The other day I was in my first really big tournament..the 22K Sunday tournament at Carbon.  I'd won a Rounder's Radio Winner Take All Tournament for $60 and a $60 Satellite coupon.    It was during this tournament that I realized how important it can be to "stay focused" in the face of criticizm from other players.

I started the tournament very focused on the task at hand.  I was playing only premium hands, being patient, folding in the face of a tempting draw...  I was pretty card dead for the first hour, but still had a little over 2/3 of my beginning stack when the first break started.

After break, I came back raring to go and decided to call for the heck of it with an A 3 off, blinds were 200/400.  Yeah..not really a good hand to call, but it was right after break and I was hoping to get away with something in a fairly late position..lol  Well, there were only 3 of us in the pot... me, the sb and the bb and the flop came up 2, A suited, A.

Now, in this hand, I was really just looking to pick up the blinds.  I had trips on the flop, but my kicker was low and there was a straight and flush draw on the board.  With only the blinds and myself in the pot, they could be holding anything since they just called before the flop... this was my logic anyway... lol

So, I bet twice the bb and they both folded.  I got exactly what I wanted and was happy.  Then... the bb said, "Why would you bet with trips on the flop?"  Not really anything to throw anyone off their game, right...wrong.. his question broke my focus completely.    Everyone had been completely silent and in concentration mode until this guy piped up.

From then on, I was second guessing every hand I was in, wondering if I was doing the "right" thing.  I'd totally lost my focus.  None of the cards I was dealt seemed to be good enough to play.  I ended up basically losing my stack to the blinds.  My confidence level was so low, that I couldn't even pull off any type of semi-bluff with the mediocre cards I was getting.  When I had about 3 times the bb, I got an A, T suited and pushed.. and was out in 44th place     (top 30 paid)

This experience with "losing my focus" shows just how much the mental aspect of poker can interfere with how well I do in a tournament.

lol.. Villa you are so cute when you are drunk. 

But, yeah, I did show the Ace.. That's probably why I lost my focus.  Can't believe I left that part out..lol.  Why did I show?  I think I was trying to establish a little table image too because I was at a new table..idk.. Who knows?    Poker Madness!!

I so rarely show...played the Rounders tonight...showed exactly one hand at the final table... only because I was BB with AQ and the flop was AQQ. Was just a show for the OMG effect...what a flop.

There is absolutely no reason to show your hole cards...I've been at tables where the remarks are "what you got to hide? you never show"  I laugh and say "you want to see my cards... than call... no payee no peakee"

I know how you feel this happens to me now and then and its almost like your trying to hard to be perfect or over thinking. Your experience has to take over and that's why playing alot helps.

Ya, focus is everything! When I look back on a week of poker I definitely notice that when I am what I call "In the zone", my win percentage triples or quadruples. And if I play tired or distracted my level of play drops dramatically. The tough thing to figure out is how to stop yourself from playing a tournament you really want to play when you know you are not at 100% of your ability, at least that is my problem.. lol I always want to play!

I don't understand why u showed ...but the point is ....to raise there is exactly the right move...I wouldn't be too worried about the str8 draw...But the flush draw needs to be got rid of....Slowplaying in that situation can get u into lots of trouble...So in my opinion this guys criticism was rubbish and shows he is clueless (or trying to put u off)....