Why I don't tell people I play poker.
04-18-2011
, 09:17 PM
04-18-2011
, 09:19 PM
04-18-2011
, 09:30 PM
04-20-2011
, 03:31 AM
Chick: What'd you do today/last night?
Me: Play poker for a couple of hours.
Chick: Well, did you win?
Me: No [lost 1.5 buyins]
Chick: Oh
[you probably suck etc.]
Me: Play poker for a couple of hours.
Chick: Well, did you win?
Me: No [lost 1.5 buyins]
Chick: Oh
[you probably suck etc.]
04-20-2011
, 09:47 AM
04-21-2011
, 12:25 AM
You know, unless you are making a ton of money then it doesn't seem like it would be a good idea to tell anyone that you do it for a living - too many idiots will say stupid **** to you.
But if you do make a LOT of money then you should be able to silence the idiots. Kinda like:
random person: what do you do for a living?
you: I'm a professional poker player!
random: can you actually make money from that?
you: *points to Lamborghini* Well, I made enough to pay for that!
random:
-conversation over-
Pointing to a 32" TV (in my case) just ain't the same. (I don't earn enough to make a living from it, I'd be less than $4K up).
But if you do make a LOT of money then you should be able to silence the idiots. Kinda like:
random person: what do you do for a living?
you: I'm a professional poker player!
random: can you actually make money from that?
you: *points to Lamborghini* Well, I made enough to pay for that!
random:
-conversation over-
Pointing to a 32" TV (in my case) just ain't the same. (I don't earn enough to make a living from it, I'd be less than $4K up).
04-22-2011
, 07:07 PM
Quote:
These points have probably been made already, but in some ways a lot of the reactions people get about poker make sense.
For one, poker's a fairly obscure activity for most people, and it isn't really that surprising that they mix it up with blackjack for example (two popular gambling games with cards). It's not that hard to explain the difference between blackjack and poker to someone who confuses the two instead of dismissing them as an idiot. Also the vast majority of gamblers (including let's not forget the vast majority of poker players) do lose, despite many thinking they've figured it all out, or have a system, or in the case of various get-rich-quick schemes that "this is different." All of our brains work by generalising to some kind of extent. For most people, not gambling is also a fairly good overall rule; without a great deal of work their expectation will be negative, and gambling is highly addictive and a lot of people are genuinely at risk of losing control once they start (look at all the poker players who 100% understand probability but who still go broke playing craps etc). Of course it's still annoying when plain ignorant and arrogant people insist that they're right about something they have no reason to believe they know anything about, or when someone close to you who should know you better thinks that you genuinely believe you can beat something equivalent to the slots.
(On a side note, one way of explaining to the people who just don't or refuse to understand the concept of positive expectation and insist that you can only lose when "gambling" is to ask them if the casinos should also stop "gambling" because, in the end, they're bound to lose).
Finally, while this is partly hindsight, all the people quoted in this thread telling people to take some or all of their money/rolls off the sites were giving good advice. Not just because of what's happened, but simply for the sake of eggs and baskets etc. I mean noone could really believe that a poker site is as safe as say a bank (banks obviously go bust, but your deposits there are at least insured), especially with obvious questions about their legal status etc.
There's no excuse for the people who ask you to take some money and run it up for them though. That's just stupid.
For one, poker's a fairly obscure activity for most people, and it isn't really that surprising that they mix it up with blackjack for example (two popular gambling games with cards). It's not that hard to explain the difference between blackjack and poker to someone who confuses the two instead of dismissing them as an idiot. Also the vast majority of gamblers (including let's not forget the vast majority of poker players) do lose, despite many thinking they've figured it all out, or have a system, or in the case of various get-rich-quick schemes that "this is different." All of our brains work by generalising to some kind of extent. For most people, not gambling is also a fairly good overall rule; without a great deal of work their expectation will be negative, and gambling is highly addictive and a lot of people are genuinely at risk of losing control once they start (look at all the poker players who 100% understand probability but who still go broke playing craps etc). Of course it's still annoying when plain ignorant and arrogant people insist that they're right about something they have no reason to believe they know anything about, or when someone close to you who should know you better thinks that you genuinely believe you can beat something equivalent to the slots.
(On a side note, one way of explaining to the people who just don't or refuse to understand the concept of positive expectation and insist that you can only lose when "gambling" is to ask them if the casinos should also stop "gambling" because, in the end, they're bound to lose).
Finally, while this is partly hindsight, all the people quoted in this thread telling people to take some or all of their money/rolls off the sites were giving good advice. Not just because of what's happened, but simply for the sake of eggs and baskets etc. I mean noone could really believe that a poker site is as safe as say a bank (banks obviously go bust, but your deposits there are at least insured), especially with obvious questions about their legal status etc.
There's no excuse for the people who ask you to take some money and run it up for them though. That's just stupid.
The main difference is that if you are a poker player who understands the math and plays very well, you can win a lot of money. If you are a blackjack player who understands the math and plays very well, they call it "card counting" and throw you out.
Last edited by Poker Clif; 04-22-2011 at 07:10 PM.
Reason: spelling
04-24-2011
, 12:50 PM
Quote:
I'm pretty amazed at so many posts in this thread.
It appears obvious that over 95% of the posters here are microstakes grinders.
Anybody discussing how their parents/girlfriend don't understand what they do during their free time just don't get it. Yeah, it's only natural for ignorant people to wonder why you spend hours playing in front of a computer. They just can't SEE why you're doing it, because there is NOTHING to see. You just don't make any money playing microstakes. You know it, they know it, yet you try and argue with them how poker is a game of skill.
Ridiculous.
If any of you microstakes grinders (omg my mom told me to cash it out before i lose it all LOLOLOL !) made any decent amount of money playing poker, then your family would understand WHY you're doing it. You guys DO look like degen spending 6hrs a day playing poker and not making any money off of it. Be realistic.
I can assure you that all higher stakes players making good money at poker have NO PROBLEM dealing with their family. Your income is often bigger than theirs, they get to see everything you buy for yourself and how poker helps you have a much better lifestyle. They realize you just don't need their financial support anymore. What can they say ?
It's important to not associate microstakes grinders, who only play poker for a few bucks, and "real" poker players who can actually make a living off poker. That's two very different worlds. Be realistic about your situation. Don't act like you're great poker players because you know a lot more than a random guy. If you don't have any numbers to back it up, there's just no point getting into an argument. People need proofs. If you don't give them one, they'll always think you're a jerk (and once again, it's only NATURAL for them to think so)
When you DO make money out of poker, the only tricky question your friends have is "wow, you're always spending so much money on whatever you want, how can you afford that?"
The answers to that question are numerous, and it's very easy to get away with it if you don't wanna go into the poker discussion.
Answering any question about how much you make at poker is ridiculous. Tell them you make thousands, they're just not gonna believe you. Tell them you make a few hundreds, they're gonna think it's not gonna last, at best.
You can only discuss that with your closer friends, when they can SEE for themselves what kinda lifestyle you have.
Microstakes grinders, keep in mind the game you're playing will never get you anywhere in life. You should just consider it a hobby, a past time that SOMETIMES makes you some money. As such, don't ever consider talking about it to people as if it were any different. Keep it simple, and you'll be fine.
It appears obvious that over 95% of the posters here are microstakes grinders.
Anybody discussing how their parents/girlfriend don't understand what they do during their free time just don't get it. Yeah, it's only natural for ignorant people to wonder why you spend hours playing in front of a computer. They just can't SEE why you're doing it, because there is NOTHING to see. You just don't make any money playing microstakes. You know it, they know it, yet you try and argue with them how poker is a game of skill.
Ridiculous.
If any of you microstakes grinders (omg my mom told me to cash it out before i lose it all LOLOLOL !) made any decent amount of money playing poker, then your family would understand WHY you're doing it. You guys DO look like degen spending 6hrs a day playing poker and not making any money off of it. Be realistic.
I can assure you that all higher stakes players making good money at poker have NO PROBLEM dealing with their family. Your income is often bigger than theirs, they get to see everything you buy for yourself and how poker helps you have a much better lifestyle. They realize you just don't need their financial support anymore. What can they say ?
It's important to not associate microstakes grinders, who only play poker for a few bucks, and "real" poker players who can actually make a living off poker. That's two very different worlds. Be realistic about your situation. Don't act like you're great poker players because you know a lot more than a random guy. If you don't have any numbers to back it up, there's just no point getting into an argument. People need proofs. If you don't give them one, they'll always think you're a jerk (and once again, it's only NATURAL for them to think so)
When you DO make money out of poker, the only tricky question your friends have is "wow, you're always spending so much money on whatever you want, how can you afford that?"
The answers to that question are numerous, and it's very easy to get away with it if you don't wanna go into the poker discussion.
Answering any question about how much you make at poker is ridiculous. Tell them you make thousands, they're just not gonna believe you. Tell them you make a few hundreds, they're gonna think it's not gonna last, at best.
You can only discuss that with your closer friends, when they can SEE for themselves what kinda lifestyle you have.
Microstakes grinders, keep in mind the game you're playing will never get you anywhere in life. You should just consider it a hobby, a past time that SOMETIMES makes you some money. As such, don't ever consider talking about it to people as if it were any different. Keep it simple, and you'll be fine.
04-24-2011
, 05:35 PM
tell a chick you spent some hours grinding wtf
04-26-2011
, 06:16 AM
04-26-2011
, 11:53 AM
04-26-2011
, 03:31 PM