Poker may not seem like a great topic to teach college students, but the game can teach them crucial know-how and skills that go beyond the classroom. Preparing to enter the “real world” after school can seem daunting, especially with little experience to guide them. 

As such, poker and card games have become helpful for building their confidence and honing strategies that can be transferred to the workplace and daily life. Poker can teach college students about managing risks, observing others, and emotional regulation while also emphasizing the importance of constant learning for growth. It makes sense why institutions like MIT have begun offering courses on playing poker and how to apply theories and analysis in other industries. Here’s a closer look at how poker and card games can teach college students practical life lessons:

Managing risks

Poker is exciting because of the high stakes, but it also makes the game incredibly risky. Players put a lot on the line to win big, but being too aggressive or emotional can lead to hasty decisions, clouded judgment, and major losses. The same also applies to the working world, which is full of risks and opportunities. College students can benefit from taking cues from poker and card games when it comes to assessing and managing risks, and learning how to do so while still in school can prepare them for the professional landscape early on. 

As such, programs like Poker Power have been created to empower students, particularly women, to boost their confidence and critical thinking at the table and at work. Founders Jenny Just and her daughter Juliette Hulsizer aimed to bring more women to the game while improving professional skills. The program at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University helps women learn about observing subtle cues, strategic decision-making with incomplete information, capital allocation, and improving confidence—essential skills for avoiding and minimizing risk. Jenny Just described how poker skills helped her evaluate a negotiation, allowing her to spot another company’s bluff, evaluate the risk, and land the deal on her terms.

Constantly learning and growing

While poker is often seen as a game of chance and luck, it also requires a lot of strategy and skill to improve. Poker players encounter all kinds of opponents with varying techniques, tricks, and habits, which encourages people to keep learning and growing so they can adapt and react easily. Take the case of poker pro Ana Marquez, also known as the Spanish Supernova. While studying global history and economics at American University in Washington, D.C., she discovered a passion for poker and even wrote her thesis on the World Series of Poker. She started with low-stakes online cash games and started seeing wins in online tournaments and live tournaments, where she has amassed over $1.6 million and $2.6 million in winnings, respectively. Today, her success has allowed her to become a Team Pro for the leading online site America’s Card Room. 

What made her a formidable opponent was her strategic approach. She describes her style as methodical and professional, and she credits much of her improvement to constantly studying, even at the peak of her game. Like Ana Marquez, college students can use poker to understand the importance of constantly learning and growing. Keeping an open mind to learn new information and skills can help students be more formidable at poker, education, and the workplace. Rather than being content with a bare minimum amount of strategy and know-how, students can be more motivated to learn new ways of thinking and approaching problems and situations to perform their best, much like a poker player would. 

Improving situational awareness

A significant part of poker and card games involves engagement and participation. When playing poker, players have to observe their opponents to look for tells that can inform their next move. They also have to be present in the moment and focus on the game, as getting distracted can lead to poor decision-making and cost them the win. Similarly, the world outside of college will require students to be present and observant of their situations, which can be improved with engagement and participation. Poker and card games can teach students to be more attentive to others and participate in the action, training their observational and social skills and staying in the moment to absorb all the information. Our “How to Boost Student Engagement” post highlights how gamifying lessons and making them more interactive can motivate college students to stay engaged in class, and card games can be a great way for students to learn something new while keeping their attention. 

Educators can use poker-like card games to teach lessons, allowing the gameplay to keep students engaged, even the more reserved students. Aside from lesson material, they’ll better understand the importance of being in tune with others and their surroundings for improved situational awareness that they can take to the professional world. Programs like Aces High in the UK are a great example of this in the working landscape. It runs workshops that teach participants how to read others, communicate effectively, and reevaluate decisions while playing, which needs players to be fully focused and immersed, pushing them to be engaged and participative. 

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About Rachelle

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!

Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.

She is the author of nine books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.

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