Why poker players should learn to code (interesting article) - Poker News

In the late 2000s, online poker sprung up as a mini gold rush for risk-loving, intelligent twenty-somethings. I see many parallels to the current frenzy over learning to code.

A quick background check
From 2009 to 2010, I earned $500,000 playing online poker. My friends and I developed a mathematical approach which gave us a large edge (a bit like Bringing Down the House without all of the fun espionage elements).

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01-06-2014 , 02:31 PM

Paralimbic

banned

Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 673

Thank you, just reading

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01-06-2014 , 02:36 PM

onebigdummy

adept

Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 738

Yes, seem good

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01-06-2014 , 03:54 PM

Everest17

veteran

Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 3,233

turned down Harvard Law to code...not sure if I'd do the same

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01-06-2014 , 04:23 PM

sexyjesus2

stranger

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 9

TBD on that decision. On the one hand, definitely less money. So, so few lawyers are happy though.

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01-06-2014 , 04:51 PM

Kilowatt

banned

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,101

I am someone who learned to code first (dating back to the early '80s) and play poker second.

I generally agree with what this article is saying, but I also should note that a strong mathematical/coding mind does NOT necessarily make a good poker player. If you are too risk-averse, too straightforward, lack self-control, or lack quick situational-reading skills, you will fail at poker, even if you're a great coder.

With that said, it's not a coincidence that a lot of the good/great poker players of the past 10-15 years also have a math/CS background.

Also, it's hard to take this thread seriously when it was started by "sexyjesus".

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01-06-2014 , 04:58 PM

Donk Quixote

old hand

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,311

Another similarity is flexibility. You have every option available to you as a programmer, full time corporate job, startup cofounder, consultant, freelance, etc. You can work anywhere from 1-100 hours a week, so it goes very well with a poker semi-pro lifestyle. You can also usually find a new job quickly in a new place (at least if it's a major city).

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01-06-2014 , 05:02 PM

FullTilted

newbie

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 49

Not just poker players but society in general. Software is part of our everyday lives and programming is a valuable skill. Eventually there will be some programming classes along with entrepreneurial course around the grade level education. In the future, software development/engineering will probably be the considered the middle class job.

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01-06-2014 , 06:00 PM

mavsfan4ever

old hand

Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,536

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everest17

turned down Harvard Law to code...not sure if I'd do the same

Know how I know you aren't an attorney...?

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01-06-2014 , 06:57 PM

#10

Bonified

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,555

Interesting. I was a software developer before I quit to play poker. Some of the guys I worked with would clearly have been excellent poker players had they taken to it.

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01-06-2014 , 07:50 PM

#11

omnishakira

High Troller

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 9,732

anyone can tell me what is coding in short, its some kind of programing ?

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01-06-2014 , 08:08 PM

#12

MadStranger

grinder

Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 452

Just programming in general, writing code.

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01-06-2014 , 08:40 PM

#13

iosys

old hand

Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,753

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullTilted

is this a troll post or you seriously believe this?
I'm assuming you don't know how to program anything other than a hello world console print

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01-06-2014 , 08:44 PM

#14

The4thFilm

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 13,472

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullTilted

Snapchat guys got offered $3 billion for a program that self destructs dick pics in 10 seconds.

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01-06-2014 , 09:01 PM

#15

2oops2

journeyman

Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 396

OP are you Ben Plesser?

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01-07-2014 , 09:33 AM

#16

Dr.FatCat

adept

Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 1,082

Quote:

Originally Posted by iosys

is this a troll post or you seriously believe this?
I'm assuming you don't know how to program anything other than a hello world console print

Not sure which part you're referring to but in Latvia and Estonia they already teach programming as a compulsory module before high school.

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01-07-2014 , 09:47 AM

#17

Big Toe

adept

Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 726

Allot of programming work does get outsourced to Latvia/Albania etc.

I have been working as a programmer for the last 10 year whilst playing poker as a hobby. Its a really full-filling job would recommend it to people leaving high school looking for direction, give it a shot, see if you like it.

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01-07-2014 , 09:50 AM

#18

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Until I read the thread, I was thinking code as in learning to code medical records.

Hey, I am a Doc after all.

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01-07-2014 , 11:19 AM

#19

ez2cy

grinder

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 641

Ok.....is this for real? or just a cheap way to advertise a school or program

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01-07-2014 , 11:21 AM

#20

Green Plastic

CardRunners Sponsored Forum

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,088

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2oops2

OP are you Ben Plesser?

not sure he's trying to hide that...he responded to the "turned down harvard law" comment in the thread.

overall OP has a good point, learning to code would be a wise decision for many people.

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01-07-2014 , 11:57 AM

#21

BustoPro

old hand

Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,668

What on Earth does this have to do with poker? Some sort of VERY tenuous connection based on skillset?

I already knew how to code before I started playing online poker. I didn't do it then, and I don't do it now, because there are other things I want to do instead. I didn't find it at all satisfying, but that's just me. BFD.

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01-07-2014 , 11:57 AM

#22

The Lipo Fund

grinder

Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 13,484

agreed.

who else plans to start learning how to program this year?

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01-07-2014 , 12:05 PM

#23

Doc T River

Master of the Edit Line

Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 13,059

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lipo Fund

agreed.

who else plans to start learning how to program this year?

I've resolved to be more technically aware but that doesn't extend to relearning how to code. I actually used to know how to write programs in RPG II, BASIC, and COBOL, but those languages are probably not even commonly used anymore.

Thinking about that makes me feel really old.

Last edited by Doc T River; 01-07-2014 at 12:12 PM.

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01-07-2014 , 12:32 PM

#24

CdnBeerLover

centurion

Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 112

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc T River

COBOL is still used in a number of industries (government, banking, insurance). Coding in it is how I make a living.

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01-07-2014 , 12:51 PM

#25

2oops2

journeyman

Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 396

Quote:

not sure he's trying to hide that...he responded to the "turned down harvard law" comment in the thread.

Yeah, I didn't catch that.

Seems like a pretty clear ad for his training website. Not sure what 2p2 policy is on this type of thing but op should be a bit more transparent imo.

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