--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think one of the interesting things…" description: "\"I think one of the interesting things about poker is that once you let your ego in, you're done for.\" — Al Alvarez" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png" --- # I think one of the interesting things about poker is that… ![“I think one of the interesting things about poker is that once you let your ego in, you're done for.” quote by Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png) > “I think one of the interesting things about poker is that once you let your ego in, you're done for.” [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ego undermines rational play, leading to poor decisions and loss. **In simple terms:** Ego ruins poker performance. Key Takeaway Control ego, stay objective. Themes ego confidence risk decisionmaking Mood cautious reflective Type advice psychological When to use this quote - high stakes poker - competitive environments - personal decision making Key Concepts psychology game theory self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice ego creeping in? - What strategies keep you objective? A Different Perspective Ego can be hard to recognize in the moment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Poker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poker/) ## Related quotes > [I think I have some interesting things to say and I don't think anybody out there is saying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-quivers/i-think-i-have-some-interesting-things-to-say-and-i-don-t-think/) [Robin Quivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-quivers/) > [I think it's interesting to see how things come into and go out of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-think-it-s-interesting-to-see-how-things-come-into-and-go-out-of/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Yes. The way people behave, the paradoxes, the contradictions. All these things we have to live with and still pretend that everything is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/yes-the-way-people-behave-the-paradoxes-the-contradictions-all-these/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [I think the most interesting thing is what happens next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-mayer/i-think-the-most-interesting-thing-is-what-happens-next/) [Marissa Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-mayer/) > [I could think of worse ways of going than at the poker table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-could-think-of-worse-ways-of-going-than-at-the-poker-table/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Yes, I think poker really isn't gambling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/yes-i-think-poker-really-isn-t-gambling/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [I can't bear to look at Paris Hilton and all that. I mean, it really doesn't grab me. I don't think she's interesting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-vanderbilt/i-can-t-bear-to-look-at-paris-hilton-and-all-that-i-mean-it-really/) [Gloria Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-vanderbilt/) > [I want to be surprised by life... I think that's more interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-want-to-be-surprised-by-life-i-think-that-s-more-interesting/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [I think if it's interesting, it's interesting, and if it's not, it's not working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-campion/i-think-if-it-s-interesting-it-s-interesting-and-if-it-s-not-it-s-not/) [Jane Campion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-campion/) > [You see the lighted windows and what you want to think is that there may be many interesting stories behind them, but what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-see-the-lighted-windows-and-what-you-want-to-think-is-that-there/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I try to find stories that I would think that everyone would find interesting, and just a good entertaining story, and then if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/i-try-to-find-stories-that-i-would-think-that-everyone-would-find/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [It's always hard, but it's always fun to attack a premise that you think is interesting. It does take a few drafts for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-levin/it-s-always-hard-but-it-s-always-fun-to-attack-a-premise-that-you/) [Victor Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-levin/) > [I think the most interesting stuff comes from people who've just got nothing to lose. You know, let's kamikaze this thing - just throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/i-think-the-most-interesting-stuff-comes-from-people-who-ve-just-got/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [My mantra is, I want to work with people that I like to hang out with, who are smart, where I can add value,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/my-mantra-is-i-want-to-work-with-people-that-i-like-to-hang-out-with/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feynman/i-think-it-s-much-more-interesting-to-live-not-knowing-than-to-have/) Feynman ## More by Al Alvarez > [I absolutely don't believe in anything. Full stop. Including luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-absolutely-don-t-believe-in-anything-full-stop-including-luck/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [“I balanced all, brought all to mind, The years to come seemed waste of breath, A waste of breath the years behind In balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-balanced-all-brought-all-to-mind-the-years-to-come-seemed-waste-of/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Despair, in short, seeks its own environment as surely as water finds its own level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/despair-in-short-seeks-its-own-environment-as-surely-as-water-finds/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [“Suicide is, after all, the result of a choice. However impulsive the action and confused the motives, at the moment when a man finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/suicide-is-after-all-the-result-of-a-choice-however-impulsive-the/) [Al Álvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [When you make a bet, you're saying something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/when-you-make-a-bet-you-re-saying-something/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Twentieth-century art may start with nothing, but it flourishes by virtue of its belief in itself, in the possibility of control over what seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/twentieth-century-art-may-start-with-nothing-but-it-flourishes-by/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Each sporadic burst of work, each minor success and disappointment, each moment of calm and relaxation, seemed merely a temporary halt on my steady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/each-sporadic-burst-of-work-each-minor-success-and-disappointment/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [I mean being a writer is like being a psychoanalyst, but you don't get any patients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-mean-being-a-writer-is-like-being-a-psychoanalyst-but-you-don-t-get/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [But in a tournament, you can be said in for all your money at any point so you can't make any mistakes so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/but-in-a-tournament-you-can-be-said-in-for-all-your-money-at-any/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [I hate writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-hate-writing/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [I mean to say, this is the book and I really loathe it and I can't imagine what a nice Jewish boy like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-mean-to-say-this-is-the-book-and-i-really-loathe-it-and-i-can-t/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [The fact that we write about it doesn't mean we play better than ordinary players at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/the-fact-that-we-write-about-it-doesn-t-mean-we-play-better-than/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Now, if, as I think, writing should be, it's a kind of risky trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/now-if-as-i-think-writing-should-be-it-s-a-kind-of-risky-trade/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Yes, I think poker really isn't gambling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/yes-i-think-poker-really-isn-t-gambling/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) > [Hold'em is a game of calculated aggression. If your cards are good enough for you to call a bet, they are good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/hold-em-is-a-game-of-calculated-aggression-if-your-cards-are-good/) [Al Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) [Explore all 29 Al Alvarez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think one of the interesting things about poker is that once you let your ego in, you're done for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Alvarez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-about-poker-is-that-once-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-about-poker-is-that-once-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/al-alvarez-21402_about_i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-ab_1639500.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think one of the interesting things about poker is that once you let your ego in, you're done for.” — Al Alvarez", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Alvarez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-alvarez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think one of the interesting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-about-poker-is-that-once-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-alvarez/i-think-one-of-the-interesting-things-about-poker-is-that-once-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```