[Bowmania]

Hello,

I am just wondering how many people consider themsleves good poker players.

I have a theory that top poker players would be good entrepreneurs. They may not be able to do the work but I think they would be able to understand entrepreneurship.

I say this because I think it takes a high concept of reality, knowing people and figuring out the odds to be a really good entrepreneur and poker player.

Tell me what you think!

Cheers,

Casey

[justin8]

I play very regularily and am very good at it. I am also thinking of opening an online poker store in the near future. I really like the game, it has a wide appeal.

[jimmiejo]

I think both poker and entrepreneurship are strategic "games". You take risks in both of them; you have to "know when to fold 'em" in both; and the rewards of playing the right hand/creating the right business at the right time, can be massive.

The main difference is the amount of time invested. The trendy poker tournaments you see on tv can have players playing almost a whole day, non stop. In the entrepreneur world, that might be done everyday, not just for a tournament. The amount of energy, both physical and mental, is much more significant in entrepreneurship that poker.

Another factor is luck. People think luck is something entrepreneurs have developed or were born with, and poker players are going home empty handed without luck on their side. That's not so. Entrepreneurs, through their planning and operations, have developed a strategy; a path that they might not be aware of which will lead them to success or failure. It's the same for poker players (great ones at least). They enter a game with a strategy and style that allows them to compete and walk away even or up most of the time. These are people, who much like entrepreneurs define a goal, develop a strategy to achieve that goal, and practice to eliminate all the possible things that could go wrong (same thing as a business plan).

Honestly, I think pursuing a career in gambling is one of the fastest ways to dig a hole. Even if you are a good poker player, there's always someone out there better than you. And that person only needs to meet you once to win everything you've worked for in your life. And just the worldview towards gambling (which I'll admit, is changing for the better), can really hurt you in other areas of life, such as relationships.

I could go on forever about this, so iin short, I see poker as a trendy hobby, not a career, that will fade out of the spotlight in a couple years. Entrepreneurship is what makes every single thing we see, use, do, want, have. It'll be around forever.

Mark Cuban said something to the effect of, everyone thinks you're lucky if your successful. You're not. It's a matter of you only have to be right once. And that one time that you are right, will be the result of all of your previous strategic actions and planning.

[Sarafina]

Very interesting comparison between poker and entrepreneurship jimmiejo.

I'm a good poker player although I no longer play for money. I enjoy strategic games (chess, football, poker) so my involvement with poker isn't to foreign.

I agree poker right now is very fashionable and it's presence will fade. I played poker before it was the 'in' thing and will continue to afterwards.

I agree with you that top poker players and entrepreneurs share similar characteristics. High risk tolerance, latitude of creativity, high energy.

Do you play Casey?

[Bowmania]

I have actually only played 4 times, but I have won 3 of those times. I just played with friends, I made $70 though, no too shabby.

[JimiHendrix]

I play poker a lot, and like Sarafina pretty much any game of strategy, especially chess. Great analysis by JimmieJo on poker vs. entrepreneurship.

[Steve]

Oddly enough I don't fully agree. I think your average entrepreneur makes a bad poker player.

Although, it is a game of reading people and pushing your position, the best poker players have a negative outlook. Where as many entrepreneurs have a very positive outlook.

What does that lead too, chasing!!!!!!

In poker, as you push a bad position and you loose big.

[skatewhale]

Pokers depends more on their lucky charm, while entrepreneurs depend more on their own abilities
Top pro entrepreneurs and pro poker players both are taking huge amount of risks. And having lots of fun too

[gambit]

I play Poker, monopoly and chess. I play some other games but these are my main ones.

I used tactics and strategy in business as well. For example, in Poker, I used bluffs in the game as well as in business.

In chess, I learn about positioning and tactics. I learn to position my self for greater advantage. I take advantage of opportunities just like chess tactics.

Monopoly is more like investing. Where you focus on investing. I tend to focus on orange and red because that's where the people usually land on.

These are just example. I have a lot more tactics and strategy I used both in the games and in life.

[Bowmania]

I like your choice of games Gambit, those are also my favorite. I would have to add Risk to the list though, love that game!


Cheers,

Casey

[Outta Hand]

I enjoy playing poker, monopoly, chess but the game i really like to play is the game of making deals and forging new alliances with other like-minded people.

Poker is a skill game, controlling emotion and figuring out the best reads of people and in business this is similar.