Is an Ultra Competitive Nature Counterproductive for a Poker Player?

[JDMcNugent7]

Competitve nature is def. good for poker IMO.

In sports when you're losing do you just start going on "Tilt" and playing dumb ? No. So in poker u can still be very competetive and not go on tilt, just play better instead, keep playing ur game, and in the end if u know wut ur doing and are better than ur competition u will win.

[Reel Deal]

Actually, I've seen it happen in sports. Be it basketball or football I've seen players go on tilt, some good trash talk can definitely take someone out of their game. I've also seen people do desperate and stupid things in sports when they start losing.

I do think a certain amount of competitiveness is a good thing for a poker player. But I think it's obviously best if used to learn how to be successful at poker (i.e., learn the proper way to play the game then have the discipline to follow that strategy). What's hard with poker is that even when you play correctly you can lose to an inferior opponent. And for a competitive person that doesn't like to lose, that's a hard thing to stomach. With sports, if I play my best I'm not going to lose to an inferior opponent. I think what's hard, for me at least, is that you really have to look at winning or losing as a long term proposition. Like with basketball you're not going to stop your opponent from making their shots here and there, you just have to concentrate on making more than they did when the horn sounds. I have to look at things in that light when playing poker.

It's funny, my ultra competitive nature has definitely flowed down to my youngest son who is 5 years old... he's on his first soccer team right now and has a meltdown if the other team scores even one goal... lol. I'll try the "long term" speech on him at our next practice.

[Talking Poker]

Yes, exactly. The horn hasn't sounded on your poker career yet. And like in sports, just because the other team scores now and then doesn't mean they are going to win the game. You simply need to adjust your poker mindset to more of a long term attitude.

[2Tone]

Reading Iggy's blog, I found this quote from CardPlayer writer and WSOP bracelet winner Steve Badger.

"The problem is: you just can't will yourself to win -- be it a tournament, a single day's play, or even an individual hand. And then, unfortunately for some, not winning is something many players simply can't handle. And being able to not win well is a fundamental, key ingredient of being a winning player."

[Talking Poker]

Nice quote.