Beginner's Luck: Secret Luck that May Work For You in Your First Game of Gambling
Playing any game for the first time and beating the masters of that game in the first few rounds, did that ever happen to you? If yes, then you had your beginner’s luck with you. Now, what is beginner’s luck, and how does it come into existence?
Beginners luck is a supposed circumstance where a neophyte experiences an unusual frequency of success against a master of a given activity. You would think that in a game or an activity there is a considerable amount of chances of the expert to win or succeed in the given activity. Still, suddenly a beginner comes and outperforms the expert. So, the opposite of your expectation happens, which is counter-intuitive (a term to describe this phenomenon).
Beginner’s luck is most often used in the first attempts of some sports or gambling. Slot machine beginner playing for the first time and winning the jackpot. Whether it’s real or not beginner’s luck occurs in various situations. There are several explanations of why this phenomenon occurs.
Also Read: Don’t Walk Under the Ladder, Bad Luck may Stream Upon You! Scientific Reason Behind Common Belief
Explanations
A new player is inexperienced and doesn’t feel the pressure of the game. A neophyte is not expected to do well, hence no stress. This absence of pressure allows the player to focus on the activity more than an experienced player. This counters the Rosenthal/Pygmalion effect, which states that other’s expectations of a person affect that person’s performance.
Another explanation could be, in games like chess, cards etc. the expert opponent is prepared for the next moves according to a given situation, they predict the moves their opponent might take and they strategize accordingly. However, the novice doesn’t have the experience or the skill and will often not take the predicted action. The opponent is caught off guard and can’t predict the new player’s further moves. As the skilled player loses a large part of his advantage that he is now more likely to lose.
Grabbing opportunities is one of the reasons why a beginner’s luck works. Beginners have zero experience; therefore, any new idea or opportunity is a chance for them to win something as a bonus. Many expert’s experiences limit them to try some new ideas, they think and move in a certain way. Their logical and experienced mind stops them from trying new options.
Scientific Explanations
Under pressure, the front part of the brain called prefrontal cortex to cease to act as it should, which results in the lack of reasoning and thinking ability. And the beginners don’t have any pressure of performing or winning; hence, they tend to perform exceptionally well.
An expert can be choked by overthinking and trusting their guts. Most experienced players have a special memory called a muscle memory, which is a memory full of physical actions or set of common instructions stored in the brain. They are generally referred to as procedural memory. It is a memory of the procedures of doing things. This memory causes experts to act in a certain way in predictable situations.
Still, when they are against a newcomer or beginner, the situation is not likely as predictable as they want. Hence, they choke and cease to perform as well as they can.
Present Scenario
Some people who have experienced victory over something by chance or by luck are more likely to believe in the Beginner’s luck. Sometimes when a newcomer performs abnormally well, that person is expected to be remembered while losing or performing badly doesn’t make any difference. Therefore, people believe in beginner’s luck.
It is believed that beginner’s luck ends once the player is used to the activity and involved in the game. The innocence of being a new player and being without pressure is replaced by the mindset that is affected by the variation of the game.
People believe in beginner’s luck and want to fabricate it. When a novice wins, it builds up their confidence. Then they play more, and eventually, they start understanding more and more about the activity or game. But now as they have become an experienced player, their beginner’s luck is fading, and they want it back but how? So, there are some ways you can make your own beginner’s luck.
In situations when you spot something different, then use your expertise but use some other approach.
Use crazy and strategic ideas before you move.
Even when you know that some approach is not going to work, still consider it.
Go with your guts and try any crazy idea that pops into your mind when you know in your heart that it might work. That movie might be a worthwhile risk leading to your victory.
Don’t overthink or underthink for that matter if you are then taking a few steps back and listen to your guts.
Think like a beginner, take your steps like a kid, don’t overthink and make yourself comfortable enough to not be under pressure.
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