know-poker quotes

Poker Quotes

Poker in its many various formats has a rich and varied history; like any profession, game or pastime it has gathered quotes and stories to embellish its standing.

Some you may already be aware of and will at times empathise with. Other quotes were not made with poker in mind, but offer food for thought.

Poker quotes

Educational poker quotes

Fun poker quotes

Albert Einstein poker quotes

Sir Winston Churchill poker quotes

Poker quotes

The first is a know-poker.com original.

- "The professional poker player is a person who is paid per-hand, per-tournament or per-haps."

Probably the most famous quote is attributed to Phil Hellmuth jr.

- "If it weren't for luck, I'd win every hand."

Wise words from pro player, Nicholas (Nick the Greek) Dandalos.

- "Remember this: The house doesn't beat the player. It just gives him the opportunity to beat himself."

Lou Krieger echoes Dandalos with this gem.

- "Most of the money you'll win at poker comes not from the brilliance of your own play, but from the ineptitude of your opponents."

Top poker words from Doyle Brunson.

- "Poker is a game of people. If you remember that, you can bounce your opponents round like tumbleweeds in Texas. If you forget that, Lord have mercy on your bankroll."

Johnny Moss, three time poker champion said.

- "Hold'em is to stud what chess is to checkers."

Canada Bill's most legendary quote is the hustler's motto.

- "It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money."

Such was Canada Bill's passion for the game that when warned one night the dealer was cheating, he observed.

- "Sure I know it, but it's the only game in town."

Jonathan Swift writing in 1728 was years ahead of his time, because surely everyone playing a live or online poker tournament will have thought the same.

- "I must complain the cards are ill shuffled ...till I have a good hand."

As card games began appearing in standard and recognisable forms, along came the wisdom of Charles Lamb who in 1832 wrote.

- "Cards are war, in disguise of a sport."

Mark Twain wrote.

- "There are few things that are so unpardonably neglected in our country as poker. The upper class knows very little about it. Now and then you find ambassadors who have sort of a general knowledge of the game, but the ignorance of the people is fearful.

Why, I have known clergymen, good men, kind-hearted, liberal, sincere, and all that, who did not know the meaning of a 'flush.' It is enough to make one ashamed of the species."

To suggest that pot odds are a modern players tool ignores the advise from David Spanier who in 1901 told.

- "The odds are merely a framework for play, like the lines of a tennis court."

Ian Fleming the creator of James Bond when writing Casino Royale in 1953 observed.

- "At gambling, the deadly sin is to mistake bad play for bad luck."

Big Julie (a known Chicago gangster) was attributed with.

- "The guy who invented poker was bright, but the guy who invented the chip was a genius."

And of course the old stand-by.

- "If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all."

Educational poker quotes

Mark Twain famously told.

- "Honesty is the best policy-when there's money in it."

Edward Rickenbacker (1890-1973) an American businessman said.

- "I can give you a six word formula for success; Think things through - then follow through."

Stephen Covey an American academic told.

- "We judge others by their behaviour but ourselves by our intentions."

That's probably best kept in mind when deciding if to gamble without the pot odds.

The author Alice Walker made a memorable quote that may stop us from over-betting a strong hand.

- "Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise."

During that awkward time near to the bubble not knowing whether to settle for a minor cash paying place or push for the big money, Germaine Greer wrote.

- "Security is when everything is settled. When nothing can happen to you. Security is the denial of life."

It is complimented by James F. Bymes who said.

- "Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death."

And if you still want convincing to get your chips into the pot and risk exiting a poker tournament, Lord Byron wrote.

- "The great art of life is sensation, to feel that we exist, even in pain."

Moving on to quotes that reflect poker table skirmishes.

George Bernard Shaw told.

- "I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig, you get dirty; and besides, the pig likes it."

When prudently selecting an opponent, Napoleon Bonaparte advised.

- "You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war."

Margaret Atwood had some thoughtful words if tempted to lower your starting hand requirements against a loose table.

- "An eye for an eye only leads to more blindness."

And is echoed by Abigail Van Buren.

- "People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes."

Mark Twain's advice is useful if you are the short stack at the table.

- "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

Hats off to 'Louis L'amour' with this gem for hands less than the absolute nuts.

- "A wise man fights to win, but he is twice a fool who has no plan for possible defeat."

A personal favourite quote was often said by a colleague several years ago and I have adopted that in many situations.

- "You can't educate pork."

Here's a cracker from Robert Burns; although this poem was not written with poker in mind it teaches dignity in defeat.

FICKLE FORTUNE

Though fickle fortune has deceived me,
she promis'd fair and perform'd but ill;
of mistress, friends, and wealth bereav'd me,
yet I bear a heart shall support me still.

I'll act with prudence as far as I'm able,
but if success I must never find,
then come misfortune, I bid the welcome,
I'll meet thee with an undaunted mind.

Fun poker quotes

A great one from the comedian, Steve Wright.

- "Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died."

Another Know-poker original for the times when you are so fixed on your pocket cards and have missed the obvious flush your opponent is betting on.

- "Sometimes, you can't see the wood for the porn star."

Gambling quotes

- "A racehorse is an animal that can take several thousand people for a ride at the same time."

- "Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing from something."

- "The best throw of the dice is to throw them away."

- "Gambling is the son of avarice and the father of despair."

And of course.

- "Luck never gives; it only lends."

Albert Einstein poker quotes

A quote for when it seems that every player at the table is willing to over-pay to see one more card.

- "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."

I am not sure if this counts as a poker quote for those times when the play is a little creative or incredulously loose.

- "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

When a sucker punch has hit and you can't believe your opponent has called a raise with those two cards.

- "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."

When you issue a sucker punch and your opponent can't believe you have called a raise with those two cards.

- "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."

We all need a boost from time to time.

- "Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."

Deep in a tourney and thinking of what you are going to spend your winnings on; Einstein said.

- "I never think of the future. It comes soon enough."

For those expensive unrewarding chases.

- "Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing."

For the occasional loose call.

- "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

A quote to stop you out-thinking yourself when playing Omaha Hi/Lo

- "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

Win or lose.

- "If 'A' is a success in life, then 'A' equals 'x' plus 'y' plus 'z'.

Work is 'x,' 'y' is play, and 'z' is keeping your mouth shut."

Has to be right here.

- "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."

And for those who want to captain a table.

- "Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods."

Sir Winston Churchill poker quotes

When the best laid traps go bad.

- "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

Similarly.

- "It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time."

And when things get dirty.

- "It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required."

Thinking of an expensive draw.

- "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

To keep the spirit up in the face of adversity.

- "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

For the regular grind.

- "Battles are won by slaughter and manoeuvre. The greater the general, the more he contributes in manoeuvre, the less he demands in slaughter."

And.

- "Everyone has his day and some days last longer than others."

And.

- "If you are going through hell, keep going."

Wise words.

- "Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it."

Following an unsuccessful draw no matter how many outs you had.

- "The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is."

And.

- "We occasionally stumble over the truth but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."

The best advice is saved for the end. Keep playing good poker and always have fun; but remember.

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

And.

- "To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."

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