In terms of ethnic groups in America, black people suffer the most from systemic discrimination. It is a spectrum of suffering to benefit from black people to white people. Supporting Black Lives Matter and black-owned businesses is an acknowledgment of understanding that systemic discrimination exists in America. It is a way to choose peaceful action and make changes in America.
Financial systemic discrimination exists in the world. It is a spectrum of suffering to benefit from the poorest person to the richest person. Supporting poor people and charities is an acknowledgement of understanding that financial systemic discrimination exists in the world. It is a way to choose peaceful action and make changes to the world.
The devil wants to trick you into living a self-centered life.
Forgive yourself when the devil tricks you.
Forgive others when the devil tricks them.
God wants you to discern good from evil and to choose good.
Seems wrong to black list any poker player from events or websites before creating a set of rules for every event and website. An outstanding majority of the poker community should agree to the set of rules. There should be reasonable disciplinary actions for all actions that are deemed unfair or against the spirit of the game.
There are people within the poker community that are currently serving money. They try to maximize the amount of money they posses. They do not understand that they are blessed. There are people within the poker community that are serving God. They know they are blessed.
Prayers for Servants of God
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be to the Father
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
There are people that serve and love money and have a lot of money. They do not serve and love God. They lie for money. They find ways to exploit the work and ideas of others. They wait for people to make mistakes and they exploit the situations for profit. They influence and create policies for personal gain. They kill or arrange killings or damage the livelihoods of others for personal gain. They uplift certain people for personal gain.
There are people that serve and love God and have a lot of money. They are among the best at what they do. They do not judge or exploit anyone. They uplift everyone, especially the people who do not have enough money and love God. They know that all that they have are blessings from God.
There are people that serve and love money and do not have a lot of money. They do not serve and love God. They are among the most likely to end up with a lot of money.
There are people that serve and love God and do not have a lot of money. A lot of them have enough money for the basic necessities of life. A lot of them do not have enough money. Their faith is tested daily and they believe despite not always having all of the basic necessities of life. A lot of them are being exploited by people who serve and love money.
The people that serve and love God believe in innocence until proven guilty. God has told them to not judge. Too many innocent people have suffered.
God loves all people. God has and will always judge people who die fairly.
It seems like the pandemic may be ending. Millions of people have died. People are still dying. A lot of people would still be alive if everyone who did not have an essential job was able to stay home. If more people listened to and followed the advice of medical experts. If more people had access to and received vaccines sooner. If systems were in place to provide and deliver food and essentials to everyone.
Hate speech is a form of spiritual violence. Ye’s derogatory comments are likely only referring to a few or small group of people who may happen to be of Jewish decent. To not be specific and to instead decide to speak out against all Jewish people is immoral because it is a decision to condemn millions of innocent people of a trespass that they did not commit.
Some things in online poker are clearly cheating and against the spirit of the game. Superusing, botting, rta, multi-accounting, ghosting, colluding, card sharing, over selling or swapping, and using anything that is banned.
Some things are not clear. Huds, preflop charts, and simulation outputs. Coaching and communication with other players. Intentionally disconnecting to improve the chances of making it into the money and earning pay jumps. Proper selling and swapping ratios. It is unclear what is allowed while in a hand, while not in a hand, and only on break time.
Websites could change the time to 10-12 seconds for preflop no vpip in front decisions to make the game run smoother.
One way to evaluate actions is to weigh whether the action served God or served money. If a person wins a main event, learning the game for years, honestly competing against the regulars and other players in the field, by reviewing player behavior and/or what moves simulators advocate, because they appreciate the rules of the game and love all of the people within it, they served God. If a person wins a main event, by looking at other players’ cards, sharing cards and/or chips with other players, using any sort of real time assistance to make decisions during hands, and does not appreciate all of the rules of play, because they love and feel like they need more money, they served money.
Cheating and a Grey Area
Bots
Using anything to make automated in game decisions.
Real Time Assistance
Using anything against the rules to make in game decisions.
Multi-accounting
Owning, controlling, and participating in games on more than one account.
Ghosting
Making in game decisions on an account owned by another individual in any game.
Coaching
Providing assistance to a player while they are not making in game decisions. For example, if a streamer is talking about poker to a professional poker player, while playing, but not while making in game decisions, it is effectively coaching with regards to the other players in the game. Investments in equity and swapping arrangements often lead to an exchange of coaching.
Game runners should be responsible for outlining what can and cannot be discussed and what can and cannot be looked at while cards are in play and a playerÂ’s hand is not in play.
Ethical Questions for the Community
Should there be a maximum to how much total equity any individual or group has in a game?
Should there be a maximum for how much equity any individual or group has of a individual players participating in a game? Should the amount change if the individual or group is participating in the same game?
Should there be a lowest ratio (player equity:swapped equity) allowed for players who are swapping equity in a game?
Should there be a minimum equity for players in games?
Which infractions deserve a 1 day suspension? 1 week? 1 month? 1 year? Multiple years? A ban?
Should a player be allowed to pay restitution for certain infractions?
Should a player be fined for certain infractions?
Records
It seems possible that at some point in the future a playerÂ’s equity, swaps, and investorsÂ’ equity would be recorded at registration by game runners. A main event could be a good tournament to implement this policy. It would help protect the integrity of the game. It would help protect players and investors. It would assist governments in collecting taxes.
The Future of Poker
In my opinion, the game will continue to grow with or without the input of any of us. It is not always a zero-sum game. A lot of players who lose at poker actually profit by losing less than they would have if they played a different game over the same period of time. It is a source of action where players have control of the expected value of their decisions.
Is a hammer a tool? Yes. Is a hammer a weapon? Yes. It depends on how a person uses it. Is poker a skill game? Yes. Is poker gambling? Yes. It depends on how a person plays their cards.
Maybe now is a good time for the poker community to push for federal legislation of online poker. It did not seem like a good time while the coronavirus was particularly lethal and prevalent. Maybe it’s time to share a plan and some of the parameters in writing. It is probably not for me to organize and execute it.
Here are some things that companies owning software for online poker should realize. A regulated gaming company in the United States is potentially responsible for officially acquiring, holding, and processing billions of US dollars yearly. Becoming regulated is accepting to be compliant with the government and all regulated companies. Newly regulated online poker companies will be seen as taking away gaming market share from other regulated gaming entities. The other regulated gaming entities have been paying taxes for years and they will require compensation for accepting more regulated gaming competition.
Here are some things that regulated gaming companies should realize. A high percentage of Americans that want to play real money online poker are playing real money online poker. There are unregulated or regulated online poker websites operating in every state. Gaming companies would be losing less market share from regulated online poker than they think because they have not been accounting for gray and black markets. By allowing for regulated online poker they could gain a piece of a slightly bigger pie.
California is the most important state for this cause. It would have the most active players and most revenue of any state. There is a complex web of regulated gaming interests in California which can be seen as a microcosm of regulated gaming in the US as a whole. For online poker to become regulated in California, it would need to have a symbiotic relationship with the other forms of regulated gaming operating in the state. There are Indian casinos, the lottery, horse betting, card rooms, and daily fantasy sports in operation in California. Other states have sports betting.
It would be optimal for the poker community to develop two bills, to put them in writing, and to share them. One for California and a federal bill. The bills need to be agreeable with all of the regulated gaming entities in California and the nation. The companies owning the software for online poker need to understand that regulation is a privilege and to obtain that privilege they would have to partner or share revenue with the other regulated gaming entities. The other gaming entities would need to understand that the companies that own the software for online poker would need to be able to freely compete in good faith.
The poker community should realize that the US government has helped poker players. The government has stopped online poker operators that mishandled funds and facilitated agreements for poker players to regain funds that were lost. The government knows that poker is a game of skill and will step in when there are big problems, but they do not have time to be proactive in adding any gaming regulations.
Some suggestions for events to be added to the 2024 WSOP schedule:
$5,000 Mini Poker Players Championship
$1,000 Ultra Seniors (70+)
$10,000 Seniors High Roller
$10,000 Ladies High Roller
$1,500 5-Card PLO
$10,000 5-Card PLO Championship
$10,000 Big O Championship
$10,000 Badugi Championship
$500 PLO8 Online
Some suggestions for better gameplay at the 2024 WSOP:
Martin Kabrhel rule: Players are not allowed to mark cards or give the impression that they are marking cards. Players are not allowed to stare at an opponent’s cards or give the impression that they are looking for marks on the cards of their opponents while a hand is in play.
For shot clock tournaments, give players more time banks. 3 minutes worth (6 30 second timebanks) for every 2 hours of play. Players can reload up to 2 minutes (4 30 second timebanks) at each break. Players can have up to 8 timebanks before reaching the money, 10 timebanks when in the money, and 12 timebanks at the final table. When no one has voluntarily put chips into the pot players get 15 seconds, after 1 player voluntarily puts chips into the pot players get 20 seconds, after 2 preflop actions and for postflop decisions players get 30 seconds. 15/20/30 before reaching the money, 20/30/30 in the money, and 30/30/40 at the final table. This would speed up gameplay when the pots are smallest and the stakes are lowest and give players more time for decisions that matter more to them. The Action Clock is also a better shot clock system than the one that the WSOP currently uses.
Shot clocks are needed most in near hand for hand and significant pay jump situations. In a tournament that pays 100 entrants, when there are around 125 entrants remaining, it has already become profitable for shorter stacks and players with bad relative seating position to use as much time as possible. Instituting a shot clock in all near hand for hand and significant pay jump situations would give the authority to the WSOP to decide how much time will be allocated for this well known and commonly used strategy amongst experienced tournament players. A shot clock is also beneficial when a player is needlessly tanking.
If the WSOP cannot afford to have shot clocks for every tournament table that is near hand for hand or a significant pay jump then there should at least be a rule where the floor staff has the right to put any player or table on a shot clock during any point of a tournament for any amount of time. This would allow the floor staff to properly control the situation when there are players that are either acting strongly on their incentive to use as much time as possible or are needlessly tanking.
A big blind ante for cash games would lead to more action because theoretically more hands will be profitable to play.
If Sam Panzica is willing to admit fault and to state to Caesars executives that he will not repeat the actions that caused him to get banned, I hope that Caesars will reverse his ban and give him another chance to play at the WSOP.
A suggestion for companies that own software for online poker and want to be regulated in California and the USA:
Now is not the time to use resources to lobby government officials. Your companies need to be accepted by the other gaming companies operating in California and the USA first. Use your resources to create partnerships and agreements with these regulated companies. Many of these companies could use help with their software. All of these companies would value agreements to share liquidity by allowing your potential American customers to use their balances on the games that they offer.
It would benefit poker if someone created or improved an app or the software that allows players to complete all of the registration requirements for live poker tournaments online. Allow players to present a QR code and identification at their seat. Include an online map that shows players where their seat is. Alert alternates so players are not required to stand in lines. The BravoPokerLive app has developed some of this technology, but there is a lot of room for development in this area to improve the live poker tournament experience for all poker players.
Do companies that host tournaments have all of the records of all of their tournaments? It would be cool for these companies to have the technology and a web page where players can opt-in and show some or all of their statistics. Years played, series played, events played, entries played, entries cashed, buy-ins, cashes, top 1%s, final tables, top 3s, heads-ups, and wins.
All of this information would be useful to the public and bring a new level of transparency and legitimacy to the game. Players and fans do not have a place to look and see a clear picture of who were and are some of the best performing players. The Hendon Mob and SharkScope have done a good job of presenting some of this data.
The WSOP player of the year is cool. It might be more cool if the winner received the most points according to a point system that took account of entries cashed, gross buy-ins and cashes, buy-ins won, profit, top 1%s, final tables, top 3s, heads-ups, and wins. It would be really cool if there was an Overall WSOP Player of the Year, NLH WSOP Player of the Year, Mixed Games WSOP Player of the Year, WSOP Online Player of the Year, High Roller WSOP Player of the Year, Mid Stakes WSOP Player of the year, and Low Stakes WSOP Player of the year. It would make sense to give more distinction to more of the top performers. It would be fair to ask pros, recs, tournament coordinators, and media members to help figure out a consensus on how the point systems should be weighted.
The WSOP is the biggest, most prestigious, and most accessible tournament series of the year. Players would be able to recommend it more to their friends if no one has to wait in lines aside from when players get paid out for their cashes. Thousands of people love poker so much to wait in lines for hours every year. Thousands more would probably try to play if the tournaments were more accessible to people who do not love the game yet.
One thing that the WSOP can do for the players in exchange for their support year after year is to provide them with ample free parking. There were complaints from players, pros and recs, who got stuck for long periods of time in the parking lots during their dinner breaks.
The amount of levels and effort some players put into the game of poker show how truly complex the game is. Many players have completed the journey through freerolls, to micros, to mid stakes, to high stakes, to winning at the nosebleeds. Anyone who has profited over a million dollars in public poker games is usually considered an elite poker player. The kids would say that anyone who is up 8 figures in public poker games is goated.
God is good. God is love. When we do not love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, we talk about senseless things. God teaches us how to think, talk, and do good things. Jesus is the true Lord. He sends all of His servants the Holy Spirit. God teaches those who love Him how to love and forgive others. Thank God for poker. God is all powerful and loving. God can change your life for the better in a second.
It’s crazy to think that some of us believe we have been playing poker for so long, but Doyle played 3 or 4 times longer than most of us. There are so many good opportunities in poker. Appreciate where you are and become the best version of yourself. Peace be with you and with your spirit.
Everyone who loves to play poker wants the games to be fair. Some players do not love to play poker. Some players play poker just to make money. Some players choose to repeatedly break the rules of poker for profit. It is a game runner's responsibility to ensure fair outcomes for participants in their games. Poker regulations improve poker security for all participants.
Poker Regulation
It might be a good idea for the poker community to find an inactive politician who could help us with federal regulation of online poker. Active politicians do not have time to spend on our cause. Ideally we could get former President Barack Obama to advocate for us. He has played poker and passed bills in the past. It might be a good time for the people who have a platform in poker to give him a shoutout and let him know that we respectfully need his help.
