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| Gotta Play Black Jack To Finance My Poker Habit Sometimes! |
The Dopamine Power Diet—In Search of the “All-In” Button
"I’ll take things that I know for $1,000 Alex!"
NLH has the short-term effect of windfalls of buckets of luck. That generates a roller coaster ride of greed, invincibility, and fantasy—a flood of dopamine that signals to our bodies that something good has happened. It’s not the win, but the suggestion of it that generates pleasure in the brain, rewarding anticipation.
For the first time, you can actually get inside the black box, when your game crashes with Neuroeconomics—making "emotional" decisions and their economic significance. Brain scientists, who with Hotel Anyware's help, will be writing the new Super System and (behavioral) Theory of Poker.
Chapter One Teaser: AN I for an I
'See it with your mind's eye' is so pre Twin Towers 9/11. Reif shows us that our mind is our eye. What we think is what we see, and what we see directs how we act. Not only do the authors make this paradigm clear, but Ed offers concrete and practical ways to change 
our mind's eye and, as a consequence, change our actions and the results we get.
A miracle is a shift in thinking, and shifting our thinking opens new opportunities.
Shift Happens
When your third eye and your turd eye are at one—you start to believe your own sh*t, hooked on the belief that you are about to make mo' money. This creates a midbrain mutiny between dopamine and serotonin. Like any addict, when the bad beat comes, you will go into a painful withdrawal. "I think therefore I am" might need a re-write— I don’t know, so maybe I’m not. It’s all chemical!
Thinking and feeling differently about losing. Whatever is going on in you is chemical. What could your neurons "want"? It's enigmatic, but basically, they want a jolt of serotonin, norepinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine.
Poker = f(dopamine flow); Money = happiness
"Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy chips, which is kinda the same thing" - Ed Reif, Wise and Otherwise, 2007
Money is a means to an end. When you get money, you shouldn't experience immediate happiness. Brain research shows, however, that people get immediate pleasure and pain from winning and losing money.
Dopamine is a Swiss army knife that does a lot of jobs, but the thing Mr. Science notices most is that it regulates reward. When you win a hand of poker, it's a dopamine spike that's responsible for the thrill that follows.
The Power Of Impossible Thinking
Getting what you deserve is boring. Having pocket AA and raking a small pot just won’t do it. There has to be risk and ambiguity. Don’t you feel more energized when you’re uncertain of the outcome of a hand?
When you do a three-barrel bluff, don’t you feel more alive, your heart jumping out of your chest, you sweat, you take that dry mouth swallow? I think that a subconscious desire to return to this state affects my game. I bluff too much because I want to experience the feeling I get at these moments… when you get him to fold top pair, when a scare card is on the turn. This is poker at its finest: If you can think impossible thoughts, you can do impossible things.
Cognitive-Enhancing SMART Drugs and Poker—The Next Steroids Scandal
So all this stuff about steroids and baseball, what about brain-boosting drugs and poker? I wrote about holdem’s off-the-wall player, me and my Big (Mike the) Mouth.
This dynamic strategy brought out the full force of dopamine. Take the game to a new level where everything is razor-sharp, almost psychotic thinking.
Conclusion
When you get a “jackpot” jolt, the afterglow is what keeps you coming back for more. Whether it’s poker or life itself, once you get a taste of dopamine, it’s hard to stop.
Blueprint
Big Picture Principles
- The Dopamine-Driven Nature of Poker: Poker, especially No-Limit Hold'em (NLH), is inherently addictive due to dopamine rushes associated with risk, uncertainty, and potential rewards.
- The Illusion of Control and Skill: The sense of control and skill in poker may be deceptive, with players often driven by subconscious desires for dopamine hits rather than rational decisions.
- The Chemical Basis of Emotion and Decision-Making: Neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine play critical roles in shaping emotions and influencing decisions, especially in high-stakes situations.
- The Potential Dangers of Dopamine Addiction: The addictive nature of dopamine-driven activities, including poker, may lead to negative consequences.
Key Ideas and Facts
- Dopamine as a Reward Signal: "Dopamine is a Swiss army knife that does a lot of jobs, but the thing Mr. Science notices most is that it regulates reward. When you win a hand of poker, it's a dopamine spike that's responsible for the thrill that follows."
- Anticipation over Actual Reward: "It’s not the win, but the suggestion of it that generates pleasure in the brain, rewarding anticipation."
- The Allure of Risk and Uncertainty: "Getting what you deserve is boring. Having pocket AA and raking a small pot just won’t do it. There has to be risk and ambiguity."
- The Addictive Cycle: "When you get a “jackpot” jolt, the afterglow is what keeps you coming back for more. Whether it’s poker or life itself, once you get a taste of dopamine, it’s hard to stop."
- The Influence of "Impossible Thinking": "If you can think impossible thoughts, you can do impossible things."
- Neuroeconomics and Poker: Neuroeconomics offers insights into poker strategies and player behaviors.
Quotes
"Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy chips, which is kinda the same thing" - Ed Reif, Wise and Otherwise, 2007
"I think that a subconscious desire to return to this state affects my game. I bluff too much because I want to experience the feeling I get at these moments… when you get him to fold top pair, when a scare card is on the turn."
"This dynamic strategy brought out the full force of dopamine. Take the game to a new level where everything is razor-sharp, almost psychotic thinking."
Analysis
The excerpts present a compelling argument about the powerful role of dopamine in driving poker players' decisions and behaviors. By framing poker as a "Dopamine Power Diet," the author emphasizes the addictive potential of the game. The excerpts also raise thought-provoking questions about the balance between skill, luck, and the pursuit of dopamine-fueled thrills in poker.
Further Research
- Explore the field of neuroeconomics and its applications to decision-making in gambling and other high-stakes activities.
- Investigate the role of dopamine in addiction and the potential risks associated with excessive dopamine stimulation.
- Examine the ethical implications of using cognitive-enhancing drugs ("SMART drugs") in poker and other competitive environments.
Understanding the "Dopamine Power Diet" in Poker
1. What is the "Dopamine Power Diet" in the context of poker?
The "Dopamine Power Diet" isn't a real diet, but a metaphorical concept referring to the addictive cycle of dopamine release triggered by the highs and lows of poker. The thrill of risk, uncertainty, and potential reward leads to dopamine spikes, similar to the pleasure response from food or drugs. This reinforces behaviors like bluffing and chasing wins, even when they might not be strategically sound.
2. How does the anticipation of winning affect the brain?
Anticipation of a reward, like winning a poker hand, triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This creates a feeling of excitement and reinforces the desire to continue playing, even if the actual win is relatively small.
3. What is the connection between the "mind's eye" and decision-making in poker?
The concept of "mind's eye" refers to our mental perception and how it influences our actions. In poker, if a player convinces themselves they're about to win big (through selective perception or wishful thinking), they may make overly aggressive or risky decisions, even if the evidence doesn't support it.
4. How does dopamine contribute to both the highs and lows of poker?
Dopamine rushes create the exhilarating feeling associated with winning, bluffing successfully, or pulling off a difficult hand. However, when a loss or "bad beat" occurs, the sudden drop in dopamine levels can lead to feelings of frustration, disappointment, and even withdrawal-like symptoms, driving the player to chase losses to regain that dopamine high.
5. Why is the phrase "Money = happiness" misleading in the context of poker?
While money can buy things that bring temporary pleasure, research indicates that the act of winning or losing money directly triggers dopamine release in the brain. This means the emotional response is tied to the fluctuation of money itself, not the long-term happiness it might theoretically bring.
6. What makes a poker player feel more "alive" than simply winning with a strong hand?
The element of risk and uncertainty fuels the dopamine rush. Pulling off a successful bluff, winning with a statistically weaker hand, or navigating a high-stakes situation where the outcome is unclear provides a greater sense of thrill and accomplishment compared to winning with an obvious advantage like pocket Aces.
7. Are there parallels between performance-enhancing drugs in sports and cognitive-enhancing drugs in poker?
The author suggests that just as athletes may abuse substances to gain a physical edge, poker players might be tempted to use cognitive-enhancing drugs to improve focus, memory, or risk tolerance, potentially creating an uneven playing field and raising ethical concerns.
8. What is the lasting impact of dopamine on a poker player's behavior?
Once a player experiences the powerful dopamine rush associated with poker's upswings, it can be difficult to stop chasing that feeling. This can lead to excessive play, chasing losses, and difficulty controlling impulses, mirroring the patterns seen in other addictive behaviors.