Calm, Cool, Collected – The Real Traits Of A Winning Poker Player

New study shows that emotional stability is key to success in poker.

Calm, Cool, Collected - The Real Traits Of A Winning Poker Player
© World Poker Tour.

When the two-outer hits on the river, the demeanor of a professional poker player is usually apparent.

The best in the world don’t berate other players, fall to the ground or complain about variance. OK, maybe Phil Hellmuth does. In general though, according to a newly published study from the University of Helsinki, the real pro is as calm and unflappable as they come.

The results indicate that a predisposition for emotional stability—that is, lower scores on emotionality—is linked to high levels of poker experience. Thus, in order to become a successful and experienced poker player, it helps to be able to “keep cool” under pressure.

Pacific Standard online also notes that the study also determines that those poker payers who play mostly online are, not shockingly, likely to be introverts while those who play live for a living score higher on “extroversion and openness to experience.”

Either way though, if you plan on making poker your primary source of income, you better learn how to keep those emotions in check.

“Higher emotional stability predisposes poker players to continue playing poker,” it writes, “whereby they are likely to accumulate poker experience and skill.”

Read: The Personality Of A Poker Player

21+ in OH. Please play responsibly. For help, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or 1-800-GAMBLER.
published 9 years, 6 months ago • by • permalink

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