Just don't take them serious. They are just being ignorant. When they say a remark just smile at them and move on. Dealing with in laws is a tough business anyway no matter what your profession.

probably the smartest thing to do is to put up with it and just take it as a joke, all that matters is what your wife thinks and if you are really handling it responsibly i really don't see any problem. No reason to hide and not attend family events, be positive.

Instead of arguing with them, review their side of the story & analyze their point of view.
It should be a lot easier dealing with people you don't agree with, when you know what motivates them. In other words, make them realize that you take good care of their daughter.

A guy at my work believes that poker is all about luck.
Rather then explaining him the concept of ev & variance, I just tell him that he's probably right. There's no gain for me, when I spend time trying to explain him that poker is a game of skill. Instead I kindly agree, and therefore he feels related to me.

Ofcourse the nature of the relation between you & your family is way different between me and my colleague. But the main point is: Don't try to convince other people of your beliefs, the harder you push, the harder they tend to disagree.
Find a place within the discussion where your family can find comfort. In your case it's a very thin line, but it should be worth the effort trying to find it.

Most people will never understand what poker really is or even that it's a game of skill. Even the "gamble" in this game is part of the skill as it takes a very intelligent person to realize that even certain plays where you lose are correct. Even most of the people who play this game don't see it as a game of skill. It's like craps and slots to them. It might be best to simply not talk to people about poker ever if you can avoid it. Most will never ever get it, even if you win.

While I agree that it's much easier to just agree with people like that, I also used to think that "the house always wins" or that you just need to get really lucky for awhile and then quit while you're ahead. You could explain to them that being poker is like counting cards in blackjack; if you're well prepared and disciplined you can't help but be a winner.

I've gone through this at a couple of places I work. Now the more annoying questions are, "are you up or down right now?" as if poker just has crazy swings where you're in the black one minute and in the red the next. Or they ask, "oh you're working overtime, must need to reload your poker account." It probably is just better to not mention it now that I wrote all that.

Why not try showing them the 2+2 store and pointing out that all of the instruction books are there for a reason?

laugh in there ignorant faces. Idiots don't get to be snide.

All the 'show them .....' really have no point imo.

They don't wanna be involved in this which makes it that more akward talking about it.
Just show them that you take good care of their daughter one way or the other.
As long as your wife has nothing to complain, neither should they.

And while they think like this u should avoid any confrontation, its pointless to disuss with someone about a topic they dont know it as much as you.

At some level their right, but they´re just focusing on the bad side of thegame when themajority of the guys that practice poker and felt into those catagories dont apply the pricinples properly.

Nothing u can do there...Its like we say in Venezuela, sorry for the bad translation, but it goes something like this..."When someone has a hammer in their hands all they ever gonna see are nails".

Until they changed their view about poker, its better to not get involved in a discussion, but what i would do its to sit them out and be very clear that u respect their opinions and the fact they disagree with you and/or have a "BAD" view/understanding about the game, but that you´re sick and tired of this ****, that u expect and DESERVE the same amount of respect from them, they are not more important than you, you deserve respect also, so i think you should demand it, i wouldnt be as cool as you if someone its trashing what i do for a living, what allow me to put food in my family´s mouth, dont care whom that might be.

Yeah i hear you man, i feel very relate to the point of this thread, its the same **** with me...And specially since in my country poker isnt that develop as in other places.

Hope this day never comes for me, but i feel your pain, i was one and employ as well.

Good for you.

Maybe you should play poker in a suit with a tie, maybe that way they will respect you more, cuz for some people its all about appearance and what others might think of you.

I wouldnt do it, i deserve respect as well...I wont keep my mouth shut just because they are my in laws and they have a wrong view about what i do for a living, its like Popeye say, if i were a stockbroker they wont be as "ignorant" about it.

I agree with this 100%, if you´re not able to change their understanding about poker just let it be, but demand respect.

Of course its always better not to try to change everyones mind about poker or the game will get a lot tougher in time

+1

bumping it for the soul...

Poker is always going to have negative connotations but if it makes you happy you should stick at it IMO and they will eventually learn to deal with it

Wow...I had totally forgotten about this thread... Their views have still not changed btw...LOL

They never will my man.

What matters is your relationship with your wife. So long as she respects what you do, and so long as you are respectful to her family, you can probably just laugh about it behind their backs.

FWIW, her parents are somewhat correct. For many people, poker is an addiction and is seriously -EV.

If they continously needle you about it, just tell them, hey, I love you guys, let's agree to not discuss this so we can still have a good relationship.

>> How's your gambling going for you?"

Fantastic. Thanks for showing you care. How are things going for you?

>> "Lost any money lately?"

Took some of the money I made and bought a flat-screen TV. What do you think of it?

You can't survive unless everyone in the world loves poker and the fact you pay it? That's setting yourself up for disappointment.

If you didn't have such a huge emotional reaction people probably wouldn't say a thing.

Personally I brag about playing poker. Other people's beliefs are their own problem.