Why Footballers Make Good Poker Players

Scotland has a long history of football prowess as demonstrated by both Aberdeen FC and Hearts FC. In addition, the country enjoyed a huge leap in the FIFA world rankings earlier this year, up 15 places to 22nd, which is Scotland’s highest position in almost seven years.

While football will always be a beloved sporting tradition in Scotland, there is another sport that is rising in popularity across the country: poker. With several tournament series now occurring annually, Scots are now enjoying poker games in both the online and live arena. The biggest tour to hit Scotland is the UKIPT, which just completed its fourth season in Edinburgh this year. With nearly £100,000 awarded to the most recent champion, it’s easy to see why the popularity of the game is picking up steam across Scotland.

While it may sound outlandish, the connection between the two games is stronger than you might think, which may also help explain poker’s growth in a country of football lovers. There are a number of retired footballers that have enjoyed considerable success at the poker tables, including Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino, which is really not so surprising once you realise that many of the skills needed to succeed on the pitch are the same ones needed to succeed on the felt.

Knowing the Rules

One of the first aspects of the game that is drilled into football players from the very start of their playing career is an understanding of the rules, especially ones like offside. As in football, an understanding of the rules and structure of a poker tournament is required and is one of the first things players should learn. In both games, the rules not only set the structure of the game, they also affect the strategy and tactics that the players will employ to win.

Practice

Successful players practice constantly, whether they are on the pitch or the felt. Footballers practice kicks and headers, as well as how to play against specific players. The same applies to poker players; similar situations arise continuously when you play a lot of hands, so practicing how to react to them is crucial and there is simply no substitute for experience. Those who are the most successful usually study and analyze the game for an equal amount of time that they spend playing it.

Take Advantage of Small Mistakes

In football, the player must constantly watch for small mistakes made by the opposition. While it may not be possible to capitalise on this mistake the first time it occurs, players have a tendency to fall into patterns and repeat those errors. Good players devise a strategy to use against that player and are ready to implement it at the next opportunity. Poker players implement the same strategy. One of the key methods of winning a major tournament is spotting the errors of your opponents and capitalising on them when they are repeated.

Patience

A team cannot win a match in the first couple of minutes. Football players are required to play their “A game” for the full 90 minutes, and they must wait for the right opportunity to score. The same is true in a poker tournament. Players must realise that victory is impossible in the first few levels, but that elimination from the event can happen easily. Patient players win more matches and more tournaments.

Tactics

Each match and each poker tournament is different. Winning tactics capitalise on the situations present on game day, with adjustments made to play up the player’s strengths versus the current opponents. No consistently successful team or player routinely deploys the same set of tactics.

Trick Plays

From their first days as a player, football players are taught to develop one or two trick plays. Coaches advise young players to practice these plays until they are almost second nature. Poker players must also have some trick plays in their repertoire. Approaching every situation the same on the pitch or on the felt makes the defender’s job far easier than need be.

Shooting with Both Feet

The best strikers are equally accurate with either foot. In poker, a player must be able to win with good hands as well as bad hands. The opportunity to score a goal or take down a pot does not come around often, so good players make the most of each opportunity.

The One Key Difference

While there are many striking similarities between the two games, there is one key difference between poker and football. To be a successful pro football player requires years of practice and training. On the other hand, poker is an incredibly easy game to learn, and even amateurs have a fighting chance against the pros. This important difference helps explain why poker is gaining such popularity in Scotland and around the world, as it truly is anyone’s game.