Hypnotic Poker?

People are always looking to get a leg up in whatever they do. Some try to study harder than others, some simply play harder (more often) than others. Now there is a way to beat your poker competition by going the opposite route. Instead of forcibly trying to improve one's game, a player need only pop in the Michelle Burghart's "No Tilt" CD series and let it work its magic.

Upon the request of her semi-professional husband, Eric, Burghart has used her training in hypnotherapy to make a series of CDs that would give him an inside edge.

Although some people may still question the validity of using hypnosis, psychologists all across the country are using it. Hypnosis is considered one of the best tools to train the brain to remain calm when faced with stressful situations or the need to eliminate conscious behaviors. It also improves focus and concentration.

According to her website, CatchTheRiver.com, the CDs are used to help someone relax and let his or her mind wander. Relaxation and the wondering mind may sound contradictory to proper poker play, where you always want to be focused, but in the long run it's not.

As the mind wanders, the CDs provide positive suggestions for the subconscious part of the brain. Because a person is not paying direct attention to these suggestions, the brain processes the new and positive information without thinking about it. The new input tells the brain how to react and tells the body what to do accordingly, giving players more control over how they react and respond to different situations.

The four-CD set covers topics such as tilting (losing ones mind after catching a bad beat and playing horribly as a result), short stacks (tactics for when the you've got the smallest chip count), bad beats (someone cracking your AA with 2/7 off suit) and composure (something even the pros have to work on day in and day out).

"I can't believe the difference these tapes make. I'm so calm and I'm winning," Burghardt's husband said in a recent press release.

At first readers may hesitate to try the CDs because most players are overly analytical and feel that it is better to know the math than know the subconscious. Many believe they need to calculate odds and play almost like a machine. What some players don't realize is that the techniques in the four-CD set will only further their ability to become better by allowing them to tap into unused resources of the mind.

Burghardt is so confidant in her work that her site offers a 30-day trial on the CDs. At the end of the 30 days, if players aren't satisfied, they can return the CDs (no questions asked) for a full refund. Players interested in the CDs can easily weigh the possible risk versus reward payout. If it works, your game improves and you are on the way to winning the next World Series of Poker or World Poker Tour event (not promised by Burghardt). If it doesn't work, you break even by getting a refund. Burghardt has created a way you can't lose, a rarity in poker.

In the end, with players willing to do almost anything to get the edge on opponents, it is only a matter of time before they begin to capitalize on the best tool in their poker arsenal: their brain.

Ed Note: Don't get Hypnotized...just win at Pokerroom.com