How Poker exposes Character
People have often said that poker is a game which tends to reveal a lot about people’s personalities. And just like how no two people in this world are the same, no two people play poker the exact same way despite how hard some try to mimic the pros. That’s what makes the game so interesting and, even more importantly, allows some to gain big advantages over others at the table.
And one thing that I think is so amazing about this concept is that players can read a certain person better than that person understands them self. In fact, I’ve heard more than one player mention how someone must know them self before they will ever be truly successful in cards.
Personally, I think putting it this way is a little dramatic since there are plenty of successful poker pros that know little about themselves yet make huge cashes at the table every week. But I do think that a player has a lot to gain by looking at them self and using that to better their poker game.
Unfortunately, even if one does know them self they can fall into the trap of getting lazy and having their character flaws exposed at the poker table. And if other players can see your flaws at the table - whether in online poker or live poker - you are going to be losing a lot of money in the long run.
A good way to avoid falling into this trap is to take a little time each week to look at yourself and understand your personality traits, flaws, and strengths. This may sound a little corny or hocus pocus, but it’s actually a good exercise to do and can pay big dividends if it helps you start winning more.