How Good Are You?

Bloggers / Chris Edwards / 16 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

After getting into poker I'd always wanted to go see some top players taking part in a big event. A few of us traveled to London for the first WSOPE, not knowing if we would be allowed entry as spectators after failed attempts to find ticket information on the Internet.

When we arrived at the Empire we were greeted as regular punters and after a quick sign up to the casino we were in the TV room stood behind Daniel Negreanu and Johnny Chan as they battled it out.

There was a VIP room, but mostly the pro's wondered around the casino like anyone else. We bumped into lots of big names, often swapping pleasantries as if they were just regular members of the public like ourselves. What other professional competitor could do this? If Cristiano Ronaldo walked through a busy park on a Sunday afternoon, he would quickly be swarmed by amateur players, causing not just an inconvenience but a security hazard too.

Poker has one unique quality that allows more equality between players, anyone can play anyone. If an amateur players wants to front the money, he can play in the biggest games against the toughest poker pros. This is what makes poker profitable, and sometimes easy, for serious players.

The nature of poker can also make some players assume they are better than they really are. In a physically demanding game people accept that they will need lots of time to determine how good they are. You could not watch Tiger Woods play golf for a day and then be able to swing and hit the ball identically. Yet in poker, someone can watch a pro play and be able to copy every move he makes. A lot of amateurs assume that they can teach themselves to become a fantastic poker player.

Yet this is not the case. You may be able to teach yourself to beat some games, where a good basic strategy is all you need, but this does not mean your destined to be a professional. A top player understands all the correct theory and knows exactly when to put it into practice. He will also be able to throw the book out of the window and do something unusual, believing it will give positive results most of the time. This is something that cannot be taught.

If you still believe your destined for big things after accepting these and other truths of the game, then good luck to you. For the rest of us poker is just a game we can enjoy....apart from the bad beats!

Related Readings

World Series of Poker Europe Official site
WSOPE Blog - Chris Edwards
Who is the best? - Marcus Bateman