Whether you\u2019re an amateur or a professional, poker is one of the most thrilling and exciting games around. Nothing beats watching the assembled players, seeing if you can spot their tells<\/a> and trying to crack their poker faces. When you win a hand, there\u2019s no feeling quite like it. Still, you may not know that playing poker can have other unexpected benefits in terms of physical, mental, and even social skills. Here are ten benefits you might not have expected poker to bring if you play regularly.<\/p>\n It\u2019s true; if you\u2019re skilled and just a little lucky, it\u2019s entirely possible to make a living playing poker<\/a>. Indeed, many have already done so; consider the case of Dale Philip, who managed to make over \u00a310,000 a month<\/a> playing poker in his heyday. Of course, you will need to study extensively to ensure that you can play at the level required to make money; many people enter the professional circuit at an amateur level and don\u2019t realise how difficult it can be. Still, it\u2019s very, very attainable.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re sitting around the poker table and watching your fellow players, you may not know it, but you\u2019re actually developing your social skills<\/a>. Keeping a close eye on the other players\u2019 faces as they play teaches you to watch for body language and minor changes in demeanour; this can be an excellent way to enhance your day-to-day social interactions. Besides this, if you\u2019re playing for fun, you\u2019ll be able to chat to the other players and learn more about them as you play.<\/p>\n Playing poker is a superb way to improve your concentration. Think about it; if you\u2019re focusing on one game for hours at a time, you\u2019ll need to be at the top of your game for that entire duration. If you notice your concentration waning during other activities, it\u2019s a good idea to hone it<\/a> before you start playing poker, but the mere act of getting into the game will ensure that you\u2019re sharper, more focused, and better disposed to win as a result of those things.<\/p>\n In a similar way to improving your social skills, poker will also make you a better observer of people and their habits. This can be a serious boon for many professions. For example, if you\u2019re a law enforcement officer, observation is a vital skill<\/a> to help you catch criminals and understand their behaviour. It\u2019s also a great help in industries like finance, education, and even catering. Poker can help you develop your observation skills by teaching you to watch people closely.<\/p>\n Many of us suffer with low emotional intelligence<\/a>. There could be many reasons for this: childhood trauma, a lack of good parenting, or any number of other causes. Poker can be a great way to improve your emotional intelligence for the simple reason that you will be feeling a great deal while you play. Moments where you\u2019re winning will make you feel elated but losing can be pretty devastating. Learning to cope with these feelings and move past them will strengthen your emotional intelligence.<\/p>\n Believe it or not, poker can actually improve your hand-eye coordination. While the actual act of playing the game won\u2019t necessarily strengthen this skill, you\u2019ll probably find yourself absent-mindedly playing with your chips, your cards, or anything else in your surroundings. The mere act of moving your hands and using these manual skills will improve them, so the next time you need to do something complex with your hands, congratulate yourself on using poker as a self-improvement tool!<\/p>\n Much like hand-eye coordination and observational skills, willpower is an important trait for poker players to bring to the table. The act of playing poker, however, will also improve your willpower in and of itself. If you\u2019re playing, you\u2019ll need to summon the willpower to push through poor decisions or bad luck, and each game you play will subtly improve your ability to do so. This is a skill that translates very well to real life<\/a> and will have many real-world applications.<\/p>\n By playing poker, you\u2019ll gain a better understanding of money management. This particular skill will, of course, require you to put some effort in; if you\u2019re cavalier with your bets then your understanding of personal finance won\u2019t improve. However, if you\u2019re able to restrain yourself and judge which bets are good and which are bad, then your money management will improve in your day-to-day life. Money management is a skill many of us don\u2019t have but which all of us need<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
You can make a living<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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You can learn to understand people better<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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It\u2019ll improve your concentration<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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You\u2019ll improve your observational skills<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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It will strengthen your emotional intelligence<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Your hand-eye coordination will improve<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Your willpower will improve<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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You\u2019ll gain a better understanding of money management<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n