Five psychological traps that destroy strong players. Alex Fitzgerald's breakdown with commentary from psychologist Oleg Rivernats

Professional player and author Alex Fitzgerald breaks down five major mental pitfalls silently destroying the win rates of even strong players. Psychologist Oleg Rivernats adds his analysis, explaining why these traps trigger and how to neutralise them.

1. "This is the best hand I’ve had in an hour!"

You hear this line constantly, but it means absolutely nothing. Card distribution is completely random. That is a basic fact of life. Making this statement is the equivalent of asking:

Why is that guy so tall?
Why does she have blonde hair?
Why is Canada an independent nation?

These are just default facts. They have zero relevance to anything else. We sound completely irrational when we start reasoning this way.

So, it is the best hand you’ve seen in an hour. What of it? If the best hand you dealt in an hour was Q♠️5♠️ from UTG, should you play it? Absolutely not, because that hand is rubbish.

In reality, it might be the best option you’ve caught in an hour, but that registry is useless to your decision-making. It is like trying to make the NBA by declaring, "Well, I’m the tallest I’ve ever been right now."

2. "He can’t be hitting every single time!"

This is a constant refrain at the tables. Usually, it is deployed as a universal excuse to simply gamble on hope.

Yes, mathematically, no one can hold the nuts in every single hand. But that does not mean you are obligated to call right here, right now. There are plenty of scenarios where an opponent shows aggression, and you simply have to lay it down.

Why are you getting bullied?

1. Pre-flop passivity. If you flat-call instead of three-betting, your opponent knows you rarely holds a premium. Consequently, they can double-barrel and triple-barrel you on the post-flop until you fold.

   
   

2. Weakness on coordinated boards. Let’s say the board runs out 8♥️6♥️4♣️ — offering a ton of flush and straight draws. If you had a set or two pair, you would almost certainly raise to protect against dangerous cards on the turn. Since you simply flat-called, your range looks capped. Your opponent spots this vulnerability and starts applying heavy pressure on the turn with any reasonable holding.

In these dynamics, your opponent does not even need a strong hand to force you out of the pot. It is not that "they are getting lucky every time". It is that you quite clearly have nothing.

Most players who furiously complain, "He can't have a hand every time!", are those who have just been forced to fold three times in similar spots. They were simply pushed out by a double or triple barrel because their weakness was glaringly obvious.

But do not conflate this with other scenarios. If someone raises you on the turn or river, executes a massive check-raise on the flop, or raises into a multi-way pot — they are bluffing far less frequently.

If you let frustration take over because someone exploited your weakness a couple of times, you risk running directly into a monster the exact moment your opponent actually has it. Maintain your discipline and wait for the right spot.

3. "If I do this, they will exploit me!"

Nobody is tracking your every move. Believe me.

I once walked into a local cardroom where everyone knew me. They knew I wrote poker books. I was curious to see if they were actively tracking my play.

I decided to run an experiment: for three months, I did not bluff once. Not a single time. I was incredibly curious to see if anyone would register the change. In the end, absolutely nobody noticed.

I was playing barely 12% of my starting hands and running triple barrels only when I held the absolute stones. And the result? Nobody was folding. They simply did not care.

Players are staring at their phones. Some are watching the match on TV. Others are too preoccupied admiring their own hole cards. They do not analyze what you had when you overbet the pot and took it down without showing down.

4. "People will notice I always play it this way"

Again — absolutely not. Nobody is paying attention.

I have played against the same pool of players for years, and they still have not adapted to my betting strategies, even though they have not changed in years.

When I want to get called: I bet anywhere between 20% and 80% of the pot. If it is three-way or two-way on the river, I always bet exactly 40% of the pot. Why? Because I know they will click the "call" button regardless. They never fold. As a result, they repeatedly hand over their chips.

When I want them to fold: I fire a massive triple barrel, make an overbet, or simply shove all-in.

They have never once cottoned on to this.

Commentary from Oleg Rivernats: However, this depends entirely on the level of your opponents. Recreational players might indeed miss these patterns because they do not know what to look for. But an experienced live reg will spot these trends quickly and adjust.

5. "I can't just walk away with this few chips"

You see this constantly in both cash games and tournaments. A player brings £600 to the cardroom to play £1/£3. He buys in for £300 and drops it. He buys in for the remaining £300, loses a massive pot, and is left with just £114.
If they realize they are playing poorly, they should rack up and leave. But they never do. That £114 will inevitably find its way into the middle in a desperate, high-variance attempt to double up or bust. It rarely ends well.

The same dynamic plays out in tournaments. Players lose 70% of their stack and simply punt the rest away because they do not have the patience to grind a short stack. They have no idea how many tournaments they could win if they simply gritted their teeth and locked in.

The chips you throw away so carelessly add up to entire fortunes over time. Do not hand them over. Anyone can win when running hot. True professional edge is forged in how you manage downswings.

Commentary from Oleg Rivernats: MTT players do not always have the mental flexibility to shift gears. Going from chip leader to short-stack can trigger emotional playing rather than calculated decisions. Conversely, suddenly grabbing the chip lead can cause a player to struggle with adjusting their strategy.

How to counter this. One method is to ask yourself three diagnostic questions:

1. Who is acting behind me and who is in front of me?

2. What is my exact stack size?

3. Which strategy offers the highest EV right now?

Instead of letting emotions dictate play — whether it is the rush of a big stack or frustration at a bad run — you force your brain to process concrete details. This shifts you back into analytical thinking, preventing automated calls that lead to elimination.

Conclusion

Elite poker is not just about refining your technical game, but recognizing and dismantling the mental habits that hold you back. By identifying these five psychological traps, you transition from self-sabotage to playing with clarity, confidence, and ultimate control.