Do You Play Poker to Win Money... or to Understand Yourself? 🤔

[Pitonealal]

Lately I've been thinking poker isn't just about money or math or EV. This is a mirror. 🎭

When you sit at the negotiating table under pressure, every decision reveals who you really are.
Do you discard cards too often for fear of losing?
Are you bluffing too much because you want control?
Do you lose your temper when you fail, or do you stay calm and focused?

I've learned that poker teaches emotion, discipline, and patience more than anything else in life. This isn't just a game; it's a test of character. 💪

Some people play to distract themselves, others play to compete, and some play to grow.
I think the best players do all three—they use poker as a tool to understand their own minds.

💬 I'm wondering — what about you?
Do you play poker primarily for profit, passion, or personal growth?
Did the game ever change your self-perception?

 

[sibkaz]

Poker is multifaceted and versatile...)

 

[LiviuRo123]

A bit of both. I play to win money, of course, but poker also helps me understand myself better - my patience, emotions, and decision-making. It's a great mirror for how I handle pressure and think logically under stress.

 

[dompoker]

Personally, it's to win some money, it's not easy to win. However, I like to play poker all of a sudden one day I'll win a good tournament.

 

[whiskers77]

I just love your question! <3

To be very honest, I think it's all like you said.
People play for several reasons. Me too, for sure.

After playing for over one decade successfully, I feel I have a down streak at the moment
since 1,5 - 2 years, when my parents passed away. But I know this will change again
when I am more able to concentrate again.

And yes, the game changed my way of self-perception, definitely

 

[chicbulls2]

You play for the money and the rush that comes with it

 

[M6O6U6]

When you sit at the negotiating table under pressure, every decision reveals who you really are. I completely agree.

Do you discard cards too often for fear of losing? In my case, it depends on the tournament or cash game; when I'm emotionally strong and want to win, I discard 65% of my hands.

Do you bluff too much because you want to be in control? I prefer not to bluff most of the time; consequently, those who bluff a lot tend to create vicious cycles.

Do you lose your temper when you lose or do you stay calm and focused? Ideally, I wouldn't lose my temper, but we're still human, and dealing with emotions is our biggest obstacle.

I learn from every experience that poker teaches me: emotion, discipline, patience, bankroll management, and respect for the opponent.

 

[antonis32123]

For money of course . You can't have fun if you keep on losing money , especially with scammy fake set up hands . Even if you have the mood to go play for fun , the losses will bring you back to reality . So yeah : money only reason to play , if you win then fun also comes

 

[dannystanks]

Definitely for the money! But I do love the whole challenge of playing tournaments to see how far I can go.

 

[Alex Houngan]

When I play poker, I’m mostly just clicking buttons, sipping on a beer, and enjoying the game. I don’t overthink things, but I’m totally fine folding AQ if it’s not worth risking my stack, especially when I'm in the money. Sometimes I feel like the RNG is just giving out hands to mess with players at the bubble, but hey, the beer keeps me calm and helps me stay cool-headed. For me, poker is all about having fun and winning when it happens.

 

[veryluckyfish7k]

Totally agree it is a real test of character! yeah, money is nice, but my main goal is mental growth like you said, emotions, patience, and especially discipline have to grow with us. I play for the money too, at least partly - it is more like a reward for the grind and self-control.

 

[bullkk]

I play poker to understand myself.

 

[jefry19]

I play poker because it's fun and it helps me to de-stress every time I play.

 

[ironduke11]

you have to master self in order to win at poker

 

[Rachidao]

None of above, I play just for fun.

 

[Natox]

I aporoach to life and poker poker as life long marathon. Long-term success in requires endurance, strategic planning, and resilience, similar to a marathon runner. It emphasizes that individual hands, like individual steps, are not as important as the cumulative effort and consistency over time, and that players must manage short-term setbacks and fluctuations in luck to stay in the game for the long haul. Poker as in life, it's the same.

 

[roberto51]

I play mainly for the money, but I still get a lot of pleasure from the game itself. In my case, it's a kind of addiction, but of course, I always keep it under control.

 

[Luvepoker]

I play for the love of the game and the competition. Being an ex athlete is fills that competitive part of me that would be missing if not for poker.

 

[steve01991]

win some money and pass some time!

 

[Robin.mr05]

Today wpt bonze level password pls

 

[menken7777]

win money and pay my rent from it

 

[margmilo44]

For me, the draw started as pure curiosity and competition, but over time it became a kind of mental audit. The spots where I hesitated, overplayed hands, or chased losses were usually the same patterns I struggled with outside the game: impatience, attachment, or trying too hard to force outcomes.

Poker did not just sharpen my decision making. It made me more honest with myself. You cannot hide from your tendencies when you are facing them hand after hand.

 

[ebazynski]

As competitive person who has been playing card games since learning to play rummy at age 5 and who enjoys various forms of gambling, online poker provides the perfect outlet for me. Being a freeroll player only, allows me to play however I wish without fear of throwing away money.While modest, the prizes awarded in these CC games still provides that elusive dopamine hit.