A Framework of Mental Toughness in Professional Poker Players

Mental toughness has been referred to as a “psychological edge” that entails an ability to cope and be more consistent than your opponents (Connaughton, Hanton & Jones, 2002). Poker experts reveal that winning at poker is not about luck, playing your cards correctly, or even understanding the statistics related to pot odds, but is about knowing yourself and understanding how others think, feel, and behave (Fujitsubo & Peachey, 2006). This presentation discusses results from a study with fifteen professional poker players, consisting of 12 males and 3 females between the ages of 21-60, with winnings totaling more than $8.6 million, 409 tournament cashes, and 24 titles. Qualitative semi-structured interviews addressed three areas: examining a poker-specific definition of mental toughness, identifying attributes that encompass mental toughness in poker at the professional level, and developing a poker-specific framework of mental toughness. Results verified Connaughton et al.’s (2002) definition of mental toughness and identified 47 components in 14 attributes that exemplify mental toughness. These attributes were grouped into four dimensions: one general (attitude/mindset) and three time-specific (pre-competition, competition, post-competition), within an overall framework of mental toughness. The constructed table and framework, created to display the entire conceptualization of the results graphically, are shared. The applied implications as well as future research areas involving mental toughness and poker are discussed.