Are The Top Poker Players Born With The Skill?

02.28.2008 | 7:23 am | Poker, Poker Stars

As we hear in the news about younger and younger winners of some of the biggest prize pots in the poker industry, many people are starting to ask whether poker champions are born with the skill to play or is it something which you can learn. So what is needed and how do you go about finding these skills?

While to those who do not play poker the game may seem like something of a game of chance, there are a great many skills in playing poker which may not be evident to those who have not experienced the thrill and the excitement of going head to head with other players. The game of poker has the ability to make sensible people play with their hearts and not their heads, it can sometimes see those with “winning hands” take a chance and blow the lot, yet it can also see those with nothing to show bluff their way to the top. The game of poker is no where near as simple as some would have you believe!

Like any world class sports person who rises to the very pinnacle of their game, there needs to be a certain number of elements already inside that person before they can even start to train and think about reaching the top. A winners mentality at poker is vital, the need to have a strong mind and play with your head and not your heart is another, but most vital of all you need to be able to absorb the pressure. We can all count the cards, we can all see when we have a good hand but can we actually lay down our life savings on the turn of a card for $1 million?

Poker is a pressure game played in pressure situations and those who can handle the pressure, and even apply it to their competitors, are the ones who will always do well. There are few games in the world which you can actually win when you are in a worse position than you opponent – this is where the art of the bluff comes in!