"Good memory, concentration, and a very strong will." - Bobby Fischer, on the qualities of a great chess player
Sports, games, competition, politics, and war; they are all the same to me. Just games that we are driven to play. Happily, within each there are lessons of strategy, psychology, and more that can be used to improve our tournament poker game. So, with this post I am beginning a new series of Book Reviews called Game Play. Where we will explore books on other games in search of poker related tips.
I already know that the hunt is going to be very fruitful. There is hardly a poker pro biography that does not mention mastery of some other game. Stu Unger was a Gin Rummy World Champion. Rafe Furst is a world class Roshambo player. (Roshambo is the rock, scissors, paper kid's game. Who would have thunk?)
For two decades, politics has been my favorite game. In one of America's largest cities, I have won five of five city-wide elections. My record for helping others to be elected, and in leadership of issue-driven campaigns has been equally successful. What have I learned? Well, if you think poker is treacherous, you ain't seen nothing. Seriously, and for certain, you do learn to read people. Every movement and every inflection tells an important story. Most fun is the strategic planning for a campaign. Next is the execution of the plan. Of course, in a political campaign there is only one winner. Second place does not count for squat. The public service part of politics, though, is not a game. That part is an honored trust.
The game most often talked of as being similar to poker is chess. So, our first book to review will be Samurai Chess: Mastering Art of the Mind
1) "Playing chess, you face pressure of time, you must assess risk accurately, and you must think globally and locally: In other words, it is up to you. You truly win or you truly lose." Authors' Note.
2) "...chess develops talent for rapidly calculating probabilities - spotting opportunities and balancing risks against rewards. At the same time it also cultivates willingness to stick to a strategy, even when it produces losing streaks in the short run." Page 9.
3) "Vast reserves of physical and mental stamina are needed, plus psychological toughness, unbreakable concentration, and the kind of confidence that flirts with arrogance." Page 122.
4) "...let go of the fear of losing and concentrate on playing your best. Cultivate a Zen-like detachment from the ego, focusing attention purely on the best possible moves." Page 145.
5) "You must learn to dictate the tempo, to disturb your opponent's rhythm and to make him waste valuable time." Page 193.
6) "The effective application of these principles depends on knowing yourself and your enemy - and ensuring that they are not one and the same!" Page 235.
It has been a year since reading Samurai Chess. And, again I am struck by the dead-on wisdom found on practically every page. Throughout this book one can find game and tournament advice of timeless value.
And, before you place a book order, look at the Free Offers page.
R. Steve McCollum
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Order this book from Amazon.com. You can be certain of amazingly low prices, oftentimes free shipping, and really fast service.
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Copyright 2009 R. Steve McCollum
