Hello, first time poster here

[Caneflush]

I had a question that i was hoping someone could answer for me. I recently started playing poker and ive reached that level of playing in which i realized i have no idea what im doing. I wanted to kno if poker is the kind of game that can be learned by anybody or is it somewhat like chess that even though it can be learned in order to be truly great you have to possess a higher intellect. This may seem like a dumb question, but i was just curious.

[greg nice]

it can be learned just like chess can be learned

[Caneflush]

I understand that chess can be learned, but in order to become a master chess player you must have a higher intellect then the average person. Well atleast thats what a GrandMaster of chess said.

[Teddie]

It depends what you mean by intelluct. I dont know if the top poker players in the world would be extremely intelligent SAT results sort of way.

[Spanky1974]

The micro-limit, micro no-limit, and low buy-in tournaments can be beaten by anyone with the patience and determination to learn the game.

[KurtSF]

[ QUOTE ]
I understand that chess can be learned, but in order to become a master chess player you must have a higher intellect then the average person. Well atleast thats what a GrandMaster of chess said.

[/ QUOTE ]

GrandMaster was tooting his own horn.

Don't get me wrong though, being smart certainly helps in both pursuits.

There is a lot more "education" in chess than poker, and there is a lot more "math" in poker than chess. Also, while there is a psychological element to chess, it is dominated by spatial reasoning and layered thinking, while poker has a much wider range of "intelligences" that can help you out.

Seriously, there are math geniuses that just constantly run numbers in their heads while playing, and there are feel players that don't know what 2+2 adds up to, and everything in between.

Preflop play can be learned by rote; its simple enough. Learn pot odds inside and out. That is the basis of your poker learning. After that, experiment with different games, different styles, etc., and find out what you like and are good at. I'm sure there's some way to parlay whatever skills and smarts you do have into poker skill.

As an example, I just finished reading one book by a fellow named Angel Largay who would win by getting people to WANT to lose to him. He had lots of other skills too, but he talked about how one of them was to be the friendliest, funniest, most fun, and most pleasant person at the table. As a result, people would pay off his hands and fold to his bets because they wanted him to stay and they wanted him to like them and they wanted him to be happy like he made them.

There are a lot of ways to win in poker.

$0.02

P.S. Don't believe anyone who says they are more intelligent than you. Its usually a pretty stupid thing to say.

P.P.S. Drive and desire help too, probably more than "intellect".

[Poker Plan]

[ QUOTE ]
......can be beaten by anyone with the patience and determination to learn the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

So only a small percentage then.

With all respect, it's not intellect (alone) that will make you a winner; but a good mixture of attributes that are very difficult to master.

[Harv72b]

It's not a question of intellect so much (although that obviously helps), but a mixture of many attritibutes that defines the differences between a poor poker player, a good one, and a great one. Patience and discipline are obviously huge, as is at least some mathematical ability, some intuitive ability to logically process patterns and put them together to form a read, good observation skills, honest self-assessment, a willingness to learn, and even a bit of ego. I do believe that many, if not all, of the great players were born with some amount of predisposed ability in the game.

However, with study, practice, and (can't stress this enough) patience and discipline, anybody can become a winning (i.e., "good") poker player, at least up through the mid limits. It's usually a lacking in those last two, crucial abilities which prevents a person from ever attaining this level.

[Caneflush]

Thank you guys for your responses all of you have been extremely helpful i really appreciate it. Thanks again