There is an inherent wisdom in the words of the world’s most successful gamblers and poker players.
Gamblers have brains that are programmed differently than the regular Joe, relying on their life experiences, wit and unconventionality to get them through the day and succeed in such harsh waters.
Here are six of my favorite pearls of wisdom, along with the possible logic behind these select famous (at least in gambling circles anyway) words.
“There is more to poker than life.” — Tom McEvoy, 1983 World Series of Poker champion
Probable interpretation: A play on words off the popular “There is more to life than (insert topic here.)” Poker is a constant game without an end. Its limits are human, which means the game is unfortunately over when things such as sleep, a cousin’s wedding day and that troublesome day job get in the way from time on the felt.
“I guess if there were no luck involved, I’d win every one.” — Phil Hellmuth, poker Hall of Famer
Probable interpretation: The 11-time World Series of Poker champion believes he is the best no-limit Hold ’Em player on the planet, especially when it comes to tournament play. Even though poker is a skill game, luck has an unavoidable presence.
“What good is money if you can’t bet with it?” — Jack Strauss or Johnny Moss, poker Hall of Famers
Probable interpretation: It’s unclear which of these two late poker legends said it first, but both played the game according to this commandment. Elite poker players are able to distance themselves from the value of the dollar. If they didn’t, they would never have the killer instinct needed to bet a sum that could purchase a new home or card on a single hand of play. Keep in mind that Moss and Strauss also experienced tremendous swings from millionaires to glorified beggers.
“In limit poker, you are shooting at a target. In no-limit, the target comes alive and shoots back at you.” — Crandell Addington, poker Hall of Famer
Probable interpretation: Provided you know the basics of the game, limit poker is a relatively safe proposition. All it takes to call down an opponent or chase a draw is a single bet. This isn’t the case in no-limit, where an opponent can take everything in a single hand.
“The guy that invented gambling was bright. The man that invented chips was a genius.” — Julius “Big Julie” Weintraub, legendary Las Vegas junket organizer
Probable interpretation: Historically, gamblers tend to pucker up when the bets are made with real money. Replace the cash with a few innocent clay chips, and the games get looser. Chips also allow casinos to watch the money more carefully, since the cash is banked and the chips have zero value outside the walls of the establishment. Chips also make tournaments like the World Series of Poker possible. The weight of $10 million in cash is enough to buckle a table and take up every square inch of the felt.
“Gambling money has no home.” — Dan at the bar ... met him last week
Probable interpretation: Gambling winnings are destined to stay within that particular economy. If you win a sports bet or have a big poker night, that money only will be used to make a bigger bet the next time. It’s rarely used elsewhere.
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