I like this thread. I started playing professionally in December and most of my friends still genuinely believe I'm just a degen gambler who's in denial. The other day I was introduced to a guy who plays Facebook poker, and despite seeming fairly intelligent he actually asked me "Seriously though, how can people call it a skill game when you can lose with Aces?"

When I went to Vegas for a week, my mom asked me for an update after 2 hours of play. I told her "I'm up $400" (was playing 1000NL). She said "Great, you should just quit while you're ahead and enjoy the money before you lose it all".

^typical

Today I had a losing session and we are on a trip. I lost $600 at 2/5 NL. From my folks, I did not hear the end of how Poker is a negative, destructive thing that can only bring in loss. I told my mom I was down $1200 in the first hour as my Aces got cracked and brought it back to -$100. I told her honnestly, it's a very complicated game and no decision is an easy one, that is why I ended up losing another $500.

Guess what she said...



And my dad...

-"Nobody can win at Poker and ....

lol WTF

yep, mothers never get tired of saying this.

wow i cringed reading this. whoever posted this is the moron. let's say you have a friend that likes the sport cricket, and you're trying to have a conversation with them about it because you're curious you're going to ask some pretty dumb questions. there's no need to be a complete ***hole to them.

Anybody who tells non-poker people how much they win or lose, without seeing in advance how bad an idea that is.....well, you should've just seen it.

I tell everybody about poker if they ask, but when they ask about figures, I never mention any.

Would u tell that u play poker in a job interview?
I do not think I will ever do that because they will probably think I am an addict or something and thus unreliable.

You should read the whole thread, this is brought up directly several times, and hundreds of the stories center around confusion of poker with necessarily degenerate gambling.

IMO you're more likely to get the job if you tell the interviewer you used to be a woman.

If you're just trolling, whatever, good job, welcome to the forums.

Agreed!

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Sometimes the "baller" attitude in these forums can get tiresome. For example:

My friends with McJobs are such losers. (They won't be your friends for long if they pick up on that attitude).

If you don't understand poker, you're a moron. (If you don't understand what a chemist does, does that make you a moron?)

I can buy whatever I want, bring on the hookers and cocaine.

It's OK for me for to take Adderall (or some other drug) if it helps me makes more money.

I shouldn't have to pay taxes if I play poker. (Your parents and siblings should have to pay taxes on their income, but not you? What makes you so special?)

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It just gets really old after a while.

tuff

Sounds like the perfect time to explain your bankroll management--unless you're driving the new car that you paid cash for.

Why is this thread still open? What hasn't been said several times before ITT?

It really isn't that difficult - you tell NO ONE that you play poker for a living unless you have an idea how they will react or don't care about them at all.

It really is that simple.

Oh yeah, I should had taken 10 minutes or so to read the whole 2600+ posts before I posted anything.

the cricket analogy is terrible dude. honestly do you think a cricket noob is going to have questions anywhere near the realm of stupidity as some of the things people ask about poker?

You read fast

I was at football once talkin with a few people, the subject got to me playin poker, they all gasped in amazement and one said.. Well how can it be skill, if i have aces im never gonna fold so how can you win? Then one guy who works 14 hour shifts in a factory said "theres a place for people like you"..

Sigh.. I think everyone outside of the poker bubble sees it in exactly the same way as roulette or bj, so you have to be patient sometimes.. What gets me is a few of my mates know i make good money consistently yet have never asked me to teach them or help them make a little extra money part time which id gladly do.

wow you seem a fun guy. Wanna be friends?

Sounds nice, but "what to you do?" or "where do you work" are such common questions that it's pretty hard to avoid. And even with a successful part-time player, such as a college student, people are going to figure out that he's not living the lifestyle of a burger-flipper.

How much did you lose?

"I am self employed. I have made some investments and now I let my money work for me!!!" Is it really that hard. If they probe more asking what kind of investments, just say, "well it isn't the stock market but works alot like it, sometimes my investments are bad, sometimes they are good and don't work out, which means I actually lost money on that investment. I have done well so far though so I must have been smart and made mostly good ones."

Ppl would probably think you re dealing with drugs or whores.

Questions of an ignorant to a chemist:


Q#1: "Is it hard to remember all those chemical compounds and their names?"

Reasonable




Q#2: "So... has your lab exploded in your face lately?"

You re a moron

Whenever someone tries to tell me about cricket my eyes glaze over and I nod politely. Trust me, from someone who does not care about cricket in the slightest, we will NEVER ask dumb questions, or any questions. We just want this segment of the conversation to end, and quickly. Just please stop talking about cricket and make the pain go away.