Rita, much like me, has read and re-read the tactical books about the game. However, she stands by her statement that Zen is the magic. So, I succumbed and took it to bed with me one night and read it. I was pleasantly surprised by what I learned. I secretly took the Zen and the Art of Poker with me one day and played a practice tournament on PokerPages. I played, and I read. I “became one with the game.” Wow, I was in awe. It worked. I made it to 8th place. Not too bad for this ole girl. Then I read it again before our little Sunday homegame tournament last week, and zowie... First Place! (well, I actually chopped it with Duk Kim who always runs over me like a freight train!)

So, I am going to share a few things I picked up in this little Zen book, and then, expect that you will all run with great speed to get your own copy (if you want to make it easy on yourself, you can get it through PokerPages. I don’t mean to be plugging us, but, it makes sense to me.)

“Zen can’t influence outside events, (except by example perhaps—calmness, patience, stillness, and so on, which others see and adopt). It cannot change outside events. (It cannot change the cards.) We will still lose. However, it will give us mastery over ourselves-and in poker, this is crucial.”

The main focus for me was to help me to use my “inaction” as one of my most powerful weapons. FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD and FOLD some more. Mr. Phillips points out that “this great weapon is something the other players want to see us do-withdraw-so it works out nicely." It is a sort of invisible way of winning. And make no mistake; this really is when you are winning. Just think about it. In no other competitive event can the player withdraw himself by “backing away” at proper moments and end up being the winner. It is an amazing concept, yet so simple. “Folding is a club you are using to pummel your opponents with.” SLAP SLAP... Wow! What a concept!

I know this is so simple you are finding yourself giving me the perfunctory “oh, how nice” look. I am asking you to trust me on this. I finally trusted Rio Rita, and for that I pat myself on the back. Continue to read the books that hone your game. Read them, and re-read them. To learn control, and master your mistakes, learn by them, and develop your mental game, I suggest you listen to Rita, as she sure seems to know what she is talking about. Never in a million years would I have “thunk” it! ZEN...

Send questions to me in the What’s the Deal section of the Women’s Forum about any situation you might have experienced and or potential intimidation factors you would like to know about.

I look forward to hearing from you! Until then, Stacks of Racks to Ya!