Life is full of surprises and so is the game of poker. The similarity between poker and life is uncanny. While in life, we have a lot of ups and downs and no day is the same, in poker too, every game is different from another. While one game can make you rise, another can take you down in a blink of an eye. Moreover, sometimes it is not even in our control.
However, like poker, in life too we need strategies, tricks, and tips to succeed in the long run. The more we learn poker, the more we learn about life. Let’s understand how the game of poker is so much like the “game” of life.
Practice to master
Just how in life, as we get older and more experienced, we are better able to master the art of living, in poker too, practice enhances your skills of playing better. Only when you play your hand carefully, take the risk, confront the challenges, will you be able to win or lose. However, if you do not take the first step of learning, you will not be able to master at all, neither life nor poker. Thus, learning is an ever-evolving process, not a one-stop destination.
The virtue of patience
There is a famous quote about life – “good things come to those who wait”. If you think about it, don’t you think it is equally applicable to the game of poker? Sometimes when we think we have good cards, we are in a hurry to play them. However, in this rush, we often forget to consider our opponents’ cards, hence, losing the pot. But if you are patient and do not play hurriedly, rather evaluate everything before playing your cards, even if it means to wait for a little while, there are higher chances of you winning the pot.
Not always fair
No matter how much we try but sometimes life does not go as planned. Similarly in poker, sometimes we have good cards, we play patiently, we try our best to win but we are unable to. It can be disappointing but that is where the role of emotions management comes into play. Once we understand our emotions, we are able to regulate them better. Once we understand that there can be rejections but we must not back down, we will be able to play better, in the game as well as in life.
To play or not to play
Decision making is an important skill, which is needed in poker and in life. Whether you are playing poker tournaments or cash games, your every decision counts. One decision of whether to fold, check, raise, or call can turn the whole game around. Moreover, you have to decide based on whatever there is. Similarly, in life also, you have to make decisions based on the current information and your meticulous observations. The idea is not to avoid your challenges but to confront them by making better decisions. Only then will you be able to obtain good or positive results in life.
In conclusion, if you play poker or know even a little about the game, you will realize how similar it is to our lives. The more you play the game, the more you learn about life. Sometimes we bluff too, which can help us win in the short run. However, too much bluffing can often backfire. Thus, it is crucial to know when and how to bluff and how to use your strategies in the right way.
