Is Poker a psychological game?

Question

I've been playing poker for a while now, but only recently, playing with a couple of my friends( all from different part of the world) I have had a different opinion of the game. I could tell who was a bluffer, who was a spender, who was conservative, and who was born to be poor, who would take bribes in exchange of favors, and who would colaborate with the leader on the table. I've started analyzing who made alliance with who, based on the countries they were from, and in most case, it all made sense. Although I was the second player with the most chips, I still lost by intimidation. The way the table was set (round , looking like the world), it seems like the leader owned the world (with his chips taking 3/8 of the whole table. I also have to say that the leader of the table come from a rich country and is used to money

Answer 1

Those are really great observations. Yes, poker is a psychological game, especially since most of it is based on luck and the rest on the player's ability to judge when to check, when to raise, when to fold,when to bluff, and the other players' ability to read his actions.

I don't know about your observations about the different parts of the world affecting it, though it's a very interesting concept.

I'd have to say it's much easier playing in person where you can read other peoples' body language.

Answer 2

Interesting thread, looks like you have hit on an important, yet little discussed aspect of poker... the feeling of intimidation can only occour where you have concerns over losing your money. If this is the case then you will not be able to make the correct decisions over time - which is where the profit comes from in this game.

There are a couple of solutions to this - play smaller stakes so that losing the money on the table does not become an issue and you can make the most 'good' decisions based on the information available.

The other one is to look out for those players who do have a concern, the timid players trying to preserve their stacks. Once you spot them raise and raise some more - you will win pots that could not have been won from someone else!

GL at the tables,

Answer 3

I'd say the psychology of poker is more about the player's internal psychology. Just as the skill of poker is minimising the effect that luck has on your outcome, the skill in poker psychology is minimising the effect that a bad beat or bad run has on your mental balance.

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Answer 4

poker is combination of skill and luck.
skill involves reading other players---and not letting them read you..and not ever developing a pattern...not psycho...

when you think you can--tell-thats when a great poker player gets the hand and knocks your socks off--cause he read and played you..