Free Poker Strategy Coaching Lessons

Free Poker Strategy Coaching Lessons

There is debate after debate after debate over the game of poker every day. We all think differently about the game and play differently too! No 2 players play the same and no 2 hands are the same, this make the game so hard to make a mark in. As it gets more and more competitive players are turning to coaches and books. Here is my thought on that! Get free coaching, free strategy and free poker lessons!

Think back to the days when you were learning the most basic aspects of the game. What did you do? You asked people and they told you what you wanted to hear. They told you how the game was played, what the best hands were, how to know when you have to put blinds out and what community cards are. You may have gone a little further and read the basic rules of poker on the internet.

From this point, you may have gone on to watch some players play some big pots and win some big tournaments such as the WSOP. You may have watched poker on TV for hours on end as you fell in love with the game. Furthermore, there may have been some additional things you wondered about in which case you jumped onto the internet and did a little search. You may have been curious of how much money people win or what the best sites to play on were.

Each time you have a poker question or want to know about your game you turn to someone or something. Usually that someone or something is a free source, even if that free source is simply to complain about a bad beat you copped or ask- what would you have done? In poker we are all each others free source. The issue is you ask 5 people for advice and they all give a different answer. Let's keep in mind unless it is an answer that does not contain variables this will happen every time.

There are so many people out there providing coaching and writing books. This can all add up to a fair amount of money for a new player. It can add up to a fair amount of money for a more advanced player as well. The books on poker mathematics as an example, these are far from "cheap".

I have a suggestion for you all - go for free advice, free lessons, free coaching and free strategy! Anything you find in a book you will find on the internet when it comes to strategy from the most basic to advanced levels. All opinions will differ that you read, but so do all poker books. There is no difference; ok there is a difference!!!! The internet costs you $0.

When it comes to coaching, are you better off with 1 coach or 20 coaches? Partaking in discussions in forums, asking your questions will get some quality answers. Its really as easy as typing to someone on the other side of the world as to type on a forum "sorry I dont understand what you mean!" Everyone who plays poker talks poker is the point, most of them type poker too. Get discussing, make yourself in the position where you have multiple sources for personalized information; free.

There are also many free coaches around, free until you win big! Lets face it though, if you do win big you can then smile as you hand over 10k! So what!?! You still have 90k! Get a Pro Bono coach to help you on your way, or rather - give you lessons. Many people will analyse your game before taking you on, a student must suit the lesson giver as much as the lesson giver must suit the student.

Its really easy to find what you want. Type a question and press enter or search for free strategy, free poker lessons, free coaching. If you would rather pay or are after a certain book then sure go ahead and buy them, but know that this is one persons opinion and you; again; can have 20!

What are you waiting for???? Get out there and start studying - poker study should be as important as playing the game itself for you and you have no time to waste! Get those graphs going up now! Be sure to make your own plan of what poker curriculum you plan to learn and study before you get started though otherwise you will be going around in circles. Structure it for yourself to work in perfectly for each study session!

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Poker Tell Detection Scientifically and Psychologically

Poker Tell Detection Scientifically and Psychologically

My last post was all about reading people eyes for lies. It explained which way the eyes moved when a person was thinking a certain way. It explained how to tell, through the eyes if someone was fabricating a story. Over the years I have done extensive research on how to spot a liar through their body movements. So really I should have started with that as a post for anyone out there who is switching from online to live poker play.

Why, you ask; did I ever study to become somewhat a human lie detector? My foremost "job" before poker is an analyst. My first position held was with the Australian Defense force working with a civil company called Communications Design and Management. I was thrown into deep water at the age of 18 to get in depth information on the Armies current communications support systems before implementing a new one and watching all the current workers get sacked. My tell detection and study started here.

The communications support team that was in place before we were thrown in to take over knew what was happening. They knew the longer that it took for me personally to get the information, the longer they were in a job. They also knew if I couldnt get the information they were home free. In addition they knew that there were un-notated government assets all over the base that they could take with them. My job was to get a grip on what they were doing and how their systems worked, where the data and physical assets were kept and how the systems were monitored ....and how to use the current system before I shut it down and put the new one in place as they walked out the door.

As you can imagine this was one tough job. There as little effort to give assistance and stand over tactics certainly were out of the question. The only was I was getting my information was to be more deceptive then they were and to detect every lie I possibly could as i interrogated them day after day on the happenings of the current system and flipped through paper work and buildings for hard evidence and knowledge.

One of the first things I remember reading about as I tried with frustration at the highest level possible to extract the necessary information was how the brain worked when they were telling lies to me. I learned from my reading that 1 part of the brain is used when you are telling the truth where as 3 parts are used when you lie. I also learned that one who lies covers with another lie and another lie and another lie until they can't lie anymore and they trap themselves at a dead end. A person who is telling the truth is straight to the point and has little to say. There is also telling tales by omission, telling the truth but not all of the truth, simply not giving the full story. In this case the brain works the same as when one doesn't lie at all. That's when you really need to weed out the info.

There are always the people around that are brilliant at telling tales, or rather hiding the truth. Poker players are obviously good at hiding the truth especially when they batten down the hatches, close their mouth, have on their sunglasses and hats / hoodies to cover their face and stay as still as they can. Weeding out info can be very dangerous when it comes to this situation in poker, but at the same time very profitable - dependable on how skilled the other player your against is and also how good your reading skills are when it comes to picking up tells on them and placing them in a memory bank.

Body Movement Tells Defined Scientifically

When a poker player is on a big bluff, unless a genius, he will have more movements then if he has a monster hand. Let's look at an example and we can see why I say this:

If he is on a monster hand and has gone all in he is telling the truth and therefore only 1 part of his "lie section" of his brain is working - he is saying to himself "I have the hand, please call". This is the truth, he will likely be as still as a statue.

If the player is completely bluffing out his arse, he has 3 parts of his brain working, its been shown on MRI's. He will be fidgety, or move more even if he is staying as still as he can. There are very few brains that can avoid these movements. He simply can not concentrate on staying still as he is thinking far too much as he uses 3 parts of his brain. The movements occur as 3 parts of the brain are working to fabricate his hand strength (or tell a lie). He is saying to himself "I hope this bluff works, I am screwed if he calls me, am I giving away any information, shit I better stay still, what is he thinking? This could make or break me". As you can see the bluffer is thinking a lot! These thoughts make uncontrollable movements happen, moving in his seat, moving his head, nerves ticking, movement of the hands. He is thinking sit still, don't give away tells but he is thinking a lot of other things also.

Of course one can be highly skilled in bluffing and lying and not move at all - possibly they are zoning out of the situation and thinking of another hand they won with the nuts. This is a good hint for your own psychological control and a reason many players meditate and spend hours relaxing and zoning out of their thoughts into a state of almost unconsciousness. For some it comes naturally, for some it doesn't. Live poker is not all about skill of card play but psychological control also.

Reading Tells or Lies Through Seating Position of a Player

These are probably the most easiest tells to read. One wouldn't think so as the person is moving all around the place in a casual manner. The player is moving around, chilling out, having a beer - He sure as hell isn't in the make or break hand thats going to cost him masses of dollars.

Simply, if a player is bluffing he will move and sit the following ways:

He may lean back in his chair (move away from you)
Sit to the side of his chair
Keep his arms crossed
Keep his hands tightly folded in his lap.

Reading Tells Through the Voice

By the time we are in the all crucial hand with another player, we have usually spent some amount of time listening to their voice. If the voice suddenly changes pitch and speed, one can assume something is triggering this. Usually liars change their voice patterns suddenly when a lie cuts in. You need to remember that if someone has the nuts and is playing for a lot of money they will be nervous and their voice will change then to. There are also the players that will remain silent. Voice tells must be equipped with other tells. As noted above.

Combination tells are always the best method of read. For the record, the voice alike other body parts that give away tells are effected by whats called the autonomic nervous system. This is where the science comes into it for those wondering why I am making such remarks. When it comes to voice, if you ask a person a question and they are telling tales their body movements work in opposition to their answer. An example:

Q:"Do you have the nuts?"
A:"No" as they nod their head indicates they do
Q:"Do you have the nuts?"
A:"Yes why else would i go all in?" As they shake their head in a no gesture side to side.

Try it yourself, answer someone falsely (in good taste of course) and as you are speaking to them your head movements will indicate your voice is spitting out lies! I did this to my partner just the other night lol. I asked if he liked the lasagne - He said "It was delicious" as he shook his head in a no gesture so casually, calmly and unknowingly that he was telling me no as his head shook left to right.

Reading Tells Through Smaller Movements & Self Reaction to The Person

These are gestures commonly associated with liars and bluffers:

They cover their mouth
They rub their eyes
They touch their nose
They scratch their neck
They touch their ears

If our gut tells us they are lying or bluffing yet they are perfectly still and not making any of these movements nor showing any of the other signs, the automated process of our autonomic nervous system does something very strange. We start what they should be doing. You will find that YOU do this when you have a very strong hand and your instinct tells you that you have them beaten. You will be the one touching your nose, neck, ear - whatever your system has you automatically do. Sometimes this can result in a liar being tricked into you being the liar or bluffer, whichever you may wish to call it.

A scenario - the bluffer is doing nothing to set of warning bells, there are no visual tells but you think he is bluffing, you are going to touch these notated areas of your body without realizing. If he is tuned into bluffs and tells and what to look for and you re-raise him, he may push all in thinking your also bluffing. This is obviously great for you and something to consider when analyzing a situation.

In short, any small change in a persons behavior indicates lies, bluffs and deceit.

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Reading Eyes for Poker Tells

Reading Eyes for Poker Tells

With many online players now switching to live play since Black Friday, I figured that they may need a little hand with a few things to prep them for live play.


My son triggered this post last night when I swore he was telling me tales. I looked deep into his eyes and asked him to tell me the truth. His eyes veered to the left as he replied "Tyrone said I could". Now that was one hellava lie! I knew Tyrone (his step dad) would never say he could. It made me think of the left eye movement and what it meant.



Usually I can tell when my kids are telling tales. I didn't need eye movement to tell me this kid was full of shit. I thought about poker (of course) during all of this, I came to the realization that many people alike me would know if their loved ones lied. What about players at the poker table though? Could people get tells from eye movements? Only one way to know. Get everyone who reads my blog to test it this theory.


Ok, so let me start with that left movement my son made, also called AC (Auditory Constructed).

I asked my son " Tell me who said you could do that, who gave you permission?", His eyes moved to the left (according to scientific facts) as this is the direction the eyes move as a person thinks about the question they have been asked as they "Auditory Construct" a sound that they have never heard. Of course Tyrone never would tell him "he could". He was at that very moment thinking of Tyrone actually saying it. This look is definitely a look of deception and make believe (remember that to YOU they will be looking the opposite direction - this is their face looking straight on:


I told my son he was grounded for telling me tales. Which brings me to AI (Internal Dialog). The next eye indicator.



He sat there talking to himself (kind of so I would hear but to himself non the less). He was cussing under his breath and whining how bad his life was. As he did this he looked down and to the right. This is the direction someones eyes move as they talk to themselves.

I suddenly found myself into this subject and went looking for my eye tell tale signs. Not because anyone was doing them, simply because I wanted to to educate myself on eye movement and lie detection. I knew it would certainly help me in the future at one time in my life, likely with the kids but also with poker!

The next eye movement tell would be (If I was continue what has become alphabetical) AR (Auditory Remembering).



If i asked (or you ask) your child to remember what his dads voice sounds like. The eyes will automatically move to the right as they think about the question and Auditory Remember the sound of the voice. Alike little AR below:


The next eye movement tell would be F (Feeling / Kinesthetic). Or in my words FAWK! I do F a lot since my house burnt down!



If you asked me "Can you remember the smell of your house when it was burning? ", my eyes would move down and to the left while thinking about the question as I used recalled that smell. F also applies to feeling, or taste. Remembering a feeling or taste my eyes would move the same way. Here is Mr Fawk:



Eye movements up and to the left, also known as VC (Visually Constructed Images) are next on the eye mapping agenda!



If you asked someone to "Imagine a green road with a pink lizard on it", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Visually Constructed" a green road with a pink lizard on it in their mind.

Lastly we have VR (Visually remembered) eye movements on the list. It is the last of the eye movements i could find.



If you asked anyone "What color was the first car that they owned?" or a child "What did the first pet they have look like?" the eyes would move up and to the right while they were thinking about the question as they "Visually Remembered" the color of the car or in the case of the child, remembered what the first pet looked like.



Lastly, other things to consider are:



Left-handed players would have the opposite meanings for their eye-directions, they would look the opposite way (typically). Make sure you know if a person is left handed otherwise you will confuse yourself!



If the a person is trying to remember something that was recent then his eyes may not go to any direction and just stay in the middle



Some people tend to remember by focusing and refocusing without having their eye move into any direction, you cant read anything in this case (ultimate poker eyes!)



The mind has hundreds of thoughts happening within at most times, many thoughts could run into the mind in one second and so the eye may move into any direction depending on one of these thoughts. This will give you false clues, and since you cant read the other person's thoughts you can get false results

As with other signs of lying, you should first establish and understand a persons behavior before concluding they are lying by the direction of their eyes.

Last thoughts, get sunglasses to avoid having your eyes read at a poker table.

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How to Get Poker Luck

How to Get Poker Luck

Most people will agree that poker is mostly a game of skill. Obviously there is a percentage of luck though. Both online and live poker players rely on some good cards, flops and seating arrangements and not just the skills they possess to help them get through to a victorious win.

It seems some players have a natural skill AND luck factor about them. We can all develop skill, there is no doubt about that. The more effort we put into study and playing, the more our poker skills increase. Some players just have the worst luck ever though. It seems no matter what they do they can not get good cards, they run badly, the flops are against them and these spurts can run for what seems eternity. Other players on the opposite scale of the luck factor have nothing but premium hands and perfect flops. How can this be? Do they bring luck on themselves or are they actually naturally lucky?

Many people try different things at poker tables to induce luck. Some people have their lucky card protectors, lucky charms and try to get their lucky seat. Other players have rituals they perform at tables such a bending cards a certain way, moving seats at certain times and praying to the poker gods.

When it comes to pre game luck inducing, again rituals come into practice for some people. They eat certain foods, prepare themselves mentally by doing certain things at certain places and bring along their lucky songs on their trusted ipods and mp3 players. Others go that little bit further though when it comes to bringing themselves luck. Few do it, but - I was told just the other day there are some! I went and further looked and asked, and surprisingly there are actually more people that do the following things than I anticipated. Call it crazy, I don't know? I have decided to try some of this myself and see the outcome. It can not hurt right?

Power of positive thought: This i one thing used commonly amongst poker players. It is used at the tables and before hand. It is used mostly for mental conditioning but also used for luck factor in poker. People use the power of positive thought to try and push some sort of holding luck when their flops, turns and rivers hit the board. They also positively think about how much luck they will have in the game that's coming up.

Manifestation: Players manifest their dream, goal and wins. They manifest the glory, the start, the end, the money. They try to use their mind to make it happen. They believe in sending it out into the atmosphere - sending their thoughts of the win. The mediate on this, focus on this and block everything out. They use posters, songs, videos, words such as "I will have nothing but good luck, I will get good cards, I will win the tournament, I will be victorious." During this process of manifestation they also use vision and make the visions a big part of it. They "see" in their minds the cards, the win, the cash. By visions, I mean they PUT the pictures in their head and focus on them.

Spells: Players (i am guessing not many) have the option if taking this spiritual thing a little further and trying some luck spells. Not something I ave done, but may be worth a try - its all hocus pocus to most but; who knows - it may work? I looked around and there are many luck spells. I couldn't believe it! If your zany enough i guess you could give it a try if your luck factor is dead. Here are a few i found!

1. Just say these words when the moon is full:

"Lady of luck come out of your hidden course

bless your light upon me as the light of the moon shines above

and in the light of luck will be blessed I, when the moon is next to be full "

2. Wondering magic bring to me, in this life the luck I need,

so all my angles can be seen, and thus fulfill my every dream,

combined earth and fire, bring forth my hearts desire,

guardians of the sea, keep all harm from me.

This should be done while lighting 4 candles 1 at each side of u repeat the

above words 3 times to bring good luck and obtain your hearts desire.

3. Gather 7 mall pieces or turquoise.

Place the stones under a full moon, to soak up the light for seven hours.

Take the stones into your hands, and say:

Luck be quick, luck be kind,

By lucky seven, good luck be mine.

Place stones into green bag, & carry with you wherever you go.

Throw a stone into a moving body of water, stating your desire, anytime you feel the

need for a little good fortune.

These are obviously just 3 of the many out there, written by goodness knows who!

Crystals and Stones: Evident-ally it seems that with spells comes lucky charms. Stones and other kinds of luck materials and objects. It is written, if you need luck in gambling that Aventurine and Tourmaline are what you are looking for! seems like I need some new jewelry if this is true!

So the last thing i am going to mention for luck I just came across whilst reading. Its luck potions. Again possibly worth a try! The way my lucks running, I am going to be whackily trying it all (or sensibly if it actually works).

Luck Potion for Beginners: Lemon juice and sugar, one table spoon of each in a small glass of water, add a quartz crystal to catalyze and activate in sunshine for about ten minutes. For beginners it helps to put a piece of paper under the glass with "Luck Potion for (your name)!!" written on it. You need to drink it all in one go (don't drink the crystal, obviously!). Depending on the person, it lasts for about a week. Top up if you need to. And wearing something yellow helps as well.

Thats all for investigative little me! Best of luck on the poker tables and with your luck enhancing ways! Good luck with d luck potion :-)

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Poker Manifestation Positive Thought and Determination

Poker Manifestation Positive Thought and Determination

"Come to momma chippies!"

A few days before the new year set in I wrote about the year that had been. I decided that ultimate focus on my regime was a must for 2011 and also a few great poker wins. 2010 really sucked for me win wise, and although I had a fabulous 2011 in focus, I decided to hit out 2010 with a bang! I was so down with a huge downswing in my game and terrible choices when it came to making decisions at the table that I made it a must to WIN an MTT before 2010 ended. This would see me step into 2011 a happy and focused poker player on an upswing with the thought in my head

"Come to momma chippies!"

Instead of "here we go again with another loss!"

This decision is what made me realize I could do it! If i set my mind to it I could do anything! That's something that I had always believed in but somehow lost in 2010. I told my good friend Michael and my partner Tyrone - I am going to win this! Tyrone seemed pessimistic (and for good reason based on my results) and Michael said you can do it! Although negativity is something no-one needs, tyrones blasphemous comment made me more determined. i love to prove him wrong!

I made an effort to keep in the top 10 for the most part of the tournament and brought myself to a level of "zone" over and over i kept declaring that "I was taking it down." Unfortunately part way through I copped a bad, bad beat leaving me 2nd last with only 900 chips. Tyrone was sure that he was right and that i was going to be moody after this. I refused to give up. There were less then 20 players to go. A few double ups was all it was going to take and I was back! A lot of double ups actually! The leader was on 40,000 chips!

I sat, I faught back, hand after hand after hand. With 4 players to go, I knocked 2 out in one hand and found myself heads up in an awkward position. I had a 5.5:1 chip deficit headsup. The leader was on 110,000 chips by memory, I had 19,000. I refused to give up, I had come this far! I had made my mind up and i was NOT going to lose!

The ball was in my court to play the best headsup game I ever had to take this tourney down. Lucky for me I had focused on headsup play for the last few months of 2010! A few traps and a lot of agression afterwards and the tourney was mine! I had never cheered so much in my entire poker life. It was now December 31st 2010 and I had won an MTT! The last for the year as manifested and planned. The win wasnt big and the field far from enormous, regardless I did what i had planned to!

At the same time I won a $50 double up and a $20 bounty tourney where I knocked out 7 bounties. I could not have asked for a better start for 2011 when it came to my lower stakes poker game!

So, to summarise, there is the meaning of my blog title I now have my mind set on Poker New year Happiness. I know that we can all set out to do something and DO IT! Manifest it and make it happen! That is my plan, just do it, zone myself and DO IT! 2011 is going to be a fabulous year for me in poker, I can feel it!

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What's A Poker Teleseminar?

What's A Poker Teleseminar?

Recently pokerteleseminars.com opened their online doors for business. This has left many people wondering what a poker teleseminar is. I thought seeing as though I was the next guest speaker I would put an explanation in my blog about what the benefits of poker teleseminars are as well as the main features of a poker teleseminar.


There are countless; thousands of teleseminars on the internet daily on various subjects and topics covering all walks of life. Seminars can be found on metaphysical subjects, fishing, camping, hunting, technology, internet and computer use, gardening, grief, you name it! You can find a teleseminar on any topic you like and this now includes poker!

A teleseminar is 100% LIVE training in the topic of choice. The seminars have guest speaker (trainers, teachers and educators) that are specialists in their areas of topic. For gardening you may find Don Burke a famous Aussie gardener talking about the art of keeping bugs out of your garden as an example. Pokerteleseminars.com have used the same concept but for poker.

Basically participants (in my words students) of the topic go to the seminar hosting site, enter their details and prepare for the live training which is held at a certain time and a certain day. They can participate as a student via the internet (web) or via telephone by ringing in. The trainer / guest speaker or teacher will be available at the organized time to cover curriculum and educate the participants on the chosen topic. In the case of my up and coming seminar, I will be discussing "The Art of Getting Sponsored" or gaining sponsorship in the many ways and forms it can be achieved by poker players.

Being 100% live training the students in the seminar have the ability to ask questions during question time. If they have participated in the seminar via telephone they simply push a button and it indicates to the host and co-coordinator they have placed their hand in the air to ask a question to the guest speaker / teacher. They then ask the question directly to the educator / trainer / teacher (whatever you would like to call them) and the question is answered for everyone to hear. There is also the option of submitting a question prior to the seminar on the topic via an "ask a question box" or during it; by typing the question in.

Seminars are held in halls and costs sometimes thousands of dollars to be trained in your particular field or topic of interest. Making an online seminar your choice of training gives you all the same benefits with the only difference being you are not face to face. There is no travel involved and no need to organize the pets, kids or motel room. What's more you can attend a seminar every week by various speakers on your subject of choice rather then once a year. This makes a teleseminar perfect for high level and quantity education purposes at a limited cost to you or me the students!

When I first looked at pokerteleseminars; to be honest i thought I could learn nothing from it. After attending seminars on other topics across the net and the pokerteleseminar held last week with guest speaker Tony Hachem on the "The Art of Consistency" I realized it is more then sure to work for everyone involved, particularly the students! My thoughts have indeed changed.

Anyway; this should explain a poker teleseminar I hope! It is something that even some pro's have added into their training schedule, after all - poker takes a life time to master even if it only takes a day to learn. With each and every pro in the world having awesome skills in very different areas; pokerteleseimnars will deliver more then any strategy book or video available anywhere. You have the best of the best teaching the best aspect of their game. From the smallest of Pro's through to our world champions! best of luck with your game and happy learning if you happen to participate in a poker teleseminar.

The official home of pokerteleseminars can be found by clicking this: POKERTELESEMINARS 100% LIVE TRAINING

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

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?”

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The Poker Genetic Study - Part 1A. Do our genetics contribute to our mental skills and abilities in poker?

The Poker Genetic Study - Part 1A. Do our genetics contribute to our mental skills and abilities in poker?

It has often been noted to me that poker is in the blood. Thinking back many years at my Great Grandmother Ballard’s Post Christmas Lunch table they were playing draw poker for coins (3 tables actually – we have a big family and could basically make up half the Aussie Millions contenders if we made an effort. My cousins may correct me but I believe I have around 280 of them LOL). There was no doubt they all loved their cards, it wasn’t just poker they played but all kinds of games.

I think of the post xmas lunches and then think of the city I live in and my relatives that are in it. I have quite a few of my cousins and uncles etc that live here. I rarely see them. When I do, it’s usually head to head at a poker table or briefly as we pass ways at my mums. My sister Roe plays poker too. She is only just 18 but plays pretty good for someone who has never delved beyond an online freeroll game. Then there are my kids ......

My question to me and everyone else as I think deeply on this subject Carrie Bradshaw style (Sex in the City writer who has a personality somewhat like mine) is:

Do our genetics contribute to our mental skills and abilities as a poker player?

Let me start by saying some names. Brunson, Hachem, Shulman, Mizrachi, – got the picture? It seems that poker runs in families. There is no doubt. You are either a black sheep or you fit right in. Well in my case I fit right in! With half of my clan anyway! Hello relatives who frequently read my posts! Xoxo

Anyway, back to the question – is it genetics? You know that’s a hard one to answer! Without in-depth scientific analysis, study and huge research which I clearly can’t afford to do I will never know. But what I do know is that it can only be one of 2 things. Genetic makeup or the daddy see, daddy do theory; or in other words poker as a second language. One of these things is what contributes to our natural skills and abilities as poker players. Maybe it is both?

I started thinking deeply about this a few months back when I was playing a home game of poker with my kids. It was them that begged me. They begged not only me but my boyfriend, my friend, they wanted a game with the “winner takes the bragging rights” and that’s all there was to it! So we played!

My children were talking like men in a strategy meeting. I was shocked! When you have a 12 year old, 11 year old and a 10 year old talking outs, probabilities, positioning it really gets kind of trippy, trust me on that one! Needless to say these kids have brilliant poker faces amidst their bursts of laughter at the obvious confusion of the adults that they are playing. I was hustled. There is no doubt; I was hustled for my home game bragging rights by a pack of minors. They cashed in their bragging rights in order of age, oldest to youngest with all of us adult poker players speechless.

My ex husband (he is surely going to read this ooops) is a gambler. Saturday he is betting on horses and raises 5 times the big blind on a cash table because his hole cards are 2 and 6 (his favourite hand) and he feels lucky is about his poker standard. If my children have poker in their blood it isn’t because of him, that’s for sure!

To add to this analysis my daughter is 5 years old and knows hand rankings, how to look at her cards, when to bet and when to raise (she isn’t too technical of course; she is very young). If poker was in her genetic makeup I believe that at her age she still wouldn’t have a clue on any of these things unless she learnt it alike children learn foreign languages. The same applies to my older kids and their talk on odds, positioning, probabilities and what not. Even if poker was in their genetic makeup they can’t just know these terms. They have soaked them in like a sponge.

When I look at the relatives in my over populated extended family that play poker it is immediate family groups that all play. In example: Uncle Ray, his son Box and Boxes son Little Box all rock at poker. On the other hand I have a string of cousins that don’t even know what a poker table is.

It appears from this brief research (and likely first research) that not only is poker in genetic make-up (as poker runs throughout whole families) but also that a poker players skills and abilities can be greatly attributed to by soaking in strategy at a very young age through the daddy see, daddy do theory.

In saying all of this I often wonder where I fit into the equation. No one in my immediate family plays poker except for my little sister Roe. My mum has no clue, my dad has no clue, my two brothers have no clue. Sure they have played once or twice but they are blackjack players. It is likely Roe soaked up poker as a second language from being around me too much alike my kids; as from what I know her dad didn’t play.

One thing is certain. Each and every family member that I have that plays poker has poker associated personality traits. They are good with money, they love a bit of a punt, they are patient, they all kind of have loud and outspoken personalities and they can all be very intimidating (I won’t continue on these pointers right now).

My question isn’t fully answered so I will continue to conduct research in an attempt to answer the question on genetic factors relating to a person’s poker ability. It appears after quick look in google there has been no previous genetic research on humans and poker. You can now classify this blog as Poker Down Under and Every Where Else Including the Deep in the Human Brain. Poker players have a right to know, genetics plays a big part in many sports on earth and one where you use your brain, body and soul is a necessity for research.

I am adding a page to my blog after passing / Easter called “HAC Poker Genetic Research Institute” or HPGRI in short J If anyone is interested in participating in my research on this topic or has some information, study notes or articles of interest related to it; please contact me via email on hotauschick@gmail.com you will be given credit!

I hope you enjoyed my first research article.

Copyright 2010. ~Danielle Adams-Benham Hot Aussie Chick Blog Spot. All Rights Reserved.

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