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• Jan 15, 2024

TAPPING TO WIN A POKER TOURNAMENT

I recently went to Las Vegas to try my hand at playing in a Texas Hold’em poker tournament, something I had had on my bucket list for several years. The opportunity came when my step-daughter and her husband invited me to go to Las Vegas with them as a gift for several days. On Saturday, we went to a show and to the aquarium in Las Vegas, Sunday was the day to sign up for a poker tournament.

We were staying at a hotel on the strip and found a tournament nearby that cost less than $100 to buy in (I wanted to start with a tournament that didn’t cost too much, as this was my first time in Vegas). That morning, the 3 of us signed up to play. I was the first one out – from a silly mistake of misreading my hand for a straight when I didn’t have one. I’d been playing kitchen table poker with my poker buddies back home for years, so this was a mistake that I shouldn’t have made, and I felt a bit humiliated and angry at myself.

With my tail between my legs and my head hung low, I went back to the hotel room and decided to meditate a bit and do some “tapping,” also known as Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT.

I returned that evening to another Hold’em tournament starting at 8 o’clock that evening. I was more focused and less anxious. I played much better – over 90% of my poker decisions – whether to fold, bet, call or raise were right on. I did get lucky a couple of times – going all in holding a pair of Kings and beating out two other players with Ace – Queen and Ace – Jack and pulling in all of their chips.

I went on to win the tournament – my first tournament win in several years (I used to play a little bit at local tournaments in my hometown years ago – before Covid – and had won a couple of times).

I credit meditation and tapping for releasing my shame, my guilt, my anxiety and helping me stay focused and present during the entire game and going home $415 richer.

 EFT is not just to overcome PTSD, emotional pain, physical pain, or phobias. It can help you in lots of other kinds of ways as well – like playing better poker!

YouTube Video on Tapping to win a Poker Tournament in Las Vegas

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