The Art of War (and Poker)

Harry S Truman

“If you can't convince them, confuse them.”

 

“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves...self-discipline with all of them came first.”

 

Aesop

Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.  The gods help them that help themselves.

 

The shaft of the arrow had been feathered with one of the eagle's own plumes.

 

We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction.

 

 

Donald Trump

Sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.

Carolyn Wells

Actions lie louder than words.

George Bernard Shaw

One man that has a mind and knows it can always beat ten men who haven't and don't.

Buddha

He is able who thinks he is able.


You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.


Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.


As the Fletcher whittles and makes straight his arrows, so the master directs his straying thoughts.





 

Erica Jong

If you don't risk anything you risk even more.

Blaise Pascal

In each action we must look beyond the action at our past, present and future state, and at others whom it affects, and see the relation of all those things. And then we shall be very cautious.



Two things control man's nature: instinct and experience.





 

Abraham Lincoln

I will prepare and some day my chance will come.





 

Confucius

Study the past if you would define the future.


The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come.


If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.


The cautious seldom err.





 

Woody Allen

If you don't fail now and again, it's a sign you're playing it safe.

 

Winston Churchill

True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.

Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.


Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.


Play the game for more than you can afford to lose... only then will you learn the game.

 

Vincent Van Gogh

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.



 

Bill Gates

It's fine to celebrate success but it more important to heed the lessons of failure.

Life is not fair; get used to it.

Success is a lousy teacher.  It seduces people into thinking they can't lose.

Benjamin Franklin

He that can have patience can have what he will.

Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do. 

Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one. 

As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence. 

Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out. 

John Wooden

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen. 

   It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. 

Never mistake activity for achievement. 

If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes. 

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself.

Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character. 

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one. 

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts. 

 

Warren Buffet

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked. 

Beware of geeks bearing formulas. 

It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction. 

Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing.

We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful. 

Bruce Lee

Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it.

Know the difference between a catastrophe and an inconvenience. — To realize that it's just an inconvenience, that it is not a catastrophe, but just an unpleasantness, is part of coming into your own, part of waking up.

Don't fear failure. — Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.

Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water.

 

The Art of War (and Poker) II

The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC. It is said to be one of the definitive works on military strategies and tactics.

A few lines from the Art of War...

If you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.  If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.

One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful.

All warfare is based on deception.

When able to attack, we must seem unable...hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

If (your enemy) is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.  Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious. He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.

Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy.

 

The Art of War (and Poker)

Many high profile poker players say Sun Tzu's The Art of War contains everything you need to know to learn how to play winning poker. 

We agree. 

The aim of this blog is to look at other pieces of writing that might also contain truths about poker.