Why do you play poker? Not everyone plays for the same reasons or have the same motivations while playing.
Alan Schoonmaker, in his book 'Psychology of Poker' breaks it down like this:
Make Money / Socialize (meet people) / Relax / Get excitement of risk / Test yourself against competitive challenges / Sense of Accomplishment from winning / Pass time / Other (specify)
For me it's about the challenge of competition,.. wanting to win and the desire to be always wanting (or trying) to improve my game. A sense of accomplishment from winning to a lesser degree and even lower on the list 'making money'.
Players motives will greatly influence their style of play and often explains why they've opted to choose the manner in which they play. This explains all sorts of stuff on the tables (ie. like the many times in the past while on a table I've asked myself "WTF!!... how in the hell could they have made that call there??!?!?"
Not all are playing with the same motives. In the micro stakes online, it seems that there are many who play simply for sheer excitement, wanting to take great risks and getting their money in with the worst and hoping to catch miracle cards ('lotter players' and 'action junkies'.
By getting a read on another player's motives, it can also greatly increase one's abilities in card reading and of course help one to adjust their play while taking into account the other player's particular style (general style that is.. of course (hopefully for them) they'll be mixing it up a bit.. but if you watch closely over, many fall into a general pattern).
What are your personal motives for playing poker and what playing style do you find yourself predominantly playing? (TAG, LAG, Loose Passive (Calling Station), Tight Passive, NIT (or ROCK), Loose Maniac,...).
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19 comments
why is a good question why most people need to reaply look at. I suspect that most people are here for the entertainment factor, Some for the availability of free play and a chance to gain some bank. Very few are here for a chance at a seat.
Me, I am here for two reasons. To teach what I know, and improve my game from others that like to test me.
good luck and good gaming
I play all the styles above, and play the game because I suck at basketball !
....Tc....
An intersesting remark by Schoonmaker is that most don't play for the money and one's that say they do are usually full of denial (hmm... KA Chinteresting).
To be more specific... the blog here was asking.. "Why do you play poker" (not why do you play here at Railbirds.... not all people on the forum even play at Railbirds).
it's the zen..... money helps but becoming the best that I can at something is really the allure for me.
Problem is ( and I know YOU can relate ) i have an addictive personality, when I slip into that , my game takes a header.
Warning... if I am just coming off a break, my game is at it's peak.
Good blog
Peace, J