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Maryann Guberman has been a writer and editor with many gaming publications, including Sports Form, Card Player, Poker World, Player's Panorama and Systems and Methods. She also has written and edited numerous books on gambling.

Jun 09, 2007

Become a Poker Genius -- Part Four

There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder. -- Ronald Reagan

So here we are, four weeks from the beginning, pulling into a parking spot with the vehicles that can drive us to that segment of the stratosphere heretofore reserved for Mensa members, geeks, and nerds. We have imbued our psyches with 18 of the 24 qualities geniuses (as per Alfred A. Barrios) have in common and as soon as we finish mastering this last half dozen, we will be there!

One of the best qualities, as far as I'm concerned, is the one that starts off today's list.

Have Total Devotion to Goals. Do you know what you want? You want to be a poker winner. You want to win a major tournament. You want to win a World Series bracelet. You want to be a poker pro. Knowing what you want and going after it means you have to get control of your life, set a schedule for achieving your goal, break it down into small steps and pay attention to it every single day. You could, in effect, eat, drink and sleep your objective, but don't do it to the point that friends and family will start avoiding you.

Be Curious. If you've ever met a person who doesn't show an interest in new information then you've met someone who is static, who won't move forward; you've met a person who is letting the parade pass him by. Nobody knows all the answers but a curious mind will allow new information in. Read books, watch videos, learn from others.

Have Courage. If you can't make a bet because you're afraid of the consequences of losing, you are in the wrong game. Poker players lose pots, even bankrolls, every day. This is a risky business. If you have the courage to compete you must have the courage to accept setbacks. And don't worry about what others might think about you or your game. That's self defeating in itself.

Be able to adapt. This above all is an important quality that must be developed if you want poker success. You have to adapt to everything that's different from the average Joe's day to day life. You'll spend more time indoors, in places with no windows, all hours of the day and night. And that's for starters. Most average workers have set schedules with set duties. They can rely on meeting with few surprises. They don't have to worry if the guy at the next desk or the next station is out to clobber them. They have been working with the same co-workers all along. The poker player, however, has to face a new enemy every day, actually every hand for a while. He has to adapt to other styles, other personalities, other forms of offense.

Develop Your Ability to Judge. According to Barrios, geniuses can understand the facts before they judge. They evaluate with an open mind, with no bias or prejudice and they are willing to change their mind. This, of course, is one of the best qualities a poker player can possess.

Be Able to Communicate. The ability to communicate means you can get your thoughts and ideas across to others. This doesn't mean you have to talk, although many a top pro can talk his opponent into unwittingly revealing information. The best way you can do this is by making your opponents believe you have something you don't or don't have something you do. This is one tricky character flaw many people never master and one that causes them to lose much more than they should.

So there you have the end of the 24 qualities/characteristics all geniuses seem to have in common.

If you want to be a poker genius, start by picking out the ones you know for sure you haven't mastered and begin work. The more you improve your inner strength, the better your results. And better results spell money in your pocket.