If you asked random people on the street to name a game that requires both skill and intelligence, chess would be mentioned nine times out of ten. The word poker is something that you will most likely not hear. We as poker players are well aware that the game requires a significant amount of skill, but we also take for granted how much intelligence is required to play the game even at an average skill level.
Because this is the case, the purpose of our visit to you today is to demonstrate how much of a strategy poker game it is.
Poker is a difficult game even for machines with artificial intelligence
We are confident that you have heard us discuss a concept known as artificial intelligence, or AI for short. AI is a more widely used abbreviation. We are also confident that you have heard about how fantastic it is for completing difficult tasks that were previously performed solely by humans.
Did you know that artificial intelligence prefers poker to chess or go? That’s right, games that are typically thought to require the highest level of intelligence to play are, in fact, child’s play for a properly programmed AI bot.
You should be aware that both chess and Go have very specific rules and strategies. When a player makes a move, there are only a limited number of possible outcomes on the board. The same can be said for poker and the hands your opponent may have against you. However, AI struggles to master the art of recognizing a person’s deliberate attempts to mislead their opponent; in other words, AI is unable to call a bluff. This means that AI is unable to play poker.
That’s why, a year ago, a poker-playing AI defeated some of the game’s best professionals, it made national headlines. The fact that the developers were able to create a bot capable of both mastering and recognizing the decidedly human art of deception is something of a masterstroke on their part. We are confident that we will hear a lot more about that topic in the not-too-distant future.
The Mental Aspects of Playing Poker
The concept of bluffing naturally leads us to our next topic, which is the psychology of poker. Poker is the only game in which understanding your opponent’s thought process is as important as it is in poker. However, we will not go into too much detail here and will simply state that poker is the only game.
There are numerous ways to use mind tricks (also known as bluffs) to gain an advantage over our opponents, beginning with betting aggressively at the start of the game to conceal a poor hand and continuing with calm and reserved play even when holding a good hand. It is such an intriguing subject in the field of psychology that some medical professionals participate in the game to gain a better understanding of how the mind works. That’s pretty impressive. Right?
It’s a skill game, to be sure!
We recognize, as you do, that poker is a game of skill rather than chance; therefore, to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that this is the case, we will list the skills that are required right now.
Focus
Playing poker takes time, and winning even more time. Regular guys walking into poker rooms or casinos and walking out with a mountain of chips in a short amount of time are the stuff of Hollywood fantasies. We’d even go so far as to say it’s a myth because of how infrequently it occurs. As a result, the majority of poker games necessitate intense concentration as well as the ability to focus for extended periods.
Strategy Consideration
The ability to play strategically is frequently what distinguishes average players from professionals. You will be able to devise a strategy that takes into account the possible outcomes if you are familiar with the possible hands that can be played and the various options available to you. To be honest, achieving this is no easy task.
Patience
As previously stated, poker is a game that can take a significant amount of time and effort; as a result, players must be patient when approaching the game. And, even though you may not consider this to be a skill, the answer is yes. Do not listen to anyone who tries to persuade you otherwise; the ability to patiently wait at a table for several hours for the ideal opportunity to present itself is a skill, whether innate or learned.
Discipline
If you have a budget, make certain that you stick to it. You should stick to your plan if you have one. When the chips are down (we know, terrible pun), it’s surprising how many players lose their discipline and begin betting outside of their bankroll or making rash decisions that contradict their strategy. These may appear to be simple rules to follow, but it’s surprising how many players lose their discipline and begin betting beyond their bankroll.
Psychology
Understanding poker psychology is critical to success in the game and was deemed significant enough to merit its section in this guide. We’d go so far as to say that a player with only a basic understanding of poker but exceptional people reading skills could have a lot of success at the table. This is due to the player’s ability to read the body language of others. Is it a talent? That is undeniably true, and it is also quite possibly the best of the bunch.
Math Abilities
However, one of the most undervalued skills a poker player can have is the ability to calculate odds in the heat of the moment. Outside of poker circles, it’s not often discussed, but if you want to play to the best of your ability, you need to have incredible poker math skills for calculating things like pot odds and equity. This is a topic that is rarely discussed outside of poker circles. If you ask a skilled chess player to calculate the odds of winning based on a single move, they are unlikely to be able to do so. However, if you ask a poker player about the odds of the pot, they will have an answer for you in a matter of seconds.
A poker player will have no difficulty with it
Did you know that there is only a 0.8 percent chance of a flush flopping, which translates to 124 to 1 odds? Most likely not, but your poker pro will be aware that playing two cards because they are suited improves your chances only 2.5% of the time. Knowing the odds and statistics in this manner is an impressive skill in its own right, in our opinion.
As you can see, poker is a game that requires a high level of intelligence from its players rather than a low level of skill. A game based on chance? Certainly not. Playing poker requires just as much skill and luck as Lionel Messi controlling a pass on his thigh and then placing the ball to the right of the charging goalkeeper.
Before you ask, yes, some of us did take a break from poker tournaments this summer to watch the World Cup. The next time someone asks you, “what game is best for a thinking man (or woman),” you should say “poker.” Make sure to mention how difficult it is to master that even the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence struggled with it.