I play 4/8. Last year I was in Vegas for a month. Played 150 hours. Came back a $1400 winner.

My Grandma asks how I did. I say I won $1400. She says, "yeah, but how much did you lose." I reply with, actually I won $11,400 but I lost $10,000. She says, "Why'd you lose that much? Can you not lose?". She looks at me like I must be terrible.

This is an absolute rule

On the plane on the way back from one of my first trips to Vegas to play poker (1998ish) I was next to some guy. He seemed really intelligent. We were talking about Math and Science. I brought up poker. He said he doesn't play any games that involve random number generators. I said poker isn't a casino game where the odds are stacked against you by design. What you need to overcome in poker is the rake. You know everyone gets the same mix of cards in the long run. To be successful at poker you just need to play your cards better than your opponents do. He looked at me with both confusion and intrigue at the same time.

I am a tournament poker player. I have also played chess tournaments, where an entry fee is paid, some of the players cash, but most do not. I have also run races (from 5K to marathon) where an entry fee is paid, some runners cash, but most do not.

These are all zero-sum activities (except that with a race I might finish out of the money and still get a T-shirt). Why is a poker tournament less socially acceptable than a 5K race or a chess tournament?

If being zero-sum is the only reason, it's not good enough.

I think that's correct. Maybe an excellent player who can beat a 20/40 game could beat 3/6 in Vegas because the rake much smaller. But in CA they drop a $ amount each hand. I don't think it can be beat. But there are lots of 2+2ers who disagree.

Unless they're dropping like $9+ a hand 3/6 is way easily beatable.

"What you do last night?"

"I went to the casino."

"How did you do."

"I made $500."

"What did ya start out with?"

I started with 0 and found a dollar on the ground. Why do you have to explain to everyone what making money means. Obv I made more money then I started with.

Fold until my luck comes back.

You made $9.33 per hour. Awesome.

Lolz ^^^^^^^^

That's more than one bet per hour in a live game, what's wrong with that?

When i first started playing my GF said "You better not lose the house playing poker" and my dad keeps mentioning thats its pure gambling, which i disagree with. I tell him the reason i enjoy playing Poker and not games like BJ is that theres quite a bit of skill involved.

Skill that i dont have yet, but still.

lol yeah have had similar exp's. kinda sucks lol

I found the same thing with my previous "career" as a personal trainer. Everyone has read a few articles on the internet or in a magazine, and it seems everyone has their ideas exercise. And alot of people carry far too much confidence in knowledge that's based on one online article or something they heard from a friend (and know nothing more about the source or research involved)

can't imagine how this would even happen.

Are ppl really mortgaging their houses and betting it all on black?

It seems possible its just strange that she would assume this will happen. Do you have a history of making monumentally stupid decisions?

What? You work in a Actuarial firm and your co-workers don't understand? This I don't believe. This is a firm where you have Actuarial Associates and Fellows? This can't be true.

Try asking them how Casinos make money. Then say but how come I can win a hand in BJ on occasion. There response should start talking about long term expectation and laws of large numbers. Then ask them if they know the difference between a Casino game and Poker. Explain to them that Casino games are constructed so that the Casino has a Mathematical edge in the game ... but they already know this. In Poker you play against other players and the playing field is level. All you need to do is play better than the other players. True, the house takes a rake and that needs to be overcome, but the other players are so bad and the rake is so small that it is no problem to overcome. So in Poker you have the mathematical edge. The problem is getting to the long run because in the short run it's easy to lose. The way you get to the long run quicker is by multi-tabling online. All this coupled with BR management and discipline ensures you won't go broke.

It's better than losing which is what 99.9% of the poker playing public does. But I'm sure GFY_ will tell you he can crush any 4/8 game for $20/hour but he doesn't play limit because it's not real poker. And at the same time he works a regular job.

Or maybe he just didn't think I realized it was $9.33/hour and was being helpful doing the calculation for me?

Red actually

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGCdBsOIKYA

This is NEVER the case.

I do talk about it with my friends and parents, and they're all chill about it (well, parents freak out a bit if bankroll / cashouts exceed their monthly salary) and understand the concept of online poker - some of them know even a bit of strategy - pretty well, since playing freerolls on B2B is a popular Finnish pastime amongst young men.

They were a bit dumbstruck when it came out I had once built a 30k+ bankroll which I proceeded to fully destroy at high stakes - your standard case of upswing-tilt and terrible BRM... Got a load of "why didn't you stop when..." which was in fact quite appropriate I admit.

The only mildly annoying thing is I've encountered is questioning about my bankroll size, cashouts etc... That's pretty personal info isn't it, but I've been pretty open about it since they're not (hopefully: not yet) life-changing amounts.

I never got absolutely any of the "how much did you lose", "it's rigged in favour of the house", "wanna know this roulette system I have?", and just once I've had to politely decline from turning 20€ to 200€ (I get to keep 20€ for myself if I succeed, but I have to pay the 20€ back in any case before friday...)

Maybe off topic since I actually do tell people I play poker, just wanted to point out that there are parts in the world where (online) poker is pretty decently understood.

Best post I have seen in a while. WP sir!

Seriously? Why on earth would you tell (Brag to) your parents that your bankroll or cashouts exceed the size of their monthly salaries? Or tell anyone exactly how much you win or lose at any given time, past or present?

My parents know I play poker, aren't necessarily thrilled about it, but they are satisfied when I assure them that I'm doing fine, have plenty of cash to pay my bills every month, etc. They don't need the details, and if they asked I would keep the answers very vague. People who don't play poker don't understand (or even want to) exactly how it happens or what the risks are, bankroll requirements, etc.

I don't see why it should be any different from any other profession...when it comes to income, don't ask, don't tell. You say that you are "pretty open" about your wins/losses now because the amounts aren't life-changing, but, really, it's none of anyone's business. It will only start to make them feel bad about themselves if you make more than they do, or feel superior if they make more at their dumb job.

why do people make posts like this

Never??

The rake isn't small in a 20/40 limit game?

The time charge isn't small in a 100/200 limit game?

OK??

I am on unemployement and taking another shot at playing...

got to go with no telling. if this goes well - I will tell everyone that I will open up a small investment office where I can play. A nice little front

My family/friends would rather me earn 'honest $'.

....I want to say I do! Honest! I only bet with the nuts