How to Explain Poker to Non-Poker Players

3betfish · Apr 12, 2018

BobbyMorton said:
Trying to explain to someone who thinks its all luck would be harder than cashing in a tournament.

Those flips though.................................

step055 · Apr 12, 2018

a month ago we tried to teach our friends how to play. They are the cleverest guys- but it took us time to make them understand the rules))) And of course that game was not so interesting. The hardest thing is that they can't remember the combinations.

Fastone2 · Apr 12, 2018

If they wanna learn, we can play for free. Then after they learn the basics, they will want to play for change....Etc....

sid kendell · Apr 12, 2018

When I say I am going to play poker at the casino in their head they hear"slots,craps roulette".For people who know there is no explanation needed for those who dont know the game there is no explanation possible.

Badbunny · Apr 13, 2018

Hechales a poker game online and show them that not only luck but strategy and basic logic.

Mickflava888 · Apr 13, 2018

rank of hand

i have taught so many of my friends to play poker & not to my advantage bcos beginners luck does actually exist
you have to start with rank of hand going over a couple of would be hands explained as each round of betting commences always with the emphasis with regardless of pairs sets etc. the higher value of cards should always be on your mind, poker can only then be learned through experience even through friendly home live games then comes not rushing in with your 2 pair always watching ur back for that gutshot or flush than can be so easily overlooked not to mention a full house like an RKO 'from outta nowhere'.how to read players is a mostly self taught skill imo each player is completely different some will take to this after only seeing 'rank of hand' and be so surprised that this is all you really have to know to start you on you're way :deal: good luck on the felt people . MF888

3betfish · Apr 13, 2018

I had a buddy who believed in playing every hand until the flop, then you have to make your decision from there. He believed, "how do you know if you're ahead or behind without seeing a flop?!"

The first night he played with us, he would call every hand preflop, unless if someone shoved before him. He would smash flops and think that it was a game of chance. I invited him back several more times saying "dude, you're so lucky. come back and play again at my home games." Every time he came back, me or my buddy would always stack the crap out of him and he still to this day thinks it was because of "bad luck" lol....

konatus · Apr 13, 2018

Math and Psy

I say that is a game of pschology and math

christosa197 · Apr 13, 2018

Losing a few!

winning big!

Picking batches multiplayer!

You lose one - you win five or six!

KevinLee · Apr 16, 2018

Most people are complete morons so make it simple. Tell them you want to play a game with them. Get a quarter. Heads I win 2 quarters and tails you win 1 quarter. All but the dumbest among them will say, wait the chances of it being heads or tails is 50/50. So, why do you win 2 and I win 1. You say this is why poker can be profitable. Payout>probability

3betfish · Apr 16, 2018

KevinLee said:
Most people are complete morons so make it simple. Tell them you want to play a game with them. Get a quarter. Heads I win 2 quarters and tails you win 1 quarter. All but the dumbest among them will say, wait the chances of it being heads or tails is 50/50. So, why do you win 2 and I win 1. You say this is why poker can be profitable. Payout>probability

This one is unique but I doubt any average person will believe that is true within poker. They would think that they have a greater edge at blackjack

because they know how to play by the book

Douglas Gonzaga · Apr 21, 2018

He tried to explain first how to play, then to go slowly showing the dimamica of the game.

bighert2 · Apr 21, 2018

It would be difficult to explain the game to non poker players. Like certain jobs, they can't be explained, but must be experienced to be understood/appreciated.

guicor30 · Apr 22, 2018

I have won many important tournaments, I have also lost with very good hands against fish, but the important thing is to always maintain the attitude and the discipline to succeed.
If you feel you are having a bad run, it would be best to take a break.

onecardsteve · Oct 21, 2018

Nintendo said:
I find it really hard and painful to try to explain stuff to new players. It is just things you hope they grasp over time but some never do.

I agree, even though if in the past they played draw poker, it is hard to make them understand Holdem Poker

tw082 · Oct 21, 2018

if they think its luck ask them to sit down n play:top:

kbolding7 · Oct 21, 2018

Reply

I think the number one thing to explain to people that makes the most sense is that in poker you compete against the other players and not the house, where as all other gambling games you are competing against the house.

Poker_Mike · Oct 21, 2018

3betfish said:
How do you guys explain poker to people who think it's 100% luck and gamble?

I've used the following:

same players always tends to win, does that mean they're lucky for life?

it is still gambling but in regards to short term luck, often times if you make the right decisions you will come out ahead

weaker players will lose while stronger players will win (profit)

if it was really a game of luck, nobody would be able to make a living off of it (yes luck still exists though)

Often these folks, you describe, get all their poker exposure from WPT and wsop televised events. And they don't really listen to the commentary and technical analysis. They usually ignore the detailed discussion of.....why shove here...or - why a player can exclude a King from the opponent's holdings (right or wrong the discussion takes place).

One of my friends told me in a very friendly homegame, "Either my opponent has me beat or he doesn't.....that's 50/50." I tried to explain that it doesn't work that way and I couldn't convince him otherwise LOL.

So my point is = for people who think everything is a 50/50 flip - everything looks very gambly.

And in this case he IS gambling because he doesn't understand any math or any of the nuances of the game. Or even why he's playing the hand that way.

I'm sure everyone on this thread can relate to some of this....

Good luck !

dragunovich · Oct 21, 2018

I think the best way to explain how deep poker is to a non-poker player is to make a comparison with some other game that person has knowledge .. poker has much similarity with other mental games .. although baseball is a physical game, has a lot of mind game between the pitchers and the batter .. and other video games are similar in structure ... there are many people who never play poker simply because nobody encourages them or tells them about that game, and they see it as a dangerous game (and it is) but I think it is not so dangerous as not to learn it .. I think that all people should learn to play poker well even if they do not think about dedicating themselves to it professionally .. I see it as chess .. anyone should learn a bit of chess .. I think you should have that kind of culture and knowledge.

Paya_31 · Oct 21, 2018

hello, people who are just about to start playing poker, what I do is explain first question, the important tournaments both online and live. Sometimes I show videos as they play great players, then I explain poker hands (which hand wins that hand), then as the cards are dealt, the number of cards received by each player. After betting on every street until the showdown, then we distributed several hands with the cards face up to go explaining that it is happening and will be interesting to new players. regards

chicopaw · Oct 21, 2018

Having someone know the value of their hands would be the first lesson, Onwards getting them to understand the betting procedure on each street, We all know how exciting it is to win ,more so when we are just starting out in this game

BriceNice · Oct 22, 2018

Don't, you don't want them getting caught up in this vicious cycle.

Aca0012 · Oct 22, 2018

So I'm just trying to make it clear that this is not how they think and that poker is not that simple and simple game at all. And number one is certainly not just a game of luck or gambling, as many call it. It takes a lot of skills, knowledge, discipline, experience and many other things. Who is not a little deeper into the poker strategy and the history of the same can not tell you what is actually poker.

bstest · Oct 22, 2018

Depending on the person, I would say that would probably be true for you.

step055 · Oct 22, 2018

Oh, it's rather big deal. I tried))) But it's not an easy process. To my mind it's better to show once than try to explain several times.

How to Explain Poker to Non-Poker Players

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