It’s the morning of 22nd August 1485, King Richard III (Ricky to his pals) has charged you with the task of assisting the defence of his realm. The throne of Englandshire is at stake.
You get up very early to go through your battle preparation ritual. A hearty breakfast and a thorough lice check first of all. Then everything is in place to don your armour in a slow, methodical, almost religious manner. Today will shape your destiny, you can’t afford undue distractions.
Soon enough you’re thundering across a green field with your sword held aloft. Your comrades shrill war cries echo in your ears as you approach the enemy line. No turning back now, them lot have been spoiling for a rumble for ages, they think their King is better than your King. Time to get them told.
There’s no room for half-assedness. Any hesitation on your part could prove fatal. Anyone engaging in this bloodbath without first being in the right mindset is foolhardy indeed. All the swordsmanship in Christendom won’t help you if you’re not “in the zone”
It’s exactly the same with poker, kill or be killed. It’s all very well knowing the strategy, but if you aren’t in the appropriate mental state then you’re not likely to do very well.
If you feel cramped and awkward, your thinking processes will be cramped and awkward too. This might lead you to make the wrong decisions. If you’re comfortable then there’s a far better chance you’ll win all the chippies.
Also, the more on edge you are, the more your emotions will be broadcast all over the shop. Your more experienced opponents will be able to amass a greater amount of information to help them gauge your hand strength. The problem will compound itself. Being pushed off of pots will affect your confidence, in turn making you even easier to push off future pots. The likely end result being an unsuccessful evening at the felt.
It’s very important to start right. A poker competition doesn’t begin with the first hand, you can do little things before you even leave your house/hotel room/cardboard box that may improve your chance of success.
Allow plenty of time to get your game head on before an important poker rumpus. Have your evening garb that you’re intending to play in all ironed and ready. Get yourself washed and shaved as if you were going out on a first date. This helps instil the confidence that is crucial to your game, and will hopefully relax you too. Everything is in order, game on!
If you want to do some sad-ass pep talk to yourself when you look in a mirror then that’s a good idea too. Tell yourself that you’re going to win, that you have the ability to win and tonight is your night. If you’re going to growl like a tiger though, probably best to keep that to yourself. (I never do this, honest guv)
Back at Bosworth then, you played a good game, but that Henry Tudor was getting slapped with the deck. You conked out, face down in the mud, two hours into the ruckus. Were it not for your preparation ritual though, you might have croaked inside of 10 minutes! 
Thomas "thetank" Stott