Personality Type and Poker?

BlackRain · #1 10-25-2005, 11:13 AM

Was just reading an article where the author argues that an introverted personality type, and more specifically INTP(Introverted Intuitive Thinking Perceiving) and INTJ(Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging), are directly correlated with winning poker. This is the case he claims, because the introvert personality is more apt at self reflection, self examination and concentrating on the actions and words of other people for long periods of time. He argues that the INTJ is probably best disposed of the 16 personality types because "this type is motivated by the practical application of knowledge."

He goes on to argue...

"Perhaps 70, 75 or even 80% of all poker champions are of these two types[INTP and INTJ]. If this was an verified scientific fact, what might that mean for poker worldwide? Perhaps a correct but inverse conclusion could be correctly drawn. Perhaps some specific Myers-Briggs personality types are more apt to perform poorly at poker, in the same way a narrow subset of personality types is apt to do very well."

The article is listed here

http://www.pokerfyi.com/articles/4/20.aspx

and the Myers-Briggs personality test is listed here

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Thoughts/Comments?

Mr. Curious · #2 10-25-2005, 11:34 AM

There have been many threads about this already, please try using the search function.

pipes · #3 10-28-2005, 03:26 PM

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There have been many threads about this already, please try using the search function.

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My what a dic you come off as here.

OP is not asking a question. He took the time to post something that he felt others would find interesting.

Mr. Curious · #4 10-29-2005, 08:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There have been many threads about this already, please try using the search function.

[/ QUOTE ]

My what a dic you come off as here.

OP is not asking a question. He took the time to post something that he felt others would find interesting.

[/ QUOTE ]

Strange, MikeBandy found one of the old threads: Dan's initial M&B post

Dan Mezick · #5 10-29-2005, 09:58 PM

Here's an interesting profile of the INTP type, probably the most winning online-poker type.

http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/intp.htm
INTPs exhibit the greatest precision in thought and language of all the types; they tend to see distinctions and inconsistencies in thought and language instantaneously. The one word which captures the unique style of INTPs is architect-the architect of ideas and systems as well as the architect of edifices. This type is found in only 1 percent of the population and therefore is not encountered as frequently as some of the other types.

INTPs detect contradictions in statements no matter how distant in space or time the contradictory statements were produced. The intellectual scanning of INTPs has a principled quality; that is, INTPs search for whatever is relevant and pertinent to the issue at hand. Consequently, INTPs can concentrate better than any other type.

ChicagoTroy · #6 10-25-2005, 02:16 PM

I fall between these two types, leaning towards INTP. The fact that they make up a very small percentage of the population leads me to think there must be other types that play winning or championship poker.

JMO

Dan Mezick · #7 10-25-2005, 08:35 PM

I wrote that essay. Later I posted a poll here on the 16 MBTI personality types. The over-represented types at 2+2 were INTP and INTJ by a wide margin.

The original post had quite a following. It seems it may have scrolled off the archives. (archiveserver.twoplustwo.com)

Anyone who may decide to try to locate it in the archives and post the link here, is appreciated. I believe the title was "Poker and Personality" and you can try searching "INTP" "INTJ" etc. These searches (in the Psych forum) may dredge it up from the archives. I posted that in 10/2004 and the archive server appears to go back only six months.

These essays and others are at http://www.pokerfyi.com/articles/4.aspx

FYI I did get quite a few interesting emails from some very well-known (champ) players who admitted to being introverted. Several were quite proud of that fact.

There is little doubt that introverts rule.

Atlantic Monthly published an excellent essay on introverts:

Caring for Your Introvert

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Extroverts have little or no grasp of introversion. They assume that company, especially their own, is always welcome. They cannot imagine why someone would need to be alone; indeed, they often take umbrage at the suggestion. As often as I have tried to explain the matter to extroverts, I have never sensed that any of them really understood. They listen for a moment and then go back to barking and yipping.

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Mr. Curious · #8 10-26-2005, 03:00 PM

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Extroverts have little or no grasp of introversion. They assume that company, especially their own, is always welcome. They cannot imagine why someone would need to be alone; indeed, they often take umbrage at the suggestion. As often as I have tried to explain the matter to extroverts, I have never sensed that any of them really understood. They listen for a moment and then go back to barking and yipping.

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Interesting generalization and stereo typing; it shows a lack of understanding how the Meyers-Briggs test is meant to work. The test only shows your personality tendencies at this point in time.

All people have some tendencies of all personality types.

They just favor one side or the other at any given time. That's what I enjoy most about the test: you can swing from one personality type to another over time.

You may be a introvert today, but that may change to extrovert in a year and back to introvert a year after that. Same with thinking/feeling, intuitive/sensory, and perceiving/judging.

This test can help you know and understand yourself better by identifying who you are today, but does nothing more. Being currently identified as an INTP or INTJ does not gaurantee you poker success, only you can do that.

btw - I am an ENFJ, though that really does not mean much because my N & F scores were only 2 questions higher than my S & T scores; and although I grew up an introvert, I have shifted strongly to the extrovert side. Does being an ENFJ mean I suck at poker? No, but it might explain why I enjoy the social interaction of playing live more than I enjoy playing online.

jonnyd · #9 10-26-2005, 06:54 PM

i agree i enjoy live games more than online
i play online when im bored.. or to procrastinate

but i dont play online instead of doing other things..

im a ENFP lol

AZnuts · #10 11-04-2005, 09:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Extroverts have little or no grasp of introversion. They assume that company, especially their own, is always welcome. They cannot imagine why someone would need to be alone; indeed, they often take umbrage at the suggestion. As often as I have tried to explain the matter to extroverts, I have never sensed that any of them really understood. They listen for a moment and then go back to barking and yipping.

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Completely & undeniabley accurate.

I am INTJ, my wife INTP. We both understand where extroverts are coming from, and often accommodate their sometimes whiny and child-like requirements for companionship and approval.

On the otherhand, the same extroverts have no clue as to why we introverts might dislike when they convert the small gathering of close friends at our house into a free-for-all by inviting their neighbors, landscapers, and second cousins.