What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?

Below is a list of what I've come up with so far. Please add on. Also, please list what you believe to be the most important mental skill(s)/function(s). I'm looking to improve in every category.

In order from most to least important:

1. Focus
2. Remaining calm (so tilt doesn't set in)
3. Ability to think fast and respond quickly
4. Memory

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

I think they all coorelate to each other actually...but i think focus and ability to think fast/respond quickly are the most important attributes because they are nearly impossible to be taught how to do well.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

Memory should be #1, bank role management #2. People skills are a big one too, being able to read or understand other persons thought proses; I'll call it #3. #4 being able to fight off tilt is huge. Speed or how fast you respond seems next to nothing to me.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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Memory should be #1, bank role management #2. People skills are a big one too, being able to read or understand other persons thought proses; I'll call it #3. #4 being able to fight off tilt is huge. Speed or how fast you respond seems next to nothing to me.

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I would not really consider a mental function or skill...I'm thinking more basic than that. Perception (people skills) is a good addition.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

deductive reasoning ftw. bank roll management, and quick thinking are important, but they are secondary skills. if you can't make the right decision, the speed w/which you act and your br management skills mean nothing.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

yea in theory you always want to be making the right decision etc. but in reality we make most of our plays based on what we've done in the past...We have patterns in our thought and this directly translates into how we play poker-thus good quick decision making is extremely crucial because it solidifies ones good or bad habits as a player.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Pattern recognition
Intuitionism

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

When playing live: Focus
When playing online: Calmness

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Averice
Discipline
Patience

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

1. Greed
2. Determinatioin
3. Patience
4. Persistence

Jimbo

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Patience, calmness, aggression in some cases, a very good memory and determination to win.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

A "working memory" (short-term memory) with a good capacity, i.e. being able to account for many factors at once, hold them all in your head, should be somewhere on the list as well.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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1. Greed
2. Determinatioin
3. Patience
4. Persistence

Jimbo

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I think greed is more of a liability than an asset.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Discipline.
Patience.


q/q

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Memory is not terribly important in hold 'em unless you're really challenged. I mean, you can't have Alzheimer's, but come on -- the community cards are out there for all to see. What's to remember?

A high tolerance for bipolar [censored]tards can be a good thing in the live game. Focus, yes, the ability to make a good decision quickly, yes -- if you have a positive expectation, you want to get in more hands per hour. I see too many people posing as professionals who don't know this basic rule of positive expectation gambling. Discipline, certainly. A tolerance for swings. An ability to read people, yes, although I'm a little surprised at how seldom poker players can carry their people reading skills over to real life. It makes me think there's another factor I haven't put my finger on.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

I haven't read all of the responses (too lazy) but from a mental standpoint, it depends on what game you are playing. Stud takes more memory skills that holdem. But as holdem is the preferred game nowadays....you need situational memory to be proficient. That is, how a player plays (tag, lag, etc) & his betting patterns.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

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We have patterns in our thought and this directly translates into how we play poker-thus good quick decision making is extremely crucial because it solidifies ones good or bad habits as a player.

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good players balance their play. not saying quickly making decisions isn't important, but you are overemphasizing it.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

online memory not that important as you can refer to notes you have made on players,you have to have no fear of losing,if you watch the pros play online some will call big bets when they know they are behind, this proves they are not afraid to gamble and tells the other player you will not dominate me,which gives them an edge as weaker players will tend to fold a lot more when they have marginal hands,
mental strength is very important,a lot of players will self distruct when they reach a final table,moving all in preflop with small pairs, ace 10 in early position, when they have a decent stack ,this i believe is they want to end the hand right there as they are nervous and dont want to play for a lot of chips with marginal hands,if you are on the final table and are relieved when you are not in the bb and get a poor hand so you can fold ,i am not saying everyone is like this but i know i was so it dosent matter how many books you read on poker you will not win if you are afraid to lose

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

the ability to be apathetic at the table gives you a sense on others thoughts and feelings and is a HUGE asset.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

Able to think in terms of relative value instead of absolute value at whatever level you're playing so that you can make marginally +EV decisions regularly without thinkging, "Why would a risk a car payment when I'm only 45% to win..."

This skill goes hand in hand with bankroll management. Some have described it as a disregard for the value of money. But I think it is simply treating ever decision as an EV decision based on pot size, stacks, and as many other variables as you can piece together. If you think in absolute dollar values (either because they're "too small" at micro limits, or "too big" at larger stakes, then you get in trouble.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

1) clairvoyance
2) X-ray vision

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

Pattern recognition
Mindset

I'm guessing that at the higher levels, fast REM or range, equity, maximization calcuations (obviously they will be estimations, but they need to be good ones) start becoming a lot more important. This my prove to be my weakness.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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1. Greed
2. Determinatioin
3. Patience
4. Persistence

Jimbo

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I think greed is more of a liability than an asset.

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I might have used avarice but wanted to leave the religious connatation out of it : From my perspective greed is a desire to obtain more money or material possessions than one is considered to need.

If you aren't greedy then you must be needy, scared money is hard to keep.

Jimbo

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

1. DISCIPLINE
2. DISCIPLINE
3. DISCIPLINE
4. pattern recognition
5. math skills for pot odds / draw calculations
6. focus

character related ( don't know if they qualify as mental skills )
1. patience
2. humility

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

Well now we are talking Semantics. So, let’s use the Dictionary Definition of greed. "Greed is selfish, excessive or uncontrolled desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, food, or other possessions". I think the word uncontrolled says it all. Greed can harm good judgment, and I think you will find most successful pro poker players have little greed.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?


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1) Pyrokinesis
2) Vulcan mind meld
3) Unlimited capacity for boredom
4) Imagination (ability to mentally undress hot Vegas waitresses)
6) Towering ego
9) Ability to count

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?

Below is a list of what I've come up with so far. Please add on. Also, please list what you believe to be the most important mental skill(s)/function(s). I'm looking to improve in every category.

In order from most to least important:

1. Focus
2. Remaining calm (so tilt doesn't set in)
3. Ability to think fast and respond quickly
4. Memory

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I can't believe no one has mentioned intelligence yet. Maybe it's politically incorrect or something, but I don't think a lot of people with an IQ of 105 are going to be great poker players.

Sometimes I listen to the academic and other accomplishments of the players at a final TV table, and you know that the players are very smart when you hear things like (not exact quote, but close enough):

Ph.D. in computer science and artificial intelligence (Jesus).

1550 out of 1600 on SAT (David Williams)

Graduated from high school early, and from Duke in two years (Rene Russo).

As they say in MENSA, "Intelligence isn't everything, but it's not nothing either."

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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Well now we are talking Semantics. So, let’s use the Dictionary Definition of greed. "Greed is selfish, excessive or uncontrolled desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, food, or other possessions". I think the word uncontrolled says it all. Greed can harm good judgment, and I think you will find most successful pro poker players have little greed.

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let me see, I carefully explained how I intended my use of the word greed to be interpreted in context and you pull out a specific dictionary definition (one of many in case you had to search for the one you liked) and say it is only semantics?. I am pretty sure you have no clue as to what it takes to win at poker but good luck with that dictionary.

Here are some for you from dictionary.com:

1. excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions
2. An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth
3. excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves
2. reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: avarice]

Now that I've searched 5 online dictionaries I see none of them uses "uncontrolled" I think you are the one with a fantasy and lack of control.

Like it or not greed is important to be a winning poker player


Jimbo

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well now we are talking Semantics. So, let’s use the Dictionary Definition of greed. "Greed is selfish, excessive or uncontrolled desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, food, or other possessions". I think the word uncontrolled says it all. Greed can harm good judgment, and I think you will find most successful pro poker players have little greed.

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let me see, I carefully explained how I intended my use of the word greed to be interpreted in context and you pull out a specific dictionary definition (one of many in case you had to search for the one you liked) and say it is only semantics?. I am pretty sure you have no clue as to what it takes to win at poker but good luck with that dictionary.

Here are some for you from dictionary.com:

1. excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions
2. An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth
3. excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves
2. reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: avarice]

Now that I've searched 5 online dictionaries I see none of them uses "uncontrolled" I think you are the one with a fantasy and lack of control.

Like it or not greed is important to be a winning poker player


Jimbo

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Jugging by your ranting and raving over the word Semantics, your rudeness, and insults, I would say you lack that self-control. By the way, here is a link for the word greed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greed
Its 1st site that comes up when you Google the word.

I don't like or dislike it but greed is a bad quality for poker.
Say what you will I will not be interested in responding to you anymore, as you are rude.

I find it amusing that some people are so insulting over the net. If you were within my reach I’m sure you would be less arrogant.

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

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I find it amusing that some people are so insulting over the net. If you were within my reach I’m sure you would be less arrogant.


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I find it amusing that you believe that. I find it very amusing that you don't even understand that Wikipedia's are inherently unreliable since anyone of the frigging planet can makeup whatever they like and insert it into the entry. I would venture a guess that you edited this entry just to justify your purpose, either use a dictionary definition or troll elsewhere.

Jimbo

PS: Don't believe me? Now look at the entry you linked! LOL

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in pok
 

being an animal

Re: What mental skills or functions would you say are important in poker?
 

Being in the present moment is a very important skill to have in poker. Not worrying about the past $300 hand that you lost or the most recent bluff in the wrong spot that cost you 1/2 of your tournament stack and at the same time not focusing your energy on the future which has thought processes like "another $200 and I will be back even for the day" or "I really need to make the money in this tourney". I found that if im focusing on the present moment, enjoying the present moment (whether im down or up $), then everything else falls into place and you give your mind all the focus and memory it needs to be successful. i was in a live 1/2 cash game a month back where I was up around 1k and was about to leave but then got dealt AA. short story, i was up against KK and guy spiked his set on flop. I put him on AK or KK preflop and really thought about laying my AA. for some reason I couldnt get away from AA and I lost about $900 on the hand. Instead of going on tilt or being mad that I lost all my winnings I rechanneled my energy to the present moment, told myself, "there is nothing I can do about it now, focus on the next hand." My friend looks over about 45mins later and Im back up to around $500 and pretty soon was on the verge of taking down the biggest pot of the night. End up with $1300. I know in the past had I lost all my winnings on the very last hand I was going to play, I would have went to the ATM about 3 times before my friend shuts me down. moral of the story, alot of the game is MENTAL and if you are in the present moment throughout the course of ur session (whether up up or down $), you will be alright!