to become a professional

It depends alot of people actually lower their ROI by studying as they really dont know how to study efficiently, they end up taking lines the solver does without understanding the reasoning behind it. I am of the belief that time spent at the tables is more +ev assuming you have a core understanding of the game.
Identifying and working on your own leaks though this is imperative compare to GTO stats to see where you may be getting exploited, not x/r enough on flops or not defending your x range, under/over 3 betting from the BB vs BTN etc etc also having a decent understanding of GTO will help as like mentioned before alot of people are playing this way but leaving doors open for clear exploits

WladiYoga said:

Hi Guys, I wonder: Is it possible to become a really good poker player by just playing/just by nature? If one has a talent within himself to be one of the best?
Or is hard study work necessary in any case?
Thank you for your honest answers.

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Is it possible to become a good engineer, surgeon, lawyer or accountant?
Of course, yes, it is possible. If you are willing to study and work hard for it.

Through hard work and effort, one day you will become a professional.

In the modern game, natural talent might help you get started, but you cannot reach a professional level without serious study. The competition is too tough today, and almost every winning player uses solvers and reviews their hands regularly. Talent gives you the intuition but study gives you the mathematical edge needed to survive in the long run.

Natural talent can give someone a strong head start in poker things like intuition, pattern recognition, emotional control, and risk tolerance definitely help but they are not enough on their own to reach a truly high level. Poker today is too competitive and well-studied for raw instinct alone to carry someone far. The best players all combine talent with deliberate study: reviewing hands, learning theory, understanding math, and adapting to modern strategies. You can become decent just by playing, but to become really good or one of the best, structured learning and consistent work are unavoidable. Talent opens the door; hard study is what keeps you winning long term.

The game is strategy, you must be very good, but it is possible to achieve it

odonob said:

No such thing as study in a poker, this is a fallacy. Luck is the main arbiter of winning. Simple game, not rocket science.

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I feel the opposite, at its core it's game theory and math. I'm not saying you can't be successful with luck alone, but there's a reason the same player sit at the final tables of the biggest events year over year and it's not because they got more AA than anyone else.

I think that hard work will always be a more important factor. Hard work can completely make up for a lack of talent. There are very talented people, but their laziness makes them completely mediocre, more like losers.