If you want to be flushed with success at work, you should play poker | Gaming | Entertainment

A poll of 500 British adults, who play the card game, found more than half (54 percent) believe it’s given them abilities they can use in the workplace.

These include being able to read people (58 percent) and deal with pressure (56 percent), while 54 percent have boosted their levels of patience.

Overall, more than half of players polled in the study, commissioned by 888Poker.com, said playing the popular card game has helped them progress in their career.

Abby Merk, teacher at the organisation Poker Power, said: “I now focus on the quality of my decision-making, not the outcome of the hand.

“I learned how to handle losses and how to take a front seat in my learning development to position myself best for success.”

Other areas where players felt poker skills could be particularly beneficial in the workplace included negotiating pay rises (40 percent), or having difficult conversations with clients (38 percent).

Of those polled, a higher percentage of women than men (64 percent vs 55 percent) believe poker further developed their abilities to read people.

Similarly, 62 percent of female poker players agreed their decision-making improved through playing the game, compared to 54 percent of men.

Confidence is also a key skill women in particular feel they’ve developed through poker – 54 percent agreed, as opposed to 46 percent of men.