Across the globe, in every country and continent, people of all ages, genders, and classes have fallen in love with the thrills offered by an intense round of poker or an exciting spin of the slots. The rustle of cards, the velveted chairs, the felt on the tables, the “chink” of coins – these things enthrall and excite us. They’ve brought pleasure for generations, but if it goes beyond pleasure for you and you’re looking to actually learn some useful skills – do you know which games you should be looking at?
For those hoping to train their brain and make themselves smarter, games can be a great way to do it, but only if you take the right approach. Learning from playing can be a great way to bump up your life skills and help yourself make better decisions in many areas… but which games? That’s the question, isn’t it – and that’s what we are going to find out!
Poker Prestige
Poker might just be the ultimate strategy game. Certainly, it holds this rank within the walls of the casino. Yes, total beginners have been known to sweep in and take home a big win, but that’s a rarity. On the whole, to become a king or queen of poker, you’ve got to have a strategy – and a very solid one.
That’s coupled with many other needs too, of course. For example, a poker pro will generally have an excellent poker face, and usually also the skills to “read” other players and assess the strength of their hands based on their tells. You’ll have to play game after game, honing and refining – but once you get good, you’ve got an unmistakable edge. Suddenly, your chances of figuring out whether you’re likely to win or not skyrocket – unless, of course, you’re playing against a good bluffer.
To get really good at poker, you’ll probably need to spend years honing your strategy. You’ll put time into figuring out what moves work, which ones let you maximize your wins, and which are the duds to avoid. Of course, luck is always a major element in poker and even a pro can’t always turn a really bad hand around… but there’s no question that if you’re interested in learning how to strategize, poker is the game for you.
Blackjack Brilliance
What about players who want some strategy lessons but aren’t quite ready for the full poker hit yet? Poker is, after all, complex! Maybe you just want to try out the world without plunging headlong into a game that you could literally put decades into learning. In those cases, a blackjack game might be the answer.
Blackjack is a great casino game for those who love strategy and also have a stroke of math genius. In this world, you’ll be dependent on card-counting, which means you’ll need a good head for numbers and a superb memory. You’ll need to add in patience and concentration, but as long as you can bring these traits to the blackjack game and you pick up the basic strategies for when to split pairs, when to hit, and when to stand, you’ve got a great chance of success with this option. A quick blackjack game is therefore a superb place to learn a bit of strategizing and possibly take home a win at the same time.
And blackjack is a really great example of the fact that things don’t have to be complicated to have a lot of strategy behind them. You’re not working with hugely complex sums, protracted calculations, or the machinations of lots of other players. You’re just focusing on the cards and your statistical odds. It’s tricky, but very manageable for a lot of people!
Other Gaming Options
It’s not just the casino games that can give your brain a workout, of course. What about classic video games where you’ve got to think about your moves, plan out your resource use, and figure out how to beat the AI? Here, your options are almost endless, and you can sometimes expand them even further by modding the game to add extra challenges. Most video games require you to think strategically, looking at the options you have and using them to give yourself an edge.
How soon should you level up? When should you buy the fancy gear? Is it worth skipping out on that side quest so you’ve got more resources for another? All of these teach you to think critically and take a strategic approach! And if the game seems too simple? Try your skills against real opponents (in person or online) to see if you’ve got what it takes to be a real winner!
If that sounds intriguing, you could also go one step further – and try a good old-fashioned board game. Board games are a great way to bump up your strategizing skills, letting you practice different approaches in a low-stakes world. There’s also the fun of spending time with family members or friends, and pitting yourself against real-world rivals.