Furgeson says have to be very intelligent! Is he right?

[Thrahl]

Among poker's brightest and most successful, there is one player who garners the highest praise. Howard Lederer said this player would before long be known as the best player who ever lived. Chris Ferguson called him a "genius". Barry Greenstein, who doesn't give out compliments lightly, refers to him as one of the five best in the world and notes that he's still improving. Erick Seidel said he has "a searing intelligence."

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So Ferguson, one of the people everyone recognizes as one of the greatest minds in poker. Thinks Phil Ivey is a genius, does that tell you anything??

[Indiana]

Educated people are always a little condescending about their education. If you like poker, just study hard and play hard. Don't worry about ur god given intelligence, you cannot change it.

Indy

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Educated people are always a little condescending about their education. If you like poker, just study hard and play hard. Don't worry about ur god given intelligence, you cannot change it.

[/ QUOTE ]

True, but if you don't have it, poker's going to cost you a lot of money. I expect smoothcall would actually score highly on IQ tests if he's been successful as suggested here. He just hasn't been trained in the mechanics of the written word and has trouble expressing himself as a result.

In his original post, I think smoothcall misconstrued two statements Ferguson made as relating to one another because they came from the same source. He's gotten a lot of flack for it, but that's because he's continually fought back (fuel on the fire...).

Smooth, just in case it hasn't been made obvious, I think Ferguson was listing his degrees to show the ways he's developed his intelligence, not to suggest he's intelligent in the first place.

Gary

[Smoothcall]

He said in order to be atop the poker world you have to be very intelligent. in the same breath stated his academic accomplishment which cld make one believe he thinks there is a correlation. I mean why wouold he start naming his degrees? it was to show how intelligent he is. otherwise he woulda stopped at need to be very intelligent.

[Smoothcall]

I'm sorry but i don't see chris ferguson as one of the greatest minds in poker. Thats just more hype. He doesn't even play live. Greatest minds in poker should be able to beat both live and tournaments imo. he doesnt fit the bill. okay for those that say you dont have to play good to have a great mind for poker. well thats true, but where is his great mind put down on paper for all of us to see? I'm sure he might write a book one day on tournaments. But what about live poker? to be a great mind of poker you should be able to put down in words excellent live play no?