Poker Genetic Study - Part 1B. Results & Opinions of a Criminology Scientist & Poker Players on Part 1A

Monday, April 12, 2010

Poker Genetic Study - Part 1B. Results & Opinions of a Criminology Scientist & Poker Players on Part 1A

The last post on poker and genetics being “Do out genetics contribute to our mental skills and abilities in poker?” had quite a response. Those that responded included poker professionals, poker personalities, a person that has a PhD in criminology and of course the average poker player. A discussion was also aired on WTF Poker with Hannah Elisabeth discussing how her poker genetics date back to before anyone contemplating contribution were born.

The answers given by most people were pretty much the same as what I had also determined prior to the article and start of this study. Most people who contributed to the study agreed that poker mental skills and abilities arise from both genetic makeup as well as hearing poker as a second language.

I will place the opinions that were written in this follow up on Part 1A prior to delving in deeper to which parts of our poker game and poker brain are passed on through our genetics and which parts are passed on from poker as a second language and any other factors which may contribute.

WATERHORSE believes:

“I believe with money behind you and the right training and attitude you can become a great poker player. You will need money behind you if you want to be great. Can't do it on fresh air.”

In saying this he also taught his step daughter how to play poker at the ripe old age of 11 and also how to hustle LOL. “Bekki played crap our 1st game like I told her to. And while she was getting us a drink I made I private bet with him that I could teach her this game and before the week she would win him heads up. £100 bet he accepted without a 2nd thought. We played another game which I dropped out leaving them both heads up. Keith thinking she still needed to learn the game wasn’t worried until she had busted him down to a chip n a chair.”

It is unknown if Bekki has a background of poker players in her family, it is known that waterhorse is obviously a great teacher and that Beckki picked up quickly from listening to him talk poker as a second language.

MCITY42NY comments:

"I only wish I got interested in NL holdem a long time ago, all my uncles and cousins and relatives have been playing stud for years and it didn’t interest me, but the pile of money on the table did. I didn’t even know about holdem until a couple years ago. I have the perfect mental skills, abilities and genetics for the game, and love to learn more and more about it. I learned Holdem feb09 in a home game and soon as I got a taste I knew poker was for me. Now all I need is to build a bankroll."

It is apparent that MCITY42NY has poker in his blood but was not exposed to poker lingo – or also called poker as a second language. In saying this, he has knocked out 2587 bounties learning the game so genetics is obviously playing a part in his game; as well as an awesome teacher which appears to be himself!

LoganWon who has a PhD in criminology states:

“Science has proven that people have a genetic hardwiring that is passed down from ones parents and grandparents. Most people do not realize that you only get 1/4 of your DNA from each parent. The other 50% is split 4 ways between your grandparents. My dad was a great poker player and so was his dad. My grandfather on my mom’s side was very good also. So I got 75% good DNA to be a card player."

"If anyone is at the WSOP this year, wear SC gear and we can talk. I already have my buy-in money ready!” I asked directly: “Do you think it was just DNA that contributed to your mental skills and abilities or do you think it was poker "talk" also Logan? I guess it came hand in hand if poker was played that much in your family!”

“While working on my PhD in Criminology I sharpened my skills concerning taking motivation into account. You are always asking the question, "Why would somebody do this or that?" Being around people talking about cards also helped a lot.”

This makes it evident that Logan is also a person that has been passed a high percentage of poker genes but that also that talking poker helps a lot. Again this brings me to dissecting the human brain to determine which parts of our game are from what part of our “genetic makeup and also upbringing”.

CAKSTX believes:

“Yes DNA and IQ topped with family card games as a kid ,equals good math skills ,top with great reading abilities can make for a monster on a no limit table ,but u have to learn the patience and well timed aggression on your own like many other life lessons. With that being said my dad and I and whom ever else was home played hearts every night after dinner finding who had the Q of spades became easy for me, and I use those skills along with 20 years of door 2 door sales exp. to my advantage in life.”

It now becomes evident that some skills come from neither genetics nor poker as a second language. I hadn’t thought of this before and thank CAKSTX for pointing this out.

Buyacka9 stated:

“yep poker is in the genes per say and it’s also a learned behaviour, my dad was a big gambler, he played every card game know to man, dominoes, warry (an island game), shot dice, bet on horses, boxing ect ect. I lived with him from age 0-13 and saw all the gambling. I started living with my mom age 13-19 and she always told me she didn’t want me to be a gambler like my dad, I stayed away for years, 2 years ago my friend "mike" show me how to shoot dice, I never learnt because I grew up in Miami and saw ppl get killed on the corner shooting dice so I didn’t even wanna learn. After my boy taught me I was a natural, then almost 2 years ago I taught myself how to play poker since I always watch it on sports centre and never knew what was going on, and now I have my dad style and he don’t even know I play poker.”

Indeed Buacka9 can play poker too! He has 4070 people he has knocked out of tourneys on one site alone.

WATERHORSE has 6193 bounty knockouts, LoganWon has 3,375. Indeed these people all play and are qualified to participate via comments about their own life on what they believe, specifically those who have been around a lot longer than most players. I thank all of the SpadeClub community that have contributed and those who found my article interesting and commented on or offline.

Hannah Elisabeth from WTF Poker has poker in her genes from well before any of our lives started and again; discussed it on air with me. She alike me agrees that genetics and poker as a second language both input to our mental skills and abilities using Annie Duke as the perfect example. Add in factor number 3 being other outside of the family influences such as “CASTX’s” door to door sales job. Factor number 4 is clearly one’s own learning and research in the game and you have a poker player made up of four clear factors.

1. Genetics
2. Poker as a second language
3. Outside family influences
4. Self teaching, research and playing the game!

So it seems that everyone does agree that our genetic makeup to some extent contributes to our mental skills and abilities as a poker player. There are obviously other contributing factors. I guess the next step is to work out “Just how much mental skill and ability comes from each of the four factors” and also “What parts of the brain are used for the game of poker” to do such a thing.

To determine precisely which parts of the brain does contribute we would have to do a multitude of brain function scans (in short) whilst people play poker to see which parts are activated. I think we can safely take a stab in the dark though and pin point these next post based on different sections of the brain that have been studied for other research purposes. This will of course not be accurate but will lead us in the right direction. Again; one would need a ton of funds to research this in-depth alike a research institute would. Any contributions via comments and emails again; are appreciated and a big thanks to those that have already said their piece! I will plod along and slowly but surely get my answers.

Next question - Part 2a - What parts of the brain are used for the game of poker? This will help us determine “How much mental skill and ability come from each of the four factors?”