A compulsive gambler is a person who uses Play poker gaming as a narcotic. More than just needing to be in action, he has an emotional need to lose. That’s a fine distinction, but one worthy of noting. At that young age, I felt a powerful urge to be in action, to gamble. It was hard for me to turn down any opportunity. But the thing that kept my near addiction from reaching the compulsive stage was my drive to win. I was downright stubborn. Sure, I seemed to habitually find myself in situations where I had the worst of ii, but there were times, too, when the odds played overwhelmingly in my favor. No matter which the case was, my whole being cried out for victory. I never treated gambling as a form of self-punishment. Not consciously. That was always in my favor.
But we all have destructive urges. Seem like a reckless statement? It isn’t. It’s part of man’s nature to stand stubborn in the face of challenge. And many of us feel compelled to create challenges whenever none present themselves. This is not wholly unhealthy. In fact all champions share this trait. A person who skydives is tempting fate. He earns the exhileration of feeling alive.
But his activity is only healthy jf the subconscious payoff is survival and not death. We must learn to modify our flirtations with danger. Our psyches must be geared to deuling with fate while assuring ourselves that we have the best of it. When you learn to do this, you possess the temperament of a winning gambler. Challenge fate at even’ turn without modfving these destructive urges and, sooner or later, you will destroy yourself.
To be successful in the art of gambling, you must recognize that you have destructive urges, but you must treat these as a life motivating force to be controlled by YOU. The willingness to court danger, to jeopardize life or bankroll is admirable. But the undisciplined surrender to those compulsions can be terminal.
By returning to the Bridge Club under dangerous circumstances, I wasn’t using mature judgement. I had not yet learned to weigh probable gain against possible loss and decide, on that basis, whether on not to take chances.
