In one of the top masterpieces of Soviet satire a brilliant con artist, to win a bit of money, convinces a local small-town chess club that he is a traveling maestro and organizes a tournament. He first gathers the fees from the awe-struck yokel-enthusiasts and then plays "twelve identical matches" without understanding much of what he is actually doing, this being the second chess game of his lifetime, but placing the figures more or less correctly, with the terrified locals reading too much into his banal moves. Very soon, however, he good-naturedly utterly loses all twelve simultaneous games, to the amazement of the town. Buy then, however, he has gained the time he needed and escapes with the money. He is not a good player, but he is a winning one.
The Twelve Chairs is the title of the satiric novel. It has been translated into English to become both a book and film adaptation on DVD readily available at Amazon.com. A Mel Brooks comedy was the subject of the film and unless you are fanatical about Mel Brooks, stay clear of this one. Mark Zaharov, a brilliant director, not as well known as his compatriot Tarkovsky, adapted it into a Russian mini-series in 1976.
The point is that the definition of a good player, in poker or otherwise, depends on what that player's purpose is. As far the fictional con artist was concerned, he was an effective player since his strategy precisely achieved his goals - quick money. It is a subtler point, however, that he was a good player also because he knew he couldn't play solid chess for more than the first five or so moves and because he prepared an escape route.
A large group of poker players in this world are in denial as to their true poker prowess. Egos can be very large in this game of bullying and risk taking. They have never understood the delightful complexity of the game and spend no time in educating themselves as to its nuances and the skill required to play it successfully. The fun of the game is its very complexity, and that it takes a lifetime to really learn it well, and even then new insights remain to be discovered. The player that understands this will have a profitable career at the poker table.
Some players play the game by rote and come out winners in the long run. They do not see the game as an ever-enlightening process of learning and growing. But they do win and if that is their purpose for playing the game, then they are good poker players.
In poker as art, however, all of these people are not real players (to avoid calling them bad). They are on the set somewhere, but theirs are not exactly the leading roles. A good poker player is one who is eager and grateful for yet another insight which might still improve his already nuanced game of thought, skill, showmanship, and perception. He or she admits his weaknesses and strives to have as round a set of skills as possible.
The Twelve Chairs is the title of the satiric novel. It has been translated into English to become both a book and film adaptation on DVD readily available at Amazon.com. A Mel Brooks comedy was the subject of the film and unless you are fanatical about Mel Brooks, stay clear of this one. Mark Zaharov, a brilliant director, not as well known as his compatriot Tarkovsky, adapted it into a Russian mini-series in 1976.
The point is that the definition of a good player, in poker or otherwise, depends on what that player's purpose is. As far the fictional con artist was concerned, he was an effective player since his strategy precisely achieved his goals - quick money. It is a subtler point, however, that he was a good player also because he knew he couldn't play solid chess for more than the first five or so moves and because he prepared an escape route.
A large group of poker players in this world are in denial as to their true poker prowess. Egos can be very large in this game of bullying and risk taking. They have never understood the delightful complexity of the game and spend no time in educating themselves as to its nuances and the skill required to play it successfully. The fun of the game is its very complexity, and that it takes a lifetime to really learn it well, and even then new insights remain to be discovered. The player that understands this will have a profitable career at the poker table.
Some players play the game by rote and come out winners in the long run. They do not see the game as an ever-enlightening process of learning and growing. But they do win and if that is their purpose for playing the game, then they are good poker players.
In poker as art, however, all of these people are not real players (to avoid calling them bad). They are on the set somewhere, but theirs are not exactly the leading roles. A good poker player is one who is eager and grateful for yet another insight which might still improve his already nuanced game of thought, skill, showmanship, and perception. He or she admits his weaknesses and strives to have as round a set of skills as possible.
About the Author:
If, similar to many, you love gambling, you very well may enjoy learning about building your own poker table and seeing the wide range of great gaming supplies at BYOPT like Brass Poker Table Cup Holders and Blue Poker Table Felt.
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