Would you rather... [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

slickpoppa

08-26-2004, 12:15 AM

win the WSOP and have all the money stolen the next day, or bust out the first day and find 5 million dollars in a suitcase?
I think I'd honestly rather win the WSOP and get no money. It's easy to blow 5 million dollars pretty quickly, but the memory of winning the WSOP would stay with you for life.

durron597

08-26-2004, 12:26 AM

The former. I could probably make close to $5,000,000 with endorsements.

Toaster

08-26-2004, 12:38 AM

Bust out the first day. There's always next year /images/graemlins/smile.gif

nothumb

08-26-2004, 01:08 AM

I think we can assume the 5 mil in a suitcase is tax free. /images/graemlins/cool.gif So I'll take it any day. Anyway, winning the WSOP would be a joke for me cause I'm just not good enough to play NL tourneys regularly. I'd probably burn off a third of my post-tax winnings trying to play large buy-in tourneys, feeling like I had to at least take a shot in case I actually was any good. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

NT

daryn

08-26-2004, 01:13 AM

unless you're rich, this question is so easy it's stupid.

Glenn

08-26-2004, 01:16 AM

The great irony in this discussion is that those who would choose winning over the money will probably never win at poker...do you see why?

RPatterson

08-26-2004, 01:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The great irony in this discussion is that those who would choose winning over the money will probably never win at poker...do you see why?

[/ QUOTE ]

So true.

Jake (The Snake)

08-26-2004, 01:36 AM

This is simply wrong. I absolutely guarentee there are winning players on this board who'd rather have the bracelet. I certainly would.

Glenn

08-26-2004, 02:26 AM

"I absolutely guarentee there are winning players on this board who'd rather have the bracelet"

When I say win at poker, I don't mean the partypoker 2/4 game.

vinnox

08-26-2004, 02:46 AM

Take the money and buy into any WSOP event I felt like for the rest of my life. Winning the big one doesn't guarantee respect or immortality. Especially as an unknown in a huge field.

08-26-2004, 02:55 AM

Unless they are wealthy, anyone who says that they would take the bracelet is not telling the truth.

nothumb

08-26-2004, 03:56 AM

The one exception might be Hellmuth... so he could jump into POTY contention and take the bracelet lead! /images/graemlins/blush.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

NT

Michael Davis

08-26-2004, 04:41 AM

This is probably overly harsh given the nature of your post, but you're an idiot.

-Michael

mackthefork

08-26-2004, 04:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
unless you're rich, this question is so easy it's stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

As usual right on the mark, show me the money!

Regards Mack

Roy Munson

08-26-2004, 07:27 AM

I would opt for $5 million over an ugly tacky bracelet.

Officer Farva

08-26-2004, 10:10 AM

I'd take the win, just so I could be forever known as "the most feared and respected internet player".

Then I'd give myself a paleontologist nickname (Bone-man) and eat platefulls of BBQ ribs.

chio

08-26-2004, 12:06 PM

uh, the money

anyone who says otherwise is pretending to love "the art of the game" or some crap

berya

08-26-2004, 12:15 PM

lol

OrangeHeat

08-26-2004, 12:41 PM

Silly Question presuming I am capable of laundering 5 million. THE MONEY.

Anyone who answers otherwise has watched too much WPT.

Orange

ddollevoet

08-26-2004, 12:57 PM

I'd take the $5 million and then play in the Main Event each year for the next 500 years.

Officer Farva

08-26-2004, 01:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]

I'd take the $5 million and then play in the Main Event each year for the next 500 years.

[/ QUOTE ]
You'd probably die before you could even play in like half of those, moron.

tpir90036

08-26-2004, 01:04 PM

I would only take the win if the bracelet was worth $5,000,001.... or a slightly smaller amount and I thought I could make up the difference by making bad DVDs.

dogmeat

08-26-2004, 01:28 PM

Daryn,

Unless you are God, your answer is stupid. Everybody is different. If they weren't, people like you and I would think alike.

Dogmeat /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Bukem_

08-26-2004, 01:40 PM

Some "fake win" doesn't change your actual skill level.

5 million changes everyone's bank account. Use that to go buy a corvette if your ego needs that much reassurance.

jwvdcw

08-26-2004, 01:44 PM

I play poker to win money not to be famous. I'll take the money anyday.

maurile

08-26-2004, 03:15 PM

WDC

08-26-2004, 03:16 PM

or so stupid, its easy

Young Gun

08-26-2004, 03:26 PM

I want to know how in the world blowing $5 million bucks would be easy unless your a complete retard /images/graemlins/confused.gif

The4thFilm

08-26-2004, 03:36 PM

How nice is the suitcase?

SossMan

08-26-2004, 03:46 PM

whiskeytown

08-26-2004, 03:50 PM

are you drunk?

the 5 million in a suitcase? - not only is it 5 mil...but if you have half a friggen brain, you don't have to pay taxes on it -

I'd rather find a suitcase full of 5 mil. then win the WSOP for 5 million and NOT get it stolen, cause the IRS is gonna want a big ass ol' piece of that 5 mil..

RB

dakine

08-26-2004, 03:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
unless you're rich, this question is so easy it's stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're Right! Money talks Bull-[censored] Walks.

ddollevoet

08-26-2004, 04:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I'd take the $5 million and then play in the Main Event each year for the next 500 years.

[/ QUOTE ]
You'd probably die before you could even play in like half of those, moron.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, that would make me like about 250 years old. I'd probably die from my execessive lifestyle in like about 2 years anyway.

Poker $20,000
Booze, women, cars, $4,800,000

Yeah, that's like about right.

Bob Moss

08-26-2004, 04:21 PM

Great post. Right on. I started to write a response telling you you're an idiot, but then I realized I had misread, thinking you had said exactly the opposite.

Bob

Easy E

08-26-2004, 05:10 PM

are an idiot.

Especially since you would still owe the IRS taxes on the $5 million, if I am correct

Easy E

08-26-2004, 05:12 PM

slickpoppa owes you a "thank you"

Easy E

08-26-2004, 05:13 PM

big smile reading THAT one! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Trainwreck

08-26-2004, 05:34 PM

LOL! Show me the $!

enuff said...

>Trainwreck<

stupidsucker

08-26-2004, 05:43 PM

I realize this is a hypothetical situation, but...

I havent read all the responses, but most seem to not only choose the money, but they also poke fun at anyone that would rather win the event.

Quotes like.

[ QUOTE ]
The great irony in this discussion is that those who would choose winning over the money will probably never win at poker...do you see why?

[/ QUOTE ]

Does no one take in consideration the reality of the conciquences IF you did find a suitcase with 5 million dollars in it. I realize that the above quote deals with +EV siuations.. but it doesnt touch on ethics, it doesnt take in consideration that you might just get whacked because you just stole 5 million dollars. Yes I consider this stealing.

For the majority of you that said you would take the money, I say bullshit. If you in reality found a suitcase filled with that much money you would [censored] your pants and either leave it there or report it right away. Dont give me some fantasy malarky that you would have no problem taking it. You would fear for your life every day, and you have right to.

So in conclusion..

Im taking the win over the suitcase of tainted money, and most everyone would. All you wanna be Ganstas out there can take the money and just try to spend it all without raising red flags all over the place.

This exact post was made a few months ago, but it was better written because it didnt involve stealing a suitcase.

If it came down to "do I want the bracelete/recognition or the money/without a win" then I want the money, but not under the outlined circumstances in this post.

poboy

08-26-2004, 05:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
win the WSOP and have all the money stolen the next day, or bust out the first day and find 5 million dollars in a suitcase?
I think I'd honestly rather win the WSOP and get no money. It's easy to blow 5 million dollars pretty quickly, but the memory of winning the WSOP would stay with you for life.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you serious? Explain to me how it's easy to blow through 5 million dollars. I can't speak for everyone here but I think I could make 5 mil last a very long time. I could care less about some ugly bracelet. The only people who would even recognize your "trophy" would be other poker players. With the exception of Chris Moneymaker nobody in the general public knows or cares who wins the WSOP every year. Now money on the other hand everyone recognizes and cares about. To me winning the WSOP w/o the money would be like winning silver in the Olympics, yeah it's nice but who cares.

stupidsucker

08-26-2004, 05:56 PM

Here is the link to the post about this before (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=724287&page=0&view=&sb=5& o=&fpart=1&vc=1)

toots

08-26-2004, 05:56 PM

The nice thing about the "pick up suitcase" scenario is that it can be done in relative obscurity. This means that you won't have to be subjected to years of flamage from armchair internet suitcase-picker-wannabes who ramble on and on about how classlessly lucky you were, and how you aren't a real suitcase picker, and how you didn't deserve to pick up that suitcase in the first place.

Dominic

08-26-2004, 05:58 PM

what are you, high?

I'll take the 5 million bucks, please.

slickpoppa

08-26-2004, 06:37 PM

I certainly understand why anyone would want to take the money, but to call me an idiot for not taking the money doesn't make any sense. The decision to take the money or not is based on a personal preference of what would make me happier in the long run. To say that my preference makes me an idiot is like saying that someone is an idiot for liking the color blue better than the color red or liking basketball better than football. I am not rich, but I make enough money that the benefits of another 5 million would not outweigh the personal satisfaction of beating some of the world's best poker players. Yes I play poker for the money, but that is not the only reason. I also like the competition, game theory and psychology involved in it. If I just wanted to make money I would devote my time to becoming an investment banker at goldman-sachs or something.
And to anyone would raised issues about paying taxes on the money or [censored] like that, that obviously was not the point of the question. Go watch Star Trek.

Jake (The Snake)

08-26-2004, 07:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]

When I say win at poker, I don't mean the partypoker 2/4 game.

[/ QUOTE ]

So do I.

[ QUOTE ]
Winning the big one doesn't guarantee respect or immortality.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then what the hell does?

Jake (The Snake)

08-26-2004, 07:45 PM

bingo

Jake (The Snake)

08-26-2004, 07:59 PM

This is the way I look at it. I'm an extremely competitive person and my goal in life isn't neccesarily to amass lots and lots of money. Instead, I prefer to acheive something great and have a legacy.

OK OK I know the entire point of poker is to make the most money, but winning the WSOP Main Event is without question the pinnacle of the sport. So if you've acheived this, then who cares about the money? (you could easily make millions through endorsements anyway)

For some sports parallels, look at players who turn down money to try to win a championship (Karl Malone comes to min d). Sure they already have money, but they could certainly make millions more playing for a crap team.

If you asked me to choose between 5 million dollars or playing in MLB World Series, I'd take the baseball game. What are your goals in life? Just to grub money so you can live comfortably? Personally, I'll take the legacy and fame over fortune. Maybe when I'm on my way out I can be satisfied that I acheived something I consider to be "great" (this of course goes along with being a good person and taking care of a family, etc.. by the way if you are poor and need money to take care of people then I would have no problem taking the money).

Jake (The Snake)

08-26-2004, 08:06 PM

By the way,

by reading all the posts I'm convinced that the people who would take the bracelt (like me) just think differently (perhaps have a different perception on life) because some of the $$$ people seem to think taking the bracelet is ridiculous and even stupid. I'm almost positive I wouldn't have to think twice.

poboy

08-26-2004, 08:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I am not rich, but I make enough money that the benefits of another 5 million would not outweigh the personal satisfaction of beating some of the world's best poker players.

[/ QUOTE ]

So what you're saying is you already have 5 million but aren't rich. I'm sorry but anyone with even 1 million dollars is rich. Now I can see why you would prefer the bracelet. That would be like asking me if I'd rather have $1000 or a bracelet. Of course I'd rather have a bracelet because I already have $1000. It's all relative is what I'm saying, to me and probably the majority of people here 5 mil is a nice chunk of change. A life changing chunk of change to be more precise.

Michael Davis

08-26-2004, 08:50 PM

Okay, I retract. You may not be an idiot, but your view is idiotic.

My calling you an idiot made a lot more sense than your recommendation that I watch Star Trek. Huh?

-Michael

slickpoppa

08-26-2004, 08:57 PM

I agree with Jake completely. I am a also a competitive person and to me, money, even in poker, is not the ultimate barometer of success. Let me clarify that when I made my original post I did not have a "fake" win in mind. I would win the WSOP not because I got really lucky, but because I played the best poker I ever played and beat the best players in the world. An accomplishment like that would be worth a lot more to me than 5 million dollars.
Money, unlike an accomplishment, is fleeting. Ask McHammer how easy it is to blow 5 mil. Even if you are careful with your money you could marry some b*tch who then divorces you and takes half of your money. Or you could have some jackass sue you for all your money because of a fender bender.
Accomplishments, on the other hand, are permanent and cannot be taken away from you. I could be thinking about that time I called Doyle Brunson's bluff a long time after I spent 5 million dollars.

"'When you die, on your death bed, you will receive total consciousness.' So I got that goin for me, which is nice.'"

slickpoppa

08-26-2004, 09:01 PM

The Star Trek comment was not directed at you. It was for the people who pointed out that I would have to pay taxes on the stolen money or other things that were irrelevant to the point of the question.

slickpoppa

08-26-2004, 09:02 PM

Sorry, i didn't mean "another" 5 million. I don't even make 1 million a year, but I live comfortably enough that i'd take the WSOP over 5 mil.

Trainwreck

08-27-2004, 09:13 AM

Homemade sex video on the internet with a famous lass would work.... what a screwed up world...

>TW<

Trainwreck

08-27-2004, 09:33 AM

Sorry I have some annoying debt, lack of owning a home type of *expletive* to deal with, I'd use the money to get rid of those issues, and then I could afford and would eventually win a big tournament....

I realize the reverge could be said, make 5 million on endorsements, but actually having the money and NOT the fame is more to my liking... fame gets OLD after a while...

Then again I am shitfaced right now.

>TW<

SpiderMnkE

08-27-2004, 10:04 AM

The Karl Malone example is stupid because the money is not life altering to him, as it would be for us.

And you aren't guaranteed respect for winning this event. Think about Robert Fagoni. You'd have to win many many titles over a long period of time for the respect you speak of.

So if these are your reasons for taking the bracelet over the money... you are a moron.

It would be better to wish you had infinite poker wisdom than to just luck your way into a win at wsop main event.

daryn

08-27-2004, 10:04 AM

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In risposta di:</font><hr />
The Star Trek comment was not directed at you. It was for the people who pointed out that I would have to pay taxes on the stolen money or other things that were irrelevant to the point of the question.

[/ QUOTE ]'

ahhhhhh, i get it now.

SpiderMnkE

08-27-2004, 10:46 AM

Somehow I have succumb to the semantics of all of this. In reality the question boils down to...

Would you rather have respect/fame and live a life of poverty, or remain anonymous with a life of wealth.

If this is the question, then I can see how people with a history of social ineptitude that require a false sense of acceptance would take the fame. They just want to be loved.

However, it seems logical that most people with at least a positive self image and a strong circle of friends would take the money.

The problem with this question is that in order to get the fame you have to have the skill. So the skill that it takes to reach the fame is such that you would already lead a very very comfortable life. So then the situation wouldn't be life altering.

No one wants the title without the respect. So everyone takes the money if winning the title comes about by dumb luck.

If the title comes about through skill... then you don't need the money.

So... it seems like a real question would be something like...

Would you rather be the greatest poker player in the world, but live off of less than 40k per year (maybe you have some f-ed up personality trait that forces you to donate any money you make over 40k). Or be an unknown millionaire.

SpiderMnkE

08-27-2004, 10:48 AM

Show me the money!!!

Dominic

08-27-2004, 11:24 AM

Jake, I agree with you that when you achieve something great in life, and a decent amount of fame comes from that, I'm sure it can be very rewarding...

HOWEVER...the initial question was would you choose to win the WSOP or find $5 million bucks. Either way, you are getting something you did not work for. Just like the $5 million bucks, you are being GIVEN the WSOP title. You know going in you're going to win.

That's not the same thing as working hard at your game for years, earning your way into the WSOP and then besting a field of 2600 to win the whole thing. Not the same at all.

So I will STILL take the money! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Easy E

08-27-2004, 12:20 PM

Why is that irrelevant? Your question itself was somewhat pointless, wasn't it?

Why did everyone assume the money was stolen, by the way? did I miss that part?

I was just being intentionally harsh, for no more reason than your original post (centered around the fact that if what I understand about the IRS is correct, you'd have a bracelet and a $2 million dollar tax bill- 40% of your win that was stolen). If you're going to put a ridiculous situation together, you can't complain when people extrapolate from there in their own ways.

If the bracelet is more important than the money to you, please win and donate the cash to me! I'll look for you to make that deal if we're every 1-2.

I personally would have been thrilled beyond measure to place in spots 2-5. Sure, I'd like to win the bracelet, but I don't see that as so much of an "accomplishment" that the first-place money wouldn't be VASTLY more important to me.

There's too much luck in a tournament for me to value the bracelet that highly, even the misnamed "World Championship of Poker" jewelry.

Easy E

08-27-2004, 12:27 PM

"I realize this is a hypothetical situation, but..."

and a ridiculous one at that, but we're not allowed to have some sport? You're a lot of fun...

"I havent read all the responses, but most seem to not only choose the money, but they also poke fun at anyone that would rather win the event."

See my mid-level response to slickpoppa, dated today, for a more serious explaination of why I PERSONALLY gave him a shot for his scenario, along with my own money-over-bracelet decision.

"Does no one take in consideration the reality of the conciquences IF you did find a suitcase with 5 million dollars in it."

"but it doesnt touch on ethics, it doesnt take in consideration that you might just get whacked because you just stole 5 million dollars. Yes I consider this stealing."

How did ethics get into this? Why are we assuming the $5 mill was stolen? Why are we debating the original silly proposition as a single entity?
I personally read it as a "choose the bracelet or the money" but with a $2 million penalty for the first choice.

"For the majority of you that said you would take the money, I say bullshit."
You know me so well?

" but not under the outlined circumstances in this post. " I think you added circumstances that weren't automatically inferred from the original post, but whatever.

Easy E

08-27-2004, 12:28 PM

"would not outweigh the personal satisfaction of beating some of the world's best poker players"

I argue that you are overvaluing the accomplishment of doing this.

stupidsucker

08-28-2004, 03:27 AM

My point is rather simple.

Suitcases of 5 million dollars are incredibly improbable but still possible. AND on the tiny chance that you come across a "suitcase" filled with 5 million dollars I can say without a doubt that foul play is most likely involved.

Stolen? Indeed! It wasnt your suitcase, it wasnt your money. If you get caught with it, I am sure you will be able to explain to the police that it was yours because you found it.

All I was trying to point out that a suitcase full of money isnt a magical adventure wonderland. It belongs to someone, and they probably have a gun. You can also count on that they have 5 million dollars worth of pissed the F*ck off welling up inside them. They wont use the gun. They will cut off your ear and burn you alive.

I will emphatically say that in true reality if most poeple found a suitcase of 5 million dollars they would piss their pants and fear for their lives just for being in the same area of the suitcase.

In summary...
I just thought this particular hypothetical had too many details. Lay it out simple. "Money or Bracelete" When you put in circumstances as to how you got the money it opens doors for a smartass to put holes in a suitcase theory. I stand by the fact that suitcases full of money dont come without strings attached.

stupidsucker

08-28-2004, 03:39 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I personally read it as a "choose the bracelet or the money" but with a $2 million penalty for the first choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

If the penalty for the win isnt mentioned in the hypothetical how can you throw in the reality of taxes and ignore the reality of possible penalties that come with the suitcase. Its a double standard.