What is more important in poker? Math or psychology

[gravii2011]

I think psychology is more important than mathematics! Since math can count outs and your exit will close at a turn or on the river, this is probability theory and may not close. But psychology plays a big role here, you watch your opponent play and you can forcefully fold your hand stronger than your bluff, put pressure on him, if you have an advantage in chips, you can set various traps, make your opponent believe that you have nothing. What do you think?

 

[Poker Orifice]

Type

 

[Gallarado777]

I think psychology is more important than mathematics! Since math can count outs and your exit will close at a turn or on the river, this is probability theory and may not close. But psychology plays a big role here, you watch your opponent play and you can forcefully fold your hand stronger than your bluff, put pressure on him, if you have an advantage in chips, you can set various traps, make your opponent believe that you have nothing. What do you think?

I think you should be a psychologist and a mathematician at the same time then you will achieve a positive result in poker

 

[M1n1GuN777]

Two important factors. But math is more important than psychology.

 

[DiegoRamos]

I think psychology is more important than mathematics! Since math can count outs and your exit will close at a turn or on the river, this is probability theory and may not close. But psychology plays a big role here, you watch your opponent play and you can forcefully fold your hand stronger than your bluff, put pressure on him, if you have an advantage in chips, you can set various traps, make your opponent believe that you have nothing. What do you think?

Of course, poker is a mind game....

But without math, it will never be profitable.

 

[hcuervo]

psychology in poker is the most important thing, to have your rival cornered, to think that you have nothing and yet AA to get all his chips

 

[fullclock]

What a good question. I think psychology is more important than mathematics. Trying to guess the opponent's cards is the best thing about poker.

 

[Rachidao]

Hard to tell, i will say that mathematics is more important in online poker and psychology in live poker.

 

[akmost]

I don't know what is more important(maybe they are equal?!?!) , I guess we must understand the mathematics , pot odds etc in order to play correctly and win in the long run but for me whenever I am not concentrated or I am not in the mood for poker I make more mistakes. I don't have as patience as I should have in certain spots. I mean I don't play like a maniac but I call or bluff lighter than I should.

 

[Cooking]

I think if you are a math genius that of course math is more important. But most of us only knows the basic of math, so, psychology is more important in my opinion.

 

[legend309]

I think psychology is the harder part to learn but the numbers never lie..

 

[Jorgesq7]

Psychology has a lot of value since you compete against the other person and you can beat him without having anything

 

[77ecos]

they go hand in hand, mathematics is essential in the game but psychology is the perfect complement, psychology covers many important points that make you a great player

 

[GoodmanAA]

I think math and psychology are both very important in poker. you can't win a hand or a tournament without using psychology purely on math, or vice versa.

 

[zoy4749]

I don't understand either one or the other.. I think about luck and luck.

 

[SopianaeExtra]

Psychology trumps over pure math skills. Poker requires from us to be a good actor first and foremost and x-raying the villain's mind second. How many times have I folded a premium pair, only to find out that the other one had nothing. So I was tricked by their good acting and this proves to me that cleverly applied psychology beats 'reasonable, prudent play' most of the time.

 

[888NOX888]

And in my opinion, everything is important, both mathematics and psychology. It is important not only to be able to count your outs and know psychology, but to be able to put everything into practice, somewhere together, and somewhere separately.

 

[Branimir84]

Depends are we talking live or online poker.

In on line poker which is very sterile and usually played in 'insane' volume math is king. Its all about ranges with everything neatly showed in numbers. It is impersonal and thus psychology can play very limited near no role at all.

Live poker is obviously a different beast. Clearly all the math knowledge still applies but things are slower, there are no numerical values displayed anywhere and the poker is personal face to face. Here, things like body language, language, comfort levels etc. play a role. I can see an argument that psychology trumps math a little bit in live poker.

 

[GoodMoon90]

I think the ideal would be a combination of these two skills, which is not so easy to do)

 

[fryderyk]

Math, psychology and happiness. You can be the best, and yet without a bit of luck you won't win. There is a lottery part in poker and you have no influence on it, so happiness in poker and in life is important and you need to know when to use it.

 

[Poker Orifice]

Psychology trumps over pure math skills. Poker requires from us to be a good actor first and foremost and x-raying the villain's mind second. How many times have I folded a premium pair, only to find out that the other one had nothing. So I was tricked by their good acting and this proves to me that cleverly applied psychology beats 'reasonable, prudent play' most of the time.

Sounds to me like if you'd followed the math, it was an easy win.

 

[SopianaeExtra]

Sounds to me like if you'd followed the math, it was an easy win.

When I was a beginner I had tried to play solely 'by the numbers', i.e. only according to the principles of probability and logic, disregarding all possible bluffs and behavioral patterns of my opponents, and my pockets were swiftly cleaned out. Alas, I was still very inexperienced. I became more careful and observant and step by step I found out that no matter which cards you're holding, if you can predict within a small margin of error the reactions of the other players, Poker becomes less a game of chance and more a stage on which you perform your role. If I play super aggressively for example, people shy away from seriously confronting me, regardless whether I've got anything or not, and if I play tight people believe me when suddenly I raise a large bet, even though I'm bluffing. Adapt, adapt, adapt, in whichever fashion you can afford at the moment and what exploits the weaknesses of others the most. I can't say that I've perfected this art, far from it in fact, or else I would've been rich by now.

 

[samuri]

Math is important

 

[Baldy86]

i think both are important but if i HAD to choose one then i will say psychology / reading abilities / mental strength etc are more important than math

in fact i am one of the players who thinks "math" is overrated a little in poker . especially compared to psychology

if math was more important then you wouldnt have to do anything else than play tight and bet / call in spots where you are ahead . but that is not what will make you sucessful in the longterm if you dont have anything else

 

[Skot_Gy]

I think that:
1. math is more important. Instantly calculating outs => your chances VS opponent's presumptive range then playing by these numbers is the best poker.
2. Ofc, psychology is important too, however: you can be a good player with number 1. above but you cannot be a good player with number 2.