1.“There is more to Poker than life.”
This quote from Tom McEvoy sums up the dedication and obsession of some poker players to be the best. While it may not be healthy for poker to be the centre of their lives and for everything else to revolve around it, mastering a craft requires great devotion.
2. “You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but skin it only once.”
This great line from Amarillo Slim underlines the importance of ensuring that bad players enjoy playing at the same table as you, whether they win or lose. It is in your best interests to keep weak players coming back to the table, so make sure that you are friendly and polite. Annoying a weak player could be the most costly mistake you make all night.
Amarillo Slim
3. “If there weren’t any luck involved, I’d win every time.”
This one comes from Phil Hellmuth, a man well known for his blow ups and turn of phrase at the table. It is certainly true that luck can be frustrating at times and good players don’t always get what they believe they deserve. Always remember though, if there really was a way to remove luck from poker, bad players would stop playing, and the game would cease to become profitable.
4. “If you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.”
This quote comes from famous poker movie ‘Rounders.’ The character played by Matt Damon makes this statement, but it’s only partly true. Often bad players will see good players playing differently and think the good players must be suckers. Or a player may be a sucker and still spot other suckers at the table. But the general idea is valid. It’s always best to be able to recognise the weak players at your table.
Rounders Intro
5. “Show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser.”
This quote offers an insight into the brilliant mind of 3 time main event champion Stu Ungar. In his eyes, the only thing that truly mattered was winning. Everything else was secondary.
6. “Money won is twice as sweet as money earned”
This quote is an extract from a movie “The Color of Money” and gets to the root of why games like poker are so popular. The feeling of besting someone and being rewarded not only with the feeling of victory but also with money, is a very powerful combination of positive emotion.
7. “They forgot one thing – I can dodge bullets baby.”
Another classic line from Phil Hellmuth after he makes a great fold on an Ace high board while holding AK, versus an opponent with AA. This quote doesn’t really teach us much about poker, but it does teach us a little about psychology. When someone makes a big show of how well they are playing, their intention is to intimidate the players around them and to point out that they are second best. Often though, the need to point this out verbally is a wish to have it confirmed by others, so that you can be reassured that you are as great as you think. It perhaps suggests a deeper lack of confidence. It was a funny moment by Phil, but we don’t recommend standing up and coming out with one liners every time you make a good play.
Louis Hartwell
Graduated in Media Communication at the University of Lausanne, Louis Hartman is a co-founder of somuchpoker.com. He began his career in Cambodia as freelance journalist. In same time he was making his living by playing poker every night at that time. Intense learner, he read dozens of poker strategy books to improve his skills during many years. With a strong interest about poker "behind the scene" in Asia and his communication skills, Louis launched Somuchpoker in 2014.
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