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No-Limit Texas Hold 'em as my spiritual teacher
I am an avid poker player. I am quite skilled and can be lethal at the card table on almost any given night. Although I am young, I believe that one day I may have what it takes to become a very successful poker player. Many view poker as just another form of gambling, even those who play it. They bet their money, hope to win, lose most of the time, win some of the time. However, poker is a game that is far more reliant on skill and talent than most other games that fall into the catagory of gambling. To be a successful poker player, one must cultivate attributes that extend far beyond the poker table. In fact, I believe that playing poker, for me, is one of the greatest tools in my life for reaching nirvana, enlightenment, whatever you want to call it. To be successful, to win, one must develop and maintain a multitude of qualities that are not exclusive to poker.
Patience is a necessity. At times, one must spend hours waiting for the right moment to strike. Dry spells lasting hours, weeks, and months can go by where one simply does not get the right cards and must patiently wait until luck rolls his way.
Humility is essential to success. In poker, any player can win at any given time, no matter how foolish or an experienced they may be, thanks to the luck of the draw. A successful player must understand that even when he does everything right, plays the hand perfectly, he still may lose all of his money in one foul swoop. This can be extremely difficult to accomplish, even after years of experience dealing with the sickening form of defeat when fate simply frowns upon you, despite how well you play.
One must maintain an exceptional degree of focus. Games can last for hours on end and an individual hand can require an extensive amount of thought and attention.
Understanding human behavior, being able to empathize is key. Although this empathy is used to ultimately defeat the one you are empathizing with, it still extends to everyday life and can develop your general sense of empathy when there is nothing to gain.
It's difficult to explain the vast intricacies of poker to those who are not familiar with it, but i wish to share my experience of an activity that most dismiss as another form of gambling and debauchery. For me, it is a way of life that improves my awareness and develops a variety of qualities that help me navigate through life. I am note sure of the Buddhist guidelines or "rules" when it comes to the subject of gambling, but to me, they are irrelevant. Poker enhances my mental prowess, inner focus, patience, humility, and understanding of human dynamics/relationships, and for that I am thankful.
Patience is a necessity. At times, one must spend hours waiting for the right moment to strike. Dry spells lasting hours, weeks, and months can go by where one simply does not get the right cards and must patiently wait until luck rolls his way.
Humility is essential to success. In poker, any player can win at any given time, no matter how foolish or an experienced they may be, thanks to the luck of the draw. A successful player must understand that even when he does everything right, plays the hand perfectly, he still may lose all of his money in one foul swoop. This can be extremely difficult to accomplish, even after years of experience dealing with the sickening form of defeat when fate simply frowns upon you, despite how well you play.
One must maintain an exceptional degree of focus. Games can last for hours on end and an individual hand can require an extensive amount of thought and attention.
Understanding human behavior, being able to empathize is key. Although this empathy is used to ultimately defeat the one you are empathizing with, it still extends to everyday life and can develop your general sense of empathy when there is nothing to gain.
It's difficult to explain the vast intricacies of poker to those who are not familiar with it, but i wish to share my experience of an activity that most dismiss as another form of gambling and debauchery. For me, it is a way of life that improves my awareness and develops a variety of qualities that help me navigate through life. I am note sure of the Buddhist guidelines or "rules" when it comes to the subject of gambling, but to me, they are irrelevant. Poker enhances my mental prowess, inner focus, patience, humility, and understanding of human dynamics/relationships, and for that I am thankful.
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Comments
I am always down for a live game, not sure how that could be coordinated however.
It sounds like you've done a good job at justifying it though. Maybe you should lose more regularly, on purpose; showing compassion for others maybe?
Apologies for being negative.
And most people who wreck their lives and families lives due to gambling are not usually those playing poker. I would like to differentiate poker playing from gambling, because the skill component in poker far exceeds the luck component. Those who lose all of their money and ruin their lives are usually playing a game like black jack, 50/50 where the compulsion to bet away can become consuming.
However, gambling as a Buddhist is covered in many teachings, and Suttas/Sutras. Not surprisingly the Buddha saw gambling as an unskillful activity. He said (Tipiṭaka/M.III,107): "There are these six dangers of being addicted to gambling. In winning one begets hatred; in losing one mourns the loss of one’s wealth; one’s word is not accepted in court; one is avoided by both friends and officials; one is not sought after for marriage because people say a gambler cannot support a wife."
Personally, I'd say actual gambling (wagering) can in no way be a "spiritual teacher." But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
I stopped playing though because I found that a certain amount of deception is an inherent part of the game. Even when playing online against weaker players, if I played pretty much straight up and let them make all the mistakes I'd do well but still have to try to decieve, not in bluffing, but in trying to manipulate what the other players might think I had in terms of cards. To try to intimidate them off of a hand when I felt that maybe they had me beat but weren't that confident about their own cards.
So while I don't feel its gambling I do think there is deception and a type of aggression and desire to beat other people in the game that detract from Buddhist practice.
As for aggression, I do not feel that all forms of aggression necessarily detract from Buddhist practice. For example, Basketball is a game that requires a tremendous amount of aggression in order to be successful . "Attacking the basket" is a phrased commonly used when referring to offense. One must relentlessly pursue the basketball on defense and "pressure" his opponent. Does this mean that basketball detracts from Buddhist practice because one most be aggressive in order to win? Well, it can, just as anything can detract from Buddhist practice when not practiced skillfully. But it most certainly does not have to, and can actually help in some way or another to enhance one's mindfulness. Just as poker does for me.
I did learn alot about people and in learning about any tells I may have, about myself. There are also lessons to be learned about keeping an even keel and not going on tilt, about looking at the big picture and not getting caught up in the outcome of a single hand.
Its your life, I'm just telling my experience with it.
My game is Mah Jongg. Originally a gambling game, though I don't play it that way.
Kinda of reminds me of the article on the new Buddhist home page.
No luck elements, you lose if you can't...outthink your opponont. That's it.
More honest.
And. no gambling or better or bluffing (bluffing is lying in my opinion).
Tried poker. Didn't feel right.
For a chance game: I prefer backgammon. It too has a betting element (ante dice) but you don't need to use it. You can just play, and have a bit of casual fun.
Mah Jongg is nice too. For puzzle solving that is. And I rally really really like 'GO'
The most complicated 'old-school' game i've ever encountered.
Have to be honest tough, I don't really get GO at the endgames, so I hardly play it.
Chess....is my first true game-love.
(battlechess on my fathers old XT computer 22 years ago)
U.S. Congress rules are that no money is bet. So we waste a lot of time doing nothing. No one comes out on top, nothing is accomplished, and the audience is bored to death. Keeps the mind sharp, though.