You have in your hand the 7 of diamonds and the 2 of clubs all in against another player with pocket queens debating whether or not to call, are you going to win or bust out? In poker, there are many aspects that are involved including, risk, lucky, demeanor, and strategy, but perhaps the most important skill set to have is statistics. Yes, you can know that the probability of flopping 4 of a kind is extremely low, but do you know your odds of catching that single 8 of hearts on the river while knowing you have one in your hand but not knowing who else has one or if it has already been discarded? Poker, Texas Hold’em specifically, to me is perhaps the most exhilarating sport out there. While it takes absolutely no athletic ability, it takes a special brain to become one of the best. I used to play poker with my high school buddies every weekend and, honestly, it was the most fun we had together. Since I like math a decent amount I found myself reading up on the statistics of each hand you are dealt. What I found most intriguing however was the fact that you can win the hand by not necessarily knowing your odds, but by bluffing. I like to consider poker greats such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Ivey, just to name a few, absolute geniuses.
Poker is a game of serious concentration and manipulation. You can be thrown off a hand with such easy by a better player when is reality you have the better hand. In other words, being a “Poker Genius” is all about your brain.
Watch this video to see exactly what I am talking about:

To be able to memorizes hundreds of statistics they you must incorporate into the game within seconds takes a fully developed awareness of your surroundings and tremendous focus. Here is what I’m taking about when I say poker is all about statistics.

Poker is all about how you play the game. You must learn to be in control of your hand and learn how to control other players hand to your benefit. The best poker players in the world can do this without even thinking. They are manipulative geniuses who are hardly ever wrong. I would definitely consider professional poker players geniuses.

Image: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-3rklAOF-Y/Tw4yKKAhcnI/AAAAAAAADuE/3Tiv9MeXNHY/s1600/wallpaper%20meme%20poker%20face.png

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Gqk-NfP7Y&feature=youtu.be

Sources: https://www.cardschat.com/f63/science-winning-poker-235710/

http://wizardofodds.com/games/texas-hold-em/