Keeping your head in the game

One of the hard things to do in a poker tournament is to keep your concentration the whole time. The problem is one small lapse and it could cost you a lot of chips or worse yet your tournament. At most poker rooms or if you play in bars there can be many distractions such as televisions, music or other players. I have caught myself many times more interested in what is going on around me then what is going on at the table. Some of this comes from owning businesses, you tend to notice more of what is going on around you. Bar poker is also a socialization outlet for many people so you can end up talking a lot when you are playing.

Last night I had a prime example. It is the last week of a season in a points league. I have not played enough to make the top, but several players are in the running for the top 10. I know that these people will playing extra tight tonight thus I can take advantage of their play. I start the night very aggressive. Raising a lot preflop and betting after the flop if I feel no one has hit. With that play and actually getting some cards, I am able to build a nice stack. Now, I do know how to play big stack poker and I am able to build a huge chip stack. It is getting later in the tournament and I have lost some of my chips and blinds are getting higher. There were several short stacks that were trying to hold out for points on the table with blinds at 500-1000. I have 13000 in chips. I look down to KK. There have been two limpers when it gets to my. I grab a 5000 chip and throw it in. As soon as the chip hits the table I realize what I have done. I didn't announce a raise, so with the one chip rule I have know called. It's ok, I guess, I still have a good hand and if no ace comes I can move all in after the flop. Flop comes 8-8-3. One player is all-in with 3 others in the hand. Big blind immediately bets 4000. It is folded to me. Now what do I do. Move all in or call or fold. I make the assumption that he must have an 8 in the big blind betting into a dry side pot.. I fold and show my pocket kings. I still have 12,000 left in chips. Because a player is all in I get to see his hand. He had 66 and wins the pot. Another player makes a comment on betting into a dry side pot and about checking down. I don't really care that he bet me out of the hand or that I folded the best hand, because sometimes you have to. What I am mad about is that if I had raised preflop, which I meant to do, I would have won the hand or at least have been pot committed to make the call after the flop. One lapse of concentration cost me a chance to double up and potentially win the poker tournament.
The question is how do you make sure this doesn't happen again. It's easy, always take your time before you make a play in a poker tournament. There is a reason you see top pros analyze a situation before making a move. It doesn't mean you have take an overly long time. Just take a deep breath and think about what you are doing before you do it and it's always a good idea to verbalize your intent. All I had to do was say "RAISE" and the outcome would have been completely different.