In the previous article we discussed what visual thinking was and why we should do it; in this article we will talk about specific examples and how it will help to take your poker game to the next level.
Thinking visually means to verbalize your thoughts as you think them, reviewing snapshots or creating images about the subject of your thoughts. By doing this, you focus your concentration incredibly on the subject, greatly increasing your ability to problem solve without distraction.
This is nothing new; you do it all the time in one form or another. By focusing this tactic on your poker game, however, you will find yourself able to move quickly through facts and scenarios during play.
For example, if you’ve been at a Hold’em cash game table all day and have been paying attention both during and in-between hands, you should have a decent read on the types of players at the table. You are on the button; everyone has taken his or her turn to bet. Joe is tight-passive, Annie is loose-passive and Bob is loose-aggressive. Joe bet, Annie called and Bob called. You’ve got A 10 suited. What should you do?
Using visual thinking and verbalization to decide what you should do would work something like this:
“Joe is a rock, he doesn’t bet unless he’s got a winner, and he bet this round, so he’s got to have something good. Annie called, but she’s a calling station so she’s going to call no matter what. Bob is a maniac who will raise anyone with the craziest hands, and he just checked, so he’s got to have nothing. I’ve got A 10 suited. I’m going to raise. If Joe calls my raise that will confirm he’s got a killer starting hand (AA, AK, KK), I should fold after the flop unless I hit a straight flush.”
You can’t do all this on your turn, of course. You should start the verbalization process as the play progresses, knowing what you already do about each player and their style.
Thinking visually will help lock down the chain of events so you can review them later for adjustments to your play. Being able to make smart decisions quickly will help you in any game, and being able to learn how to act differently when things go wrong, or repeat actions when they go right, will certainly take your game to the next level.
