When I was in my early twenties, I used to be told quite frequently that I was too young to be as cynical or jaded as I was. I don't know. I guess child abuse, homelessness and death can have that effect on people. I was never quite sure how to respond when people said that? Don't worry, I'll grow into it? Because really, at what age are you allowed to be cynical.
I play quite a bit of poker. I could probably play for 16 hours a day and not get sick of it. It's one of the few areas of life where you being cynical is not seen as a handicap (let's not confuse cynicism with timidity). Think about it...
If you're at work and your boss starts touting some bullshit, what do you do? In all likelihood, you mutter under your breath and go back to your desk. Say yes, sir, will do. Some flake says "Let's do lunch." And you say, "Oh, of course, lunch would be wonderful."
What would happen if you told your boss he was full of shit? There's a pretty good chance you'd be out of a job. In all likelihood, your boss doesn't feel that he to follow the rules. He makes the rules. If the rules don't suit his hand, he might change them so he wins.
That person that you know you won't see for another nine months, if ever? You have to play the game their way, or you're rude. Doesn't matter that both of you know that means nothing.
I'd posted in quite a few tournaments today. Lost every single one of them. Not even remotely close to hitting a bubble. But the thing is, on all but one of the hands I bust on, I knew that I had the edge. Even if my hands don't hold, I can look and see that I played well. Playing good poker and losing money? Is that frustrating? Can be. Not so much, though.
With poker, it doesn't matter who you are when you sit at the table. The rules are the same for everyone. If you want to see the showdown, there's a good chance you might have to pay to do it. The choice is up to you. But at the end of the hand, that decision is up to you. And at the end of the hand, all of the cards need to be on the table if you want to a chance to take the pot. There's a directness about it. There's not going to be anyone telling you that a straight now beats a flush because they happen to be holding one. And if you really think someone is full of shit, you can call them out on it.
It's funny, but a lot of people think about poker and and the first thing that comes to mind is bluffing.
The bluff is overrated.
I've been getting my ass kicked today. Lost just about every coin toss. Had a few pretty ugly beats on insane draws. And you know what? I really don't care. I know my money's been going in when the odds are good.
You ever play in a casino?
ReplyDeleteYeah. There's a small room out this way that's relatively close. I don't get there often, as transportation is kind of rough for me at the moment, but went over the other night for a few hours with a friend. Didn't do too badly.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've played a little hold 'em, too, but I'd like to play more. I may have reason to get to Atlantic City in the next few months, so that'll be cool. I just don't get the same enjoyment online.
ReplyDeleteWhen you were asking for things to do the other day, I was about to suggest a flash road trip to AC.
ReplyDeletePoker is relatively soothing for me. I could probably play for 12-16 hours a day and not burn out on it. And I think a lot of that is tied to just that very thing above. I know my play. And I know when I play poorly and when I play well.
One of the last times I went to the room mentioned above, I finished small above break even. Maybe 2.5 times buy-in. But I know that the two hands that crippled my stack were ones where I had the edge until the river.
Read the opponent perfectly on one hand (well, not perfectly. I put him on A9, he had AT), but I still knew my kicker beat his and he was drawing with a 12% of taking the pot when I put him all in. He rivered his 10.
The other hand, I just couldn't push the two other players off their draw. And when I saw the river, I made my fold. Knew they were on the straight draw. And when the river came, I knew it was time to lay it down.
I can take those hits, because I know I'd play the hand exactly the same way again.
And then you have days like two nights ago, where I was the one taking the cards and managed to leave with 9x buy-in after 4 hours.
So as an update, I got my ass handed to me that time. Sat at a table for nine hours and had four pair better than 10's.
ReplyDeleteJ's once, all-in straight into pocket Q's.
Q's all-in against pocket 3's that flopped a set.
K's all-in against 9's that flopped a set.
And K's that held.
Those were the only sets I saw in any hand I was involved in...
Lost 6 buy-ins over the 9 hours.
Went last night for a couple of hours and had the exact opposite experience.
Bought in for $20 and was catching like mad. Left the table two hours later with $255.