Study On "Online Poker Players Brains"

S3mper

S3mper

Poker Not Checkers
Loyaler
Joined
May 13, 2013
Total posts
8,355
Awards
2
US
Chips
123
A study was done on 6 poker players at 3 different levels, Two experts, two intermediates, and two beginners. These players were having their brain waves monitored while playing online poker.


"This research joins other studies which suggest that online gambling and poker are good for players' brains in the long run. The brain is given good training by the need to recall cards, resort to mathematical calculations and think strategically."

"Some have suggested that this mental workout not only increases brainpower so-to-say, but also possess the potential to decrease the chances of Alzheimer disease development, prevent dementia and so on"


Read full article by clicking HERE
 
fubarcdn

fubarcdn

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Total posts
2,443
Chips
0
Was the study commissioned by an online poker room by any chance?
There are lies, damn lies and statistics and a sample of 6 has no meaning in the scientific community.
You can prove almost anything with a study and statistics except the existence of god. :D
 
almanik

almanik

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 24, 2014
Total posts
177
Chips
0
In poker we all need not knowledge, but luck. Good card is better, than everything else.
 
1

11012015

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Total posts
269
Chips
0
That eventually poker will include in the school curriculum... :)
 
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

Fully Tilted
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
25,596
Awards
6
CA
Chips
968
In poker we all need not knowledge, but luck. Good card is better, than everything else.


I can tell this ^ is a good player! And perhaps the voice we need representing the poker community re: 'poker is a game of skill'
 
dexon303

dexon303

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Total posts
577
Chips
0
Different people use their brains in different ways. A janitor one way, an airtraffic controller another way, a professional athelete another and a poker player another. This obviously affects the brain patterns. This is not groundbreaking news. The whole point is don't let 1 thing dominate your life/have some balance. Control your life, don't let your activities control you.
 
S

seghill

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Total posts
236
Chips
0
A study of 6 - perhaps they are just hoping that this will justify more funding for a larger study but on it's own is useless
 
P

pain_pain_go_away

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Total posts
281
Awards
1
Chips
6
Skill is nothing. All you need is luck! ))
God I hope this is sarcasm!

A study of 6 - perhaps they are just hoping that this will justify more funding for a larger study but on it's own is useless
Very true. As in everything sample size is very important, to confirm a trend rather than displaying a random anomaly.
That being said, if these results proves to be borne out by further research, then this is great news, as I have seen the horrors of Alzheimer's/Dementia first hand including my grandparents & my uncle who was diagnosed in his early fifty's.
I have also read research which suggest canabinoids found in cannabis bind to the same receptors in the brain which are affected by Alzheimer's. Whilst I don't recommend doing both at the same time, I do hope my misspent youth might go some way to protect me from this God awful disease!
 
Sil3ntness

Sil3ntness

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Total posts
1,171
Chips
0
A sample size of 6. We all know that's not a big enough sample.

That's like saying I folded 6 hands. I must be card dead. *facepalm*
 
akyurukov

akyurukov

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Total posts
200
Chips
0
In poker we all need not knowledge, but luck. Good card is better, than everything else.

Yeah,and you will lose in the long run with only your luckand without the knowledge ...have you ever thought about that ?
If you play very long time without learning and gaining knowledge through time you will always have the same skills you have and you will always be luck dependent instead of knowledge + luck.
Im not saying that we dont need luck,but if we combine it with some brain power ,also not keeping one level but learn and study all the time and everything we can to improve our game....we will be wining players.
 
cjmoles

cjmoles

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Total posts
217
Chips
0
Different people use their brains in different ways. A janitor one way, an airtraffic controller another way, a professional athelete another and a poker player another. This obviously affects the brain patterns. This is not groundbreaking news. The whole point is don't let 1 thing dominate your life/have some balance. Control your life, don't let your activities control you.

True that!

Albert Einstein — 'Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.'
 
Bob23bk

Bob23bk

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Total posts
653
Chips
0
Where's the DOJ when you need em? Bit of a stretch in my edit but you can see what I'm getting at:

"This research joins other studies which suggest that online gambling and poker ... possess the potential to decrease the chances of Alzheimer disease development, prevent dementia and so on"

It makes perfect sense; having more brain activity would prevent these diseases because the brain can be strengthened similar to working out your muscles (Imperfect metaphor but it works). Maybe instead of giving our favorite 'disease-prevention' ;) companies such a hassle, our lawmakers should harass cable/satellite TV networks and providers (My independent research has shown that nothing can kill brain cells and cause dementia quite like watching Fox News!) Curious about these 'other studies' too...
 
C

canadascousin

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Total posts
4
Chips
0
Two beginners probably had more activity due to being unfamiliar with the game and having superior players around them
 
M

MAX101

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Total posts
585
Awards
1
Chips
0
I always knew playing poker kept my mind active,when you play poker your mind is working constantly,and for the most part even when your not in a hand, your still watching and thinking ,I'd rather play poker then veg out and just sit in front of my tv in a coma like state !!!
 
M

mcbogart

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Total posts
98
Chips
0
Poker has help alleviate my depression
 
xastaria

xastaria

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Total posts
134
Chips
0
i think they could use at list 1000 players, 6 is a small number.as you grow up in your poker skills you become smarter, also if you read a lot,if you playing a musical instrument, solving math problems, documentaries!!
 
LuckyBundy13

LuckyBundy13

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Total posts
512
Chips
0
I'll trade luck for brain power any day when it comes to poker.

Brain power won't save you when I hit that river

#GG
 
ScooperNova

ScooperNova

Hair in a Biscuit
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Total posts
2,401
Awards
3
US
Chips
386
Was the study commissioned by an online poker room by any chance?

There are lies, damn lies and statistics and a sample of 6 has no meaning in the scientific community.

You can prove almost anything with a study and statistics except the existence of god. :D


Or the non-existence.
 
xOneCoolHandx

xOneCoolHandx

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Total posts
1,747
Awards
20
Chips
129
A study of 6 is not proof of anything, plus where was the control group, under what conditions were they playing, ect, ect. What was the study in comparison to? I have seen studies (that were conducted under clinical conditions) where they monitored the brain waves of a group of players poker, another group was playing spades, another group was playing chess, and the control group was reading the Wall Street Journal. They found that different parts of the brain were being stimulated during different activities. So I don't know what it all means.
I think there are only a few different types of players that gravitate to poker, the really intelligent and people who just feel they are lucky. For the latter, I doubt playing all the poker in the world is going to stimulate their brain.
 
rrickir

rrickir

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
May 31, 2007
Total posts
601
Awards
2
Chips
0
I think any kind of games and things,, that require constant thnking is jsut good for the brain.its all mental stimualtion, which is beneficial.Especailly games with involving numbers and or spelling and words,,,so lets jsut tell us oursleves,, we are improving our brain function by playing LOL:) and hope for big dose of luck too,!:D
 
Space Ghost

Space Ghost

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Total posts
195
Chips
0
Anyone know of other studies on poker players' brains? I'd be interested in seeing more data.
In poker we all need not knowledge, but luck. Good card is better, than everything else.
???
 
therealslomo

therealslomo

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Total posts
113
Chips
0
In poker we all need not knowledge, but luck. Good card is better, than everything else.

Think someone has a lot to learn. Hope it all works out for ya bud.
 
dj11

dj11

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Total posts
23,189
Awards
9
Chips
0
This was not an experiment, so no control group was needed. If something different than normal was introduced, a control group would be needed to determine things.

This was just a 'gathering of data'. It might help to determine what future experiments, if any, might gather more useful data.

Else, if you needed a control group, what sort of control group might one propose?

6 poker players wired up vs 6 shoppers at a WalMart sale?
6 poker players vs 6 sleeping grandmas?
6 poker players vs 6 hormonal teenagers at a rave? on drugs?

:eek:
 
LD1977

LD1977

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Total posts
3,091
Chips
0
This kind of stuff is just a gimmick. Any kind of mental activity helps vs Alzheimer, including solving crossword puzzles.

If you want to help your brain, play chess.
 
Top