Poker and Philosophy: Jigoro Kano
by Deke Marston | Nov 24 2011
"Judo teaches us to look for the best possible course of action, whatever the individual circumstances, and helps us to understand that worry is a waste of energy. Paradoxically, the man who has failed and one who is at the peak of success are in exactly the same position. Each must decide what he will do next, choose the course that will lead him to the future."
— Jigoro Kano
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Jigoro Kano was the founder of Judo, the first martial art from Japan to gain widespread recognition and the first to become an Olympic sport. The man basically created many of the elements that we now associate with martial arts in general, including the belt ranking system and the philosophical orientation we now associate with the form. Born in 1860, Kano saw Japan through a time of change and served as the director of primary education for the Ministry of Education and helped make martial arts part of many Japanese public school programs.
The man's many accomplishments aside, it's his teachings themselves that are of interest to the poker player, as many of them serve as maxims that can be used at the table, and today's quote establishes that perfectly. Every hand that's dealt at the poker table is, at its core, about the cards themselves and while there's no end of psychological warfare occurring at the table, every player is given the exact same basic tools to make their fortune with. No player is truly luckier than another, no player is "supposed" to win.
When you worry about the other's cards at the table, you give them the psychological advantage over you. Worry is an unhealthy, unneeded emotion at the table and should instead be replaced with logic. Whenever possible, try to remove the negative from your game and instead look to the positives. They won't always be to your advantage (for instance, you may encounter pot odds that are extremely unfavorable) but looking at the numbers in the purest form gives you the chance to improve your game with maximum results through minimal efforts.
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The best thing any beginning poker player can do for their game is to learn the basics of odds. Then, one can begin to understand that each and every player has the same basic toolset: cards, chips and a board to play on. It's the knowledge they bring behind that which defines a player at the table. Kano understood that egos could be bruised and learning halted when negative emotion enters the space. Taking the time to clear ones head and focus on the ways that all players are the same can help you focus and play better.
