At this point in the elaboration of the Skill Poker Index, it was necessary an in-depth analysis of what is meant by skill in Texas Hold’em poker. From the literature analyzed, the dominant element that binds the discipline in the category of gambling, lies in the impossibility of using skills to govern the outcomes of a game. It becomes an indispensable prerogative for the recognition of the discipline of Texas Hold’em poker tournaments in the sports category, according to the criteria identified in the European Charter of Sport.
Skills from a scientific perspective
The study of Texas Hold’em poker skills is not new in our country. The first contribution in the scientific literature (2018) was brought by the Italian-Swedish team of the universities of Milan-Bicocca and Dalarna, led by Dr. Mauro Schiavella, with the participation of the famous poker pro Gabriele Lepore. With this study he evaluated poker skills and problematic play in professional and recreational Italian Texas Hold’em online poker players.
Research findings
With “Profiling Online Poker Players: Are Executive Functions Correlated with Poker Ability and Problem Gambling?” , the academic team identified two distinct groups of cognitive abilities. The first predicts the game ability, the second predicts the problematic game.The study of Dr. Schiavella is part of a line of research dedicated to the fight against ludopathy and holds a very important record within the international scientific community. It is, in fact, the first study to demonstrate that a specific group of high-level cognitive abilities is a fundamental asset to succeed in Texas Hold’em poker.
In online poker, for example, you have to possess solid skills in the management of large numbers, speed of calculation and data processing, oriented to the Expected Value – EV. This is the typical approach that the player, with professional orientation, adopts for his competitive and professional online activity.
With the next issue I will offer a scientific insight into these particular abilities.
Go to the next article not to lose the thread of the discussion on the Skill Poker Index, or go to the first article of the series to resume it.
Pietro Semeraro
Transl. by Margherita Basile
3 thoughts on “Texas Hold’em poker Skills”