Furniture makes me angrier!
I went to the furniture store. To look at furniture I don’t want. With two screaming kids who would not let me look at the furniture I do not want. Even if I wanted this furniture that I don’t want, and can’t see because of two screaming kids, I could not afford it anyways AAAAAAND somehow this was for me. Thanks Honey! I am so glad I am married sometimes.
- NEXT -
Texas: you're supposed to play b/c you love the game
BWFWALGMan: ahhhhh
Texas: the psychology of it
BWFWALGMan: I hate the game. I quit.
BWFWALGMan: lol
Texas: lol
Sorry Texas but there is not much Psychology in someone calling huge bets with 2nd pair and spiking his runner-runner straight against your trips. None .. At.. All.. I am in such a pissy mood lately. Too many floosh hunters and morons sucking out on me.
- NEXT -
So anyway the above conversation came about from me being a little fed up with this week. I basically lose a buyin a day to flush draws and other crazy assorted stuff. I am always ahead when I go all in, and I always lose. It is frustrating. I have brought my roll back down from its lofty heights of 1360 to the pits of 560. Ok, So I can make it back. Big deal. It’s annoying. So I was thinking. Is anyone out there even mildly successful at Poker? Let’s define mildly as 3K a year. I personally do not think this is a big number but for the sake of argument let’s pick it. I mean I can name 2-3 Bloggers I know are making good money but I would bet the majority of them do not make even close to that. So how do you know you can beat the game long term? How do you know you are successful or good or even not pathetic? I am doing an informal poll. If you want to send me an email at mfhowland@comcast.net I will show the numbers. I guess the poll questions are:
1. Do you make >3K a year.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
5. If you do not care about winning, are you just in this to be a part of the great Poker Blog cult community and feel like one of the popular kids?
Anyway I am in a pissy mood so your going to have to deal. Feel free to respond either in email or via the comments section. I am very interested in hearing what people think.
posted by SirFWALGMan at
11:05 AM
9 Comments:
I am successful according to your definition, but not online. :)
11:54 AM
1. No, I don't make $3K/year playing poker.
2. I have no idea whether I will be successful over time.
3. I'm successful because I've found a hobby that brings me enjoyment and occasionally a small profit.
4. I treat poker much as I treat Fantasy Football or Rotisserie Baseball. There are some upfront costs, but the potential for a slight skill edge to translate into monetary gain makes it a fun challenge.
5. I honestly don't know. I started writing my blog mainly because I wanted to see how my style of writing translated. I write about my family, my hobbies (poker, fantasy sports), and my opinions. It's a catharsis for me.
Seriously, think how much you would be willing to spend on a new hobby, like model trains or remote control planes. It might take a few hundred bucks to get fully into it, but you'd still get entertainment value. If it ain't entertaining for you anymore, then STOP. Spend your money on something less stressful... like booze.
11:57 AM
1. Do you make >3K a year?
Not enough of a sample size - I haven't been actively playing for a year. If you just multiply the first 4 months of this year by 3, then yes, no problem. But there are no guarantees of future performance.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
I'll answer this question anyway. I don't. I like to think that I will only improve, and that I will maintain the necessary discipline to be successful, but I'm not sure that it's possibly to know, beyond trusting yourself.
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
Financially, I wouldn't say that I'm all that successful. But I don't care, as long as I don't lose $$$ on the bargain. This is a hobby, one that has potential to make me a few bucks. Could I be more successful? Absolutely. I hardly bonus ho at all. I rarely study. As a result, I pretty much suck. I just enjoy playing.
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
Having a decent time, not losing (much) money, and just maybe exercising my brain a little.
5. If you do not care about winning, are you just in this to be a part of the great Poker Blog cult community and feel like one of the popular kids?
Nah. I play for entertainment. I post crap masquerading as writing on a blog for entertainment. Virtually nobody reads it, so it's primarily for my own amusement. I do it because I feel like it.
And you know something, it's kind of nice to occasionally recognize someone at the virtual tables, to know a little something about their life.
The bottom line, though, is for me it's entertainment, NOT a job. If it ain't entertaining for you anymore, then STOP. Spend your money on something less stressful... like strippers.
12:37 PM
My totals reflect LIVE+ONLINE
1. 2003 - ($1550)
2004 - $2964
YTD2005 - $2600
I like to think I'm improving each year and as I move up in limits and hopefully get better, I hope that the results will follow.
5. I most certainly do care about winning, the key to which is learning from losing.
1:22 PM
1. Do you make >3K a year.
Yes, but my sample size is small - less than 2 years.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
I'm confident, but I don't.
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
Other people have not learned the game very well yet.
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
Winning=success for me. Game isn't all that fun unless it is a competition. I like to win.
---As far as your motivation to play, I'd just say that if this hobby isn't costing you too much money (i.e. less than another hobby) and you look forward to getting on, then keep playing. If you don't feel like playing one night, don't play. You'll come back or you won't...life is too short to do something that frustrates you more than excites you.
9:19 PM
1. Not enough sample size yet but I probably should. In fact, I reckon twice that is perfectly feasible given enough time to play outside of my 'proper' job.
2. It's just a gut feel. Combined with the evidence of the diabolical play of so many others. I don't think you need to be really good to make money - just not really bad.
3. I think I'm improving all the time, which constitutes success to me.
4. Winning is my primary definition of success, but knowing my play is getting better also means success to me, as does simply having fun. Buying into a MTT for $10 and having a couple of hours of intellectual stimulation is pretty good value for money.
5. Not JUST for that. But the social side is part of the fun.
7:52 AM
1. Do you make >3K a year.
Yes. In 2004 I won 2x that amount online mostly on Party Poker.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
N/A.... but the key is self discipline and patience.
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
I'm a long way from being good. I know that I'll be a great writer when I'm 40. I'm hoping that I can play enough poker in the meantime to say that when I'm 40, I'll be a consistent winning player.
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
In poker, there are no moral victories. You either have more money at the end of the day... or you don't. Simple.
5. If you do not care about winning, are you just in this to be a part of the great Poker Blog cult community and feel like one of the popular kids?
Writing about poker has offered me a chance to make some money writing and takes less pressure off me working other crappy freelance jobs and allows me to not have to play online for a living.
As an artist, I'm alwys looking for new outlets to create. I'm sure I'll get bored with blogging and move onto papier mache or something like that.
HOPE THIS HELPS.
7:32 AM
1. Do you make >3K a year.
Does bonus money count? Haha. Playing I might squeeze out that much.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
As long as there's bonus money, I'll be successful. I do tend to play tourney fairly well, maybe a little more practice and some balls to play at higher stakes I could be very successful in the future.
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
I can 5 table three different sites and play 4 versions of poker while bonus whoring :P
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
Getting my money in with the best of it at least 80% of the time, is all I ask.
5. If you do not care about winning, are you just in this to be a part of the great Poker Blog cult community and feel like one of the popular kids?
I care about winning, but I care about meeting people/friendship even more. Plus, where else are you going to get free, original comic relief on a daily basis?
7:46 AM
1. Do you make >3K a year.
I'll let you know when a year is up. But I might make it.
2. If not how do you know you can be successful over time?
I don't. But I'm becoming a better player, which theoretically translates to improved success.
3. If not how come you think you are successful?
Willing to learn, make mistakes, look truthfully at my own play.
4. If winning is not your definition of success then what is?
Improvement. Making a poor play bothers me far more than geting sucked out. Yes, one assumes better financial results because of improvement, but satisfaction with my game is, at present, equally important as bankroll.
5. If you do not care about winning, are you just in this to be a part of the great Poker Blog cult community and feel like one of the popular kids?
I started my blog because I didn't know anyone who played online poker and my wife got sick of me talking about it. It turns out, the game has inspired my writing, and writing regularly has made my writing better (sometimes). The community has been an influence on that, as well as offering many hours of fun and enjoyment.
12:11 PM
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