Do poker skills come naturally?

[black and]

Is it possible to learn to be a top poker player, or is it more like playing a musical instrument, playing snooker, etc.?
Do you have to be born with a latent talent to become a really good poker player?

​

Thanks to @Colbefc for this topic idea

​

I don't think that poker requires talent, like music or painting. For me, all you need for poker is three components: patience, discipline and free time. Those players who have these three components have a chance to become professionals.

 

[ZenonBR]

Nothing comes naturally unless you like what you do, so to evolve in poker you first need to like the dynamics of the game, after "naturally" you will seek information and study about the game, and thus you will certainly evolve, but nothing is natural when you don't identify, first you need to like it, then your skills will gradually improve.

Answering the question in a simplified way, yes it is possible for you to become a great poker professional, only if you really like the dynamics of the game, not because your friend told you that he is making money with it.

 

[puzzlefish]

Is it possible to learn to be a top poker player, or is it more like playing a musical instrument, playing snooker, etc.?
Do you have to be born with a latent talent to become a really good poker player?

​

Thanks to @Colbefc for this topic idea

​

There's got to be some basic foundation for someone to be able to become a top poker player, some basic ability in logic, mathematics, statistics, and being able to pay attention. I think someone can definitely be born without the capacity to be a winning player and someone can also develop in either direction in their youth to the point where they can either rise to the top or sink to the bottom.

Beyond a certain level, there are some that don't really need to memorize the math and probabilities and do just fine playing intuitively. Then there are additional considerations of playing live versus online, where some people are naturally able to read body language better than others. But as we all know, after playing for a while, there are many levels to this and the difference between being really good and being a top poker player is not something that is very obvious in the short run. Even Phil Ivey, who is considered the best poker player by many, once said that beyond a certain point it just comes down to whether or not someone actually has the cards that they are representing.

 

[Joe]

If poker flaws come naturally, it stands to reason that poker abilities do too, no?

It's a spectrum.

The crucial thing is identifying and understanding strengths, weaknesses then how/why they benefit or hinder your game.

 

[thetick33]

Is it possible to learn to be a top poker player, or is it more like playing a musical instrument, playing snooker, etc.?
Do you have to be born with a latent talent to become a really good poker player?

​

Thanks to @Colbefc for this topic idea

​

Everyone has own abilities in everything some bad some good the trick is knowing your plus sides and using those to your advantage....Poker is a sport whether people think of it that way or not....So if your great at math that is a plus...If you can become great at understanding people or body languages that is a plus...Now is one person born with an advantage in those areas of course....No one is good at everything but genetics brain etc...you can train to be great though at ANYTHING you have to put in work...If you take time off like I did 3 and half years? You see the decline pretty easily....Yet what you worked on over the years does come back to you by practice etc... So its a yes and no...Can anyone learn to be a great poker player? Maybe not but if you have some good qualities can you out work others? YES that is the way to success...First in last to leave..... matters...Whether your the worlds greatest goaltender or just working a job...If poker is a job? You got to be open to learning every day...Yet some have god given talent and id say again to that? If have it work on it to master it....reading counting odds whatever comes natural work on it...learn all you can....so everything ive learned from games then video games to poker to college and business and humanity i learned through 55 years of life....The one thing i didnt do in college was psychology...But ive studied people in every sport ive played in every aspect of life and spent about 8 years talking to annie duke and a couple talking to howard on pure psychology....Now I can use that in any aspect of life...Yet i use it mostly in politics at times to try to get people to release chains they put on selves and can use in poker...We are all friends here OR I AM YOUR friend here and wont use the techniques I use against people in a political setting (every job I've ever had ) had political aspects even if I was a boss myself....Which happened from 40's on etc....Anyway learning about people body language as said reading people their motivations that is very useful in poker I do not use it here...Live? I can really get into peoples heads and screw with them but as said found out late in 30s this was a tool in poker and used it well....Now I use it politically on things that I consider untrue or total nonsense to try to get people to realize how stupid some of the things they say are...Why they are so dumb or wrong....I try to do this without the hate that is running through the world etc...just open a few eyes here and there and hopefully hearts....I play poker cause its basically my last sport the last competition my body is not a kids anymore but I have that same PASSION each time even when sickly to do well to out wit every opponent to win...Its not about losing lost a million times and hour later wont think about it That is another gift being a kid at heart....Kids are the greatest salesmen in the world they NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE NO's lol that is a gift think people dont use it as much as should A no is the same thing as a loss to me its move on next one just like a kid do i look back at play everytime what could i do differently that is the passion again the never quitting giving up accepting that defeat...That cant be taught that is a true gift You can work at it but in some its ingrained....id beat my grandma at poker and I have

 

[Luvepoker]

I do believe having a natural talent would be very helpful to being a great poker player become much better much faster. Would natural talent be enough? I . I dont think it would. I have a good knack in playing card games. I did pretty well when i started playing poker compared to everyone i knew who was playing. The fact was I was loosing at a much slower pace than them. It was only when I start to study the game did I start to become a winning player. Even more, today as I truly work on becoming the best player I can be I realize how deep this game truly is. While natural talent is great, not working to become a good player would stop most from ever become truly good at the game. You can become great not having natural talent if you study and work hard on your game. Natural talent is not enough I believe.

 

[hobojim1247]

Is it possible to learn to be a top poker player, or is it more like playing a musical instrument, playing snooker, etc.?
Do you have to be born with a latent talent to become a really good poker player?

​

Thanks to @Colbefc for this topic idea

​

It is possible to learn to be a top poker player. A natural inclination of good at math and the ability to solve problems in your head goes a long way to getting there. The other thing NECESSARY to becoming a top player is a dedication to study the game and willingness to change when your ideas are shown to be invalid. In other words don't be stubborn to change.

 

[hobojim1247]

I do believe having a natural talent would be very helpful to being a great poker player become much better much faster. Would natural talent be enough? I . I dont think it would. I have a good knack in playing card games. I did pretty well when i started playing poker compared to everyone i knew who was playing. The fact was I was loosing at a much slower pace than them. It was only when I start to study the game did I start to become a winning player. Even more, today as I truly work on becoming the best player I can be I realize how deep this game truly is. While natural talent is great, not working to become a good player would stop most from ever become truly good at the game. You can become great not having natural talent if you study and work hard on your game. Natural talent is not enough I believe.

I absolutely agree 100%.

 

[Joe]

Everyone has own abilities in everything some bad some good the trick is knowing your plus sides and using those to your advantage....Poker is a sport whether people think of it that way or not....So if your great at math that is a plus...If you can become great at understanding people or body languages that is a plus...Now is one person born with an advantage in those areas of course....No one is good at everything but genetics brain etc...you can train to be great though at ANYTHING you have to put in work...If you take time off like I did 3 and half years? You see the decline pretty easily....Yet what you worked on over the years does come back to you by practice etc... So its a yes and no...Can anyone learn to be a great poker player? Maybe not but if you have some good qualities can you out work others? YES that is the way to success...First in last to leave..... matters...Whether your the worlds greatest goaltender or just working a job...If poker is a job? You got to be open to learning every day...Yet some have god given talent and id say again to that? If have it work on it to master it....reading counting odds whatever comes natural work on it...learn all you can....so everything ive learned from games then video games to poker to college and business and humanity i learned through 55 years of life....The one thing i didnt do in college was psychology...But ive studied people in every sport ive played in every aspect of life and spent about 8 years talking to annie duke and a couple talking to howard on pure psychology....Now I can use that in any aspect of life...Yet i use it mostly in politics at times to try to get people to release chains they put on selves and can use in poker...We are all friends here OR I AM YOUR friend here and wont use the techniques I use against people in a political setting (every job I've ever had ) had political aspects even if I was a boss myself....Which happened from 40's on etc....Anyway learning about people body language as said reading people their motivations that is very useful in poker I do not use it here...Live? I can really get into peoples heads and screw with them but as said found out late in 30s this was a tool in poker and used it well....Now I use it politically on things that I consider untrue or total nonsense to try to get people to realize how stupid some of the things they say are...Why they are so dumb or wrong....I try to do this without the hate that is running through the world etc...just open a few eyes here and there and hopefully hearts....I play poker cause its basically my last sport the last competition my body is not a kids anymore but I have that same PASSION each time even when sickly to do well to out wit every opponent to win...Its not about losing lost a million times and hour later wont think about it That is another gift being a kid at heart....Kids are the greatest salesmen in the world they NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE NO's lol that is a gift think people dont use it as much as should A no is the same thing as a loss to me its move on next one just like a kid do i look back at play everytime what could i do differently that is the passion again the never quitting giving up accepting that defeat...That cant be taught that is a true gift You can work at it but in some its ingrained....id beat my grandma at poker and I have

Paragraphs/line breaks are your friend..!

 

[choche0372]

Is it possible to learn to be a top poker player, or is it more like playing a musical instrument, playing snooker, etc.?
Do you have to be born with a latent talent to become a really good poker player?

​

Thanks to @Colbefc for this topic idea

​

A nice example with a musical instrument! Of course, in order to play a musical instrument you need to know the notes, so in poker you need to know the basics. Well, virtuosos become people with natural talent who know the basics.

 

[zorro222_zorro222]

I think the game of poker is more suited to a certain kind of personality than others, for example if you are intelligent, have equanimity and are strategic, you have a much better chance of being a great poker player than if you are not BUT since the game of poker is so complex that even if you have all of these traits, it would still take a lot of time and experience to be a top poker player. I believe that you can never learn enough about the game no matter how much you have played and studied the game.

 

[mrfastflow]

I don't know how playing an instrument and playing snooker are in the same category. I would even say the playing poker is closer to snooker and playing instrumental, than playing instrumental to playing snooker

 

[antonis32123]

I think if you are talented its much better , it will be easier for you yo understand the game , and play better . Also if you have a statistical or mathematical background. Without them. Its harder to become a winner in the end , not impossible , but much harder

 

[BelFish]

Some players may have a good understanding of the basic principles of the game, but may even have a poor understanding of the mathematics itself. Then these are really talented people who have a good feel for the game. But even a very talented player will not be able to play against a solver without his win rate being significantly negative. Therefore, even talented people have something to improve in the game, and with diligent training they can increase their win rate very much!

 

[passat1600]

The question is interesting but very abstract...we are all born the same, I will not describe how it happens, and each of us has something that is given to us by our kind, unfortunately not all become outstanding mathematicians and physicists, but there are those who surprise us in sports or in the army... in order to become successful in poker, you need to do a little math and follow those with whom you play at the table, I think that it has nothing to do with talent.... This is my opinion and it may not coincide with reality' i

 

[iwont20]

I believe everyone can be taught to do anything. Maybe not on super-high level, since to reach it one additionally must love what you're doing more than doing anything else. But if they can teach a bear to perform in the circus, then it's never a question - whether people can learn skills. It's a different topic, that each activity and task requires different set of skills and for poker one needs to really be able to control emotions and be able to do monotonous, non-exiting task for a long time. It won't suit everyone, so some people will have a natural advantage. If someone has extra interest in strategies and going to the bottom of things - it would also be an advantage. But I would not call these advantageous qualities a poker talent, because these qualities would help you to become successful in a lot of fields, not just poker.

 

[alabos]

Dont thinkthat come naturally but more you play i think you had chance to be better.......a lot of thing come in poker......and chance is majority and after its the way tou play your game.......

 

[Dmitriy_rus7]

I think talent is definitely needed. But on the other hand, if you really want and try, you can learn anything. the main thing is desire and perseverance

 

[strokin07]

The question is of course very interesting and deserves attention, I will try to answer it using cases from my many years of practice playing poker. I had and still have friends who were naturally gifted with a special mind and mathematical knowledge, and they grasped all the information they received almost on the fly, but nevertheless, they still had to get acquainted with the basic principles of poker and learn a few things. Conclusion: Being a naturally gifted person is, of course, good and very wonderful, but you will still have to study a little.

 

[ztibor72]

I believe that all top performance requires talent.
But in order for someone to stay at the top, a lot of work is also required. This is especially true in poker, I think.

 

[Toruk Makto]

It's possible 👍 but it's necessary to dedicate yourself to studies... Hard work can overcome a genius!

 

[scobido]

I think you acquire talent playing poker, practicing daily, reading topics you don't know about, and if you still have the inspiration, you will definitely become a poker talent.

 

[userX]

I think there are talented players among the professionals, but there are also hardworking ones. Talent will certainly allow you to reach the professional level faster, but talent is not the key. In my opinion, the main thing is perseverance, the ability not to give up and achieve goals.

 

[Kinalha]

Dont thinkthat come naturally but more you play i think you had chance to be better.......a lot of thing come in poker......and chance is majority and after its the way tou play your game.......

So funny read this from you. So with your self experience, playing against you for more than 2 years, i can say you need to play more 10 years just to know the basic

 

[63burner]

Yes, having an anylatical, mathmatic mind helps, probabilities, etc. helps. In the long run, skills win out. But in the short-run,, say one hand, or a coin-flip, luck factors in greatly.