Paranoids, Narcissists and Eocentrics

There is very little critical judgment of others at the poker table and people generally treat oddballs with fairness. The `weirdoes' have access to a level playing field that they may rarely - if ever - experience in day-to-day life. Their certain `weirdness' may not even be glaring since many strange people keep to themselves!

Because a person is dysfunctional in an aspect of their personality and may have great difficulty thriving in ordinary life, the poker room may be a perfect haven for their individual oddity, and they may even be 'hard-wired' to play cards.

In other words, they may excel in areas that are important at the poker table. Of course, they may be just as unwelcome in a poker room as anywhere else. On the other hand, while a person's behavior may be beyond odd, it may or may not have any affect on their card-playing abilities. Three aspects do affect the way they play cards:

Paranoids

If a person has the observational skills of Sherlock Holmes - a trait of paranoid people - they will not necessarily tell anybody. However, any abnormal mannerisms you have will be much more costly when playing a person with these skills.

The classic traits of a paranoid person are obvious in one way or another; the person is unable to conceal many of their feelings. Someone who feels that `the system' is against them, and sees maliciousness behind people's innocuous comments will be slightly paranoid (I know this because I am slightly paranoid!) You can count on these people being highly observant.

Narcissists

Do you remember the story about Narcissus? He is the youth who, awed by his reflection in a pool of water, stayed by the pool forever and turned into a flower.

several personality types

The classic traits

rationalize and internalize