Poker persona mirror real life personality?

Ok, so we were talking about a few things in another thread, like how I'm super nitty at the tables and also tend to be, shall we say, "particular" about getting facts, details, etc right in IRL. And this got me to wondering.... Does your poker/table image translate more-or-less directly to real life? Or, are you able to become something/someone else when you're at the tables (either live or online).

For example, nitty at the tables - a detail nit IRL. Aggro at the tables -- assertive IRL. You get the idea. So what do you think?

I guess that I'm a little like yourself - more nitty than aggressive (being an accountant tends to do that to you ). However what poker has brought out in me is a more aggressive streak and knowing when to take those risks.

I think we often start out that way but don't necessarily end up the same. I'm not a LAG or anything but I play as a looser tag for FR (15/13) and I'm as nitty as they come in real life. I was once told by a person I had played with online and then live that I was the only person he knew who played nittier live than I did online.

Also as for this WVHillbilly image I have cultivate here at CC it's a total sham. I'm actually a Harvard educated NY city boy who lives with his life partner in CA.

Poker is a skill.

Skill is acquired over time.

In order to keep playing you need to learn how to win.

Therefore given sufficient time and dedication your playing style would shift to a style that works and that style would have little reflection to your own personality.

There is one caveat to that.

Essentially there are two types of players .. passive (call a lot) and aggro (bet a lot) when playing poker, if you become confused in a hand, its likely you revert to your natural state as if you are confused you arent in a situation where you can use your acquired skill.

So if you began as a very passive player and then aquired skill, its still likely you take calling lines when confused as opposed to the agro type who shoves/bluffs more when confused.

wvv.JPG (http://www.cardschat.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=34938&d=1294081667) That's not Cal

whoa boy.... hes gunning for ya now.................

Damn that is a sweet mullet though!

I think we all bring our distinct personalities to the table to one degree or another.

Behavior though is another story: though we may be upstanding citizens IRL, poker gives us license to steal and lie and bully and intimidate in order to destroy other people metaphorically by decimating their stacks.

One standard that holds true in both poker and IRL--cheating is punished.

OMG so true. When I hit a tricky spot, I usually say some expletive out loud, realize I am taking too much time to think, and call, lol

Liar! We all know (and love to exploit) that you fold.

Geez, I guess I'm doomed, then. We already KNOW Historians are nits (thanks WVH), and I actually studied accounting for a couple of years as well. Is there no hope of me ever escaping nit-dom?


Love the "life partner" bit. "Not that there's anything wrong with that." (Stuck in the 90s Seinfeld reference).

Awesome insight. This is me exactly. Try to be a little more aggressive, get in a uncomfortable spot, start check/calling, check/folding. Really good observation. I need to work on this. A LOT.

I fold alot preflop, well I guess when facing aggression I do too, lol
What I meant by a tricky situation is missing the board completely, that's tricky for me.

Initially, my game reflected my personality to a tee and still does somewhat. Have always considered myself to be more in the conservative category and for sure this is how I started playing.

As I learned more about the game and watched others, I have managed to be able to find ways of being more aggressive and still be making sound moves. I still am more inclined to avoid OOP battles however as they make it difficult for my game. Might use some counter aggression if feel I am getting pushed around.

I don't think I could be much of a winning player if I played like my personality. Straight foward, conservative. Poker gives me a fun outlet to be someone I usually am not.