The Importance of Poker Discipline
Posted in Sports on February 18th, 2011 by Thomas Kearns – 2 CommentsMost people think of poker players as gamblers in a game of chance. It this were totally true, however, there would not be professionals who make their living by earning more than they lose and amateurs who lose more than they win. The difference here is that the pros have acquired the discipline involved in all sports of learning, understanding, and most essentially, practicing endlessly in their chosen field. They may have card sense, but above all they have the discipline to find a method that works for them.
In fact, there is no such thing as spontaneous talent: music did not “just made sense” to Mozart – where would he be if he hadn’t spent his childhood practicing? One could say that talent is well-practiced potential. But don’t wait for a freaky father to hit you with a rod over your fingers every time you play the wrong card; impose your own discipline.
The amateur plays for the thrill of risk and the adrenaline rush that comes from fighting against blind chance. Poker is kept alive by this rush. The pros leave nothing to chance, the pro knows what his basic odds are and takes full advantage of his opponents’ errors, notes if there are familiar patterns, and calculates the risk. The serious professional player will not expect to enjoy himself at a friendly game of cards, this is his job. And his job is to take every cent he can from the other players gathered around the table having a casual game of poker to pass the time. The professional’s strategy is to match his wits against chance and his opponent’s methods and come out with a win.