The worst trait a poker player can have.

[TheCroShow]

obviously a question that has no right or wrong answer, matter of opinion.

i say a combination of many things, i cannot narrow it down to one thing.

-gambling problem. it goes with the territory though, it sucks but always do a self check and say "do i have a gambling problem?" i did that a while back.

-self discipline. kinda ties in with the gambling problem. some players play when they cannot afford to, move up when they cannot afford to. play junk hands, play weak hands only because they are getting impatient and see other weak hands winning, so they must hit like the others!

-ego. even top level pros say they are still learning every day. it's arrogant and silly to assume you know it all and can outplay anyone. the sooner you learn that there is much to learn at any level the better, the sooner you realize that anyone can win on any given night, the better.

my 2 cents for now. stating the obvious yes, but that's my opinion

[mantasm]

down syndrome : (

[Piemaster]

I'm voting for emotional imbalance. If you have this you're not only going to tilt easily and make bad decisions, but you will also end up with poker infringing on your real life.

[jpumass11]

Fear...I don't know very many poker players who can play their game with scared money

[shermn27]

Lack of gratification deferment and competitiveness. Both of these traits have been linked to pathological gambling which has been linked a great number of other problems such as: drug abuse, spousal abuse, and alcoholism.

Lack of gratification deferment is clearly a disadvantage b/c these players are impatient. Competitiveness however, certainly has its merits for making better poker players.

[Prevaricator]

I think competitiveness is mandatory for a good poker player.

[TheCroShow]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm voting for emotional imbalance. If you have this you're not only going to tilt easily and make bad decisions, but you will also end up with poker infringing on your real life.

[/ QUOTE ]

while this may not be the best trait, to be fair some players have enjoyed success while being a little emotionally unstable. heh.

[Mike Cuneo]

[ QUOTE ]
Lack of discipline.

AINEC.

[/ QUOTE ]

[shermn27]

As a person who is competitive at everything (including who can name the singer on the radio the fastest) I agree. Just simply stating that research indicates high competitiveness coupled with low gratification deferment is linked to problem gambling.

Of course, none of us are problem gamblers, b/c we aren't really "gambling" [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[coolhandluke]

I'd say right up there is lack of honesty with oneself. SOmetimes you have to take a hard look at your skills/decisions. I've seen to many people blame "bad Luck, suckouts, running bad" for losing way more money than they should, where honestly, they were making poor decisions, but refused to admit this.

Example, I watched as a friend of mine threw down several grand (alot of money for us at the time). afterwards, he was blaming two ridiculously bad beats he took. I pointed out that those only cost him a couple of hundred each, and the rest he lost playing poorly. He to this day refuses to believe me.