In poker, as in any competitive discipline, the difference between success and mediocrity often comes down to the quality of your preparation. The difference between yourself and Linus, in part comes down to understanding the relevant thresholds at a deep level. In our CFP we therefore emphasize deliberate practice as a study method, as it’s proven time and time again that this is the most effective study method.

What Is Deliberate Practice?

Deliberate practice, as defined by Angela Duckworth in her book Grit, involves focused and intentional efforts to improve specific skills. Unlike casual practice, deliberate practice is designed to push you beyond your current abilities. It requires:

• A Clearly Defined Stretch Goal: Practitioners must focus on improving a specific aspect of their skill set that challenges their current abilities.
• Full Concentration and Effort: Practicing requires deep focus and an intense level of engagement to ensure meaningful improvement.
• Immediate and Informative Feedback: Practitioners need direct feedback to understand what they are doing right or wrong and how to adjust their approach.
• Repetition with Reflection and Refinement: Repeatedly working on the skill, reflecting on performance, and making necessary adjustments are essential to mastering it.

In poker, deliberate practice might mean isolating a single scenario—like defending against a c-bet in a 3BP IP situation—and systematically working through it until your decisions become instinctive and accurate.

Why Deliberate Practice Matters

Popular scientific research underscores the transformative power of deliberate practice. For instance, Angela Duckworth’s Grit highlights the example of elite spelling bee contestants. The contestants that were most likely to reach the finals didn’t just passively memorize word lists or play word games like Scrabble; they focus on their weak areas, such as unfamiliar roots or challenging prefixes, and actively seek feedback to refine their understanding. Similarly, studies of chess players show that those who analyze their losses and practice complex endgames outperform their peers (Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Römer, 1993). This is because deliberate practice strengthens neural connections, enabling faster and more accurate decision-making under pressure

For poker players, deliberate practice can mean the difference between making marginally profitable plays and consistently optimizing your EV (expected value) in complex scenarios. By isolating and repeatedly drilling challenging spots, you build the muscle memory necessary to execute optimal strategies effortlessly.

Leveraging Habit Stacking

One of the best ways to integrate deliberate practice into your daily life is through habit stacking. This concept, popularized by James Clear in Atomic Habits, involves linking a new habit to an existing one. For example:

• After making your morning coffee, spend 10 minutes reviewing flashcards.
• Before starting your grind, complete a quick session drilling 3BP IP scenarios.

By anchoring practice to your established routines, you ensure consistency and minimize friction.

The Role of Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is another powerful tool for mastering poker concepts. It works by gradually increasing the intervals between reviews of the same material, ensuring information moves from short-term to long-term memory. Anki’s algorithm is built around this principle, making it an ideal platform for poker training.

When drilling defense thresholds:

• Start with frequent reviews of new or challenging concepts.