Check out our brand new Local Poker Communities! Get updates and interact with poker players in your area.
Visit the United States Poker Community | Visit the California Poker Community | Read more about the Launch of P5s Local

competitive nature in poker

Reply to Thread
  1. gbmantis gbmantis is offline

    Waukesha, WI
    United States

    Posts: 7,413
    Joined: May 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:42am)

    I absolutely cant stand losing. It drives me nuts. Not just in poker but in everything. I'm so competitive. I've talked to a few different people on this topic. One person thinks its terrible for my game, the other thinks its why I'm so good.

    Do you guys think being super competitive is good or bad when it comes to poker?

    especially in HU
    1
  2. Bazuko Bazuko is offline

    Plano, TX
    United States

    Posts: 234
    Joined: Sep 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:46am) in reply to gbmantis

    I think being competitive is what makes you want to improve your game. But you gotta be able to play emotionless poker. Thats what it takes to be a winner, but I think you are doing a heck of a job at it in tourneys, but I have seen that competitiveness make you do some crazy stuff on HU cash games... Gl to you!
  3. GussyPetter GussyPetter is offline

    Dacula, GA
    United States

    Posts: 273
    Joined: Jun 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:47am) in reply to gbmantis

    Being super competive is great, it is being stubborn that gets me in trouble.
  4. MookMonster MookMonster is offline

    Manhattan, NY
    United States

    Posts: 5,170
    Joined: Oct 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:48am) in reply to Bazuko

    if u aint very comp. i dunno if u can ever be good...same goes for ego and confidence, if u dont think ur really good and dont have an ego-u may never reach ur height...

    They talk about people being cocky==EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE B3ST ATHLETES IS COCKY, that wat makes them so good
  5. BigBadDevil BigBadDevil is offline

    San Diego, CA
    United States

    Posts: 3,827
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:51am) in reply to gbmantis

    i think supercompetive produces the best poker players... but careful hajjo....

    If you're heads not in control of your emotions HU you could go on a big losing streak against an opponent.
  6. Squirrely1 Squirrely1 is offline

    Louisville, KY
    United States

    Posts: 418
    Joined: Apr 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:52am) in reply to gbmantis

    If you don't want to vomit every time you make a final table and don't win the tournament, then you need to find something else to do.
     
  7. Zota15 Zota15 is offline

    Orlando, FL
    United States

    Posts: 1,471
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:53am) in reply to Squirrely1

    Sorry squirrely, but im winning this 20 dollar right now
  8. JeniDaMoaner JeniDaMoaner is offline

    Fall City, WA
    United States

    Posts: 1,472
    Joined: Jul 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 4:11am) in reply to Zota15

    I think it can hurt you in cash and HU sngs, however i think its a key trait for most really good tounry players

    I remember ship it saying something bout he will never play a guy a third time ifs hes already lost 2 times to him or something of that sorts and i think thats what makes him so good his ego doesnt get in the way.
  9. weimoxer weimoxer is offline

    Lewis Center, OH
    United States

    Posts: 138
    Joined: Jun 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 9:01am) in reply to gbmantis

    When I was younger, (not that I am old), but I am talking 12-22, If I lost I would keep wanting to play until I finished being in the + in the win column (1-1 was not good enough), if not I would be up till 3-5am doing what it was I just lost at, was sorta sickening. I learned that you cant "win em all", and willing to accept it in smaller doses. Any elongated loosing streak still gets me soooooo pissed..

    Having a drive and competitve nature is the wheels in being the best, IMO, you just have to put it all together and get to your destination which is to win..

    I remember hearing when Barkley and Jordan where on the dream team, they were playing checkers, they went back and forth so many times like the game was for thier life, and that was one of many competitions between those two that would get heated during that trip. I wish I could find that story, but OBV being that competitive is a good thing to be great.

    Now knowing that both of them are huge gamblers, I am sure they probably had a substantial amount of $$ on the game that was not disclosed, but that shouldnt derail from their competitve nature, just the degenerate gambler inside, :).
  10. Miloman Miloman is offline

    United Kingdom

    Posts: 55
    Joined: Jul 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 9:35am) in reply to MookMonster

    In reply to MookMonster - you need to be competitive - yes, confident - yes, but cocky?- no. Cockiness is an ego inflated state of confidence and is actually dangerous to your game. Why? - because, firstly, cockiness breeds feelings of invincibility that are simply missplaced and often lead to you dropping your guard and getting beaten. It also instills a greater determination in your opponents to beat you and there have been plenty of articles written as to why this is not a great idea. You want to instill fear into your opponents - not loathing. Tiger Woods, Michael Johnson, Pele, Wayne Gretzky - all great athletes in their field. They are all confident, but all are fairly humble as well - no overt displays of cockiness - and all are legends.
  11. nagle107 nagle107 is offline

    Houston, TX
    United States

    Posts: 257
    Joined: Sep 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:41pm) in reply to Miloman

    LOL at Tiger Woods not being cocky
  12. Sluggle Sluggle is offline

    Minneapolis, MN
    United States

    Posts: 933
    Joined: Aug 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 3:58pm) in reply to gbmantis

    tuff_fish seems pretty competitive
     
  13. ratsauce89 ratsauce89 is offline

    San Lucas
    Mexico

    Posts: 1,069
    Joined: Jun 06

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 7:16pm) in reply to Miloman

    What about Terrell Owens hes the cockiest athlete i know of and he might be the most intimidating player in sports....
    641 
  14. EnoBaLL EnoBaLL is offline

    Posts: 310
    Joined: Oct 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 7:59pm) in reply to Sluggle

    AK utg no DOUBT
     
  15. apestyles apestyles is offline Moderator

    Vancouver
    Canada

    Posts: 5,087
    Joined: Sep 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 9:50pm) in reply to gbmantis

    I don't think its about a competitive nature at all. Players like Rizen don't seem emotionally effected when they get beat and he clearly knows what he is doing. I think your competitive nature pushes you to get better. So basically, I'd say that drive is where its really at, you need drive and confidence in ur game. Those things are correlated with a competitive nature but I think they are the real assets not just the need to win.

    I think a competitive nature is a double edged sword. I'm personally very competitive and although it motivates me it also makes me do stupid things. For instance, if someone outplays me I gun for them and usually end up dumping my chips to them. That can't be +ev. On the other hand, what got me into poker (and chess) was getting owned by my friends. I specifically remember my roomate showing me a bluff for a huge pot and I decided that he was never going to get the best of me again. I couldn't take losing so I read every book and played non-stop...
     282 12 

    apestyles is an instructor at PocketFives Training . To get more of his advice and to watch his training videos, click here.

  16. BigGunX BigGunX is offline Mr OT Party

    Williamsburg, VA
    United States

    Posts: 21,287
    Joined: Feb 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 9:59pm) in reply to apestyles

    ^^^^ what he said. I'm 100% the same way.
     
  17. tiltyjoker tiltyjoker is offline

    Asbury Park, NJ
    United States

    Posts: 3,337
    Joined: Jun 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 10:10pm) in reply to BigGunX

    I think being super competitive is a good thing..... What's so bad about "gunning" for a guy that; outplayed/sucked out on you. Go make his life hell!!!!! =p I remember Stu Unger saying that when he sat down at the table and forced himself to hate the other people at the table. He would look for something and if he couldnt see something he would make something up. The guy seriously wanted to "tear their hearts out" but instead just settled for taking their all their chips.
     
  18. BigGunX BigGunX is offline Mr OT Party

    Williamsburg, VA
    United States

    Posts: 21,287
    Joined: Feb 05

    Jul 19th, 2006 (7/19/2006 10:21pm) in reply to tiltyjoker

    and for ingesting every drug known to man.
     
Reply to Thread