What it Takes

We have a gentleman in our fair city that simply crushes poker. During a recent dinner discussion, me and my knucklehead buddies discussed what number his 7-figure lifetime winning figure must start with. I proposed 3, got check-raised, and we went back to drinking our beer and arguing about which waitress is our favorite. But it's big, very big.



It is easy to wonder how he does it and try to replicate it. Not so easy to accomplish. Over time, I have formulated what I think it takes to be one of these guys. I'm not talking about a "winning" poker player. I'm talking about the 1 out of a 1,000 guys, maybe the 1 out of 10,000 guys that are playing at a level that the rest of us can't quite imagine. Basically, I'm taking about the guys that are making it look easy and routinely get accused of "being lucky".

I've got my ingredients listed below. You'll notice that most of these qualities are "born with" not "learned". I personally think that poker is like everything else, hard work is integral to fulfilling your potential, you certainly can't get there without it, but your ultimate potential is mostly predetermined. This is an argument for another time, but I believe this more than most. My parents may have told me that I can be anything I want when I grow up but I if I would have said I had my heart set on being a left tackle for the Chicago Bears, they might have suggested I reconsider. This seems obvious, but is brain really different from braun? We'd all like to think so because it allows us to think our options are limitless but I'm not so sure. Anyway, I'm off subject as usual.

I've listed my ingredients from more basic to more advanced. Most of these comments are the abbreviated versions of what's really going through my head, but you'll get it.

1) Above average intelligence.
I somewhat hate to start with something so basic, but I think it's true. There is certainly an emotional component as you'll see below, but I cannot imagine a successful poker player that has an IQ of 90.

2) Math skills to grasp pot odds.

3) The right amount of risk-tolerance.
I think this amounts to a "goldilocks" setting in your brain that has to be in the right spot. Not too hot, not too cold. You won't win just playing the nuts. But if you race into the poker room and can't wait to gamble, your poker career is going to get expensive.

4) An ego that is in check.
Trying to get back at the dude who that drilled you last week or turning up the aggression to be "table captain" are both very bad ideas.

5) A dislike of loosing money!
Seems obvious, right? Not for everyone. Losing should hurt, and way before your bankroll starts to shrink. Otherwise it becomes easy.

At this point, I think I'm 5 for 5. But here's where I start to struggle.

6) The ability to stay off the tilt-a-wheel.
I struggle with this, the easiest way to describe what's going on in my head is "one quarter Helmuth". I don't stand up and call people names but suckouts do not roll off me. This is an area that my stupid rules help. I know I'm on tilt, I tell myself it's even more important to not break any rules. It keeps me in line for the most part but I'm struggling and not thinking clearly. It's an issue.

Here's the last one and it's really the point of this rambling post:

7) Being content to observe.
I think that the quality that most of the premier players have is that on top of having all the other qualities, they are simply content to sit and watch the game. They are not joking and laughing, they are just watching. Like Ivy or Antonius. They just sit and watch and learn. And when it comes time to play against someone, they already know all they need to know. It's like practice. Most guys hate to practice, they just want to play. The winners don't mind practicing; it's what they do. I try to force myself to do it but it's a lot like a scene in Memento ... "ok, keep watching, what's happening ... whoa ... who's that girl?" Or whatever. Boredom approaches quickly and I simply forget that I'm trying to watch.

Lately I've been forced to conclude that I'm having a hard time making this final leap. I'd say you can remain a winning player but cannot reach that next level without it. It's a bummer, I feel like I've navigated the first X levels successfully but just cannot clear that final hurdle. I've got a good friend who has all the levels and just keeps getting better. He frequently tells me a story about some hand that ends with "so I put him all-in with my pair of sixes" and my jaw drops. "How did you know that?" I say, to which he responds "Jim never plays AK that way, I knew he had to be open ended." and I'm baffled. I didn't know that about Jim. What else don't I know?

More than I realize apparently...