In poker, as in life, we all have to make tough decisions sometimes. The information available is either skimpy or conflicting, making it hard to apply logical reasoning to the unknown. In these situations, people often just have to go with their “gut feeling” – the instinctual pull in a certain direction.

If you have gained experience at the poker table and are observant of the other players, then you can focus on your opponents’ actions to gain better insight the range of cards they play. You can study how the board texture is shaping up to gain a better understanding of what you are up against. Sometimes though you just can’t get a read on your opponent. Perhaps they just sat down at your cash table or you were just moved to another tournament table. You go heads-up over a big pot and have a tough decision to face. This is when instincts come into play.

Instincts arise from the sub-conscious, which stores memories of past experiences. It is your sub-conscious that sends out warning signals or draws you to pleasurable experiences. After you have gained experience at poker, your sub-conscious will also register tough decision situations from the past, when you were check-raised or bluffed off a hand. Gut feelings often conjure up a sense of déj vu – as though you have already lived through this experience.

When you are put on the spot in poker and have to make a tough decision, then ask for the time clock and connect with your own instincts. If your gut is telling you to fold or raise, then consider the circumstances that led to this point – your opponent’s betting, your position, the board texture and stack sizes — to find the underlying explanation for your gut feeling.

Your gut feeling might not always be right, but it is worth examining this instinctual sense to see if there is supporting evidence to warrant what your gut is telling you at the casino.