The boom in popularity of poker has brought with it an entire new generation of poker players. Young, energetic, and hungry to win, this new breed is becoming the majority in online games, in casinos, and at home games. Through interviews, observations, and play against some of the most profitable new players on the scene today, we uncovered the personal psychology and motivations behind their styles.

The Drive

There seems to be two main motivations that drive new players: the expectation for sheer excitement and the lure of the possible “easy” money. Often, the new player was enticed to try the game due to television coverage that has sparked a curiosity. With that, they enter the game with an altered vision of the reality of play, as they have a vision of which mimics those intense no-limit tournaments they’ve watched. Those of us who’ve played this game for a longer amount of time know that limit games and daylong tournaments hold many more moments of boredom than exhilaration. The rookies simply cannot imagine such a slow pace to this game, so they seek out avenues for fun and energy. Mike Santas, who’s steadily won money for about three months online, summed it up when he remarked “I saw it on ESPN and just new I had to play. It looked like a blast.”

The other main drive is the “lottery” mentality. Basically, the new player perceives poker as a winnable contest. While watching on television, they’ve thought, “I could do that. That could be me winning all of that money.” The possibility of easy money entices them strongly. Even at a low limit game, any winning session (even a small win) brings with it a special feeling of pride and accomplishment. We spoke with Shane Hess, a 27 year old who’s been playing for less than a year but is meeting success at a popular online poker site and at Atlantic City casinos. When he spoke about some of his modest wins he admitted, “If I win twenty-five bucks playing at one session of poker, it feels awesome. I know I make more money than that at work, but that just isn’t the same.”

The Ego

Poker veterans expect newcomers to the game to display a certain decorum, respecting fellow players and respecting the game. Instead, many new players of the game display an over inflated ego when they enter into the game. Even though they have little actual playing experience, they seem to assume that they will win. This attitude seems to irate many of the experienced players at the tables. What many fail to recognize is that an inflated ego many be a psychological necessity for the rookie player. Taking on any new endeavor can be a seriously intimidating task. Poker is certainly no exception. Even a novice knows that displaying any sign of insecurity at the table is sure to damage the likelihood of success. As a reaction, the new player takes the opposite extreme. This display is partially enacted to fool opponents, but mostly it is a way to intentionally attempt to boost sagging self-confidence. At its essence, without this forced confidence the player would feel especially vulnerable and overwhelmed. The ego is not intended to disrespect the game or other players; it is intended to protect the player himself.

The Knowledge

One common error is assuming that younger poker players are unknowledgeable about the game of poker. While the new generation of player may have many less hours of play logged, he often is very knowledgeable of the game itself. With online poker chat forums, poker odds charts, and great poker books and resources readily available, many novices are actually well studied. By using such learning tools, they are able to get a deep understanding of the philosophies of poker in a rather quick manner. Many new players are very adept at maximizing that knowledge and converting it to profits at the tables. Shane Hess explained, “When I’m not playing poker online, I’m reading poker magazines and books. After I play online, I post some of the hands I played at on online forum for other guys to critique.”

Playing the Novice

Ultimately, your goal should be to keep the novice at your table as long as possible to give you ample opportunity outlast them and to take their chips. Their longing for action will make them play too many hands, making the more patient players at the table more likely to beat them in the long run. Remember that their ego is nothing but a cover for their underlying insecurities. With that, do not let it distract you or get you on tilt. Instead, play into that ego by providing them with compliments on their play. Mostly, never assume that a player with limited playing experience is a fish. With the large amount of valuable poker information available today, a new player does not always mean a poor player. Understand the novice player to optimize your play against them. Now go make it happen.

In addition to being a poker enthusiast, gambling columnist, and lecturer, John is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and practices in his home state of Pennsylvania. He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can arrange for interviews or speaking engagements with “the Poker Counselor” at carlisle14@hotmail.com.