08-15-2002, 02:58 PM
Take this with its well deserved grain of salt (as I am a beginner in poker and don't know too much about what I'm talking about).
I've read through a lot of messages here and on RGP and the cashout curse really get to me.
Reasons:
1) What possible financial motive would the poker sites have for having customers who cash out lose money when the player then comes back to donate more money to the rake? Wouldn't it make more sense (though still not much) to have a curse on those players who rarely play (thereby encouraging lots of play). If you cash out then come back to play more, you are still making the site money!
2) There's a theory out there -- one to which I subscribe -- that the more you look for something, the more likely you are to find it. Let me give you an example: If you want to start tracking the number of people who are bad drivers who are women, you will start to see more bad women drivers. They'll stand out in your mind. The male bad driver won't stand out in your mind, because you aren't looking for him --- you aren't keeping a mental count of those. I think the same can be said of the cashout-curse (and many of the Bad Beat tales as well).
When I first read through all those messages, I was astounded -- it must be rigged. But then, I thought about it. Might it be that those people who cashout, then immediately do better than average don't post (because they think nothing of it). Those who cashout then play the same as before, don't post (because they too think nothing of it). Only those who cashout then lose post --- thus, it looks like there's a cashout curse, because that is what we are all looking for.
Do a little test...When you're driving home from work, count how many bad drivers are in blue cars. Do this for three weeks. You'll start to notice that it seems like there are a high number of bad drivers in blue cars. Don't worry, I've already passed this on to my insurance company and had my premiums adjusted accordingly.
I've read through a lot of messages here and on RGP and the cashout curse really get to me.
Reasons:
1) What possible financial motive would the poker sites have for having customers who cash out lose money when the player then comes back to donate more money to the rake? Wouldn't it make more sense (though still not much) to have a curse on those players who rarely play (thereby encouraging lots of play). If you cash out then come back to play more, you are still making the site money!
2) There's a theory out there -- one to which I subscribe -- that the more you look for something, the more likely you are to find it. Let me give you an example: If you want to start tracking the number of people who are bad drivers who are women, you will start to see more bad women drivers. They'll stand out in your mind. The male bad driver won't stand out in your mind, because you aren't looking for him --- you aren't keeping a mental count of those. I think the same can be said of the cashout-curse (and many of the Bad Beat tales as well).
When I first read through all those messages, I was astounded -- it must be rigged. But then, I thought about it. Might it be that those people who cashout, then immediately do better than average don't post (because they think nothing of it). Those who cashout then play the same as before, don't post (because they too think nothing of it). Only those who cashout then lose post --- thus, it looks like there's a cashout curse, because that is what we are all looking for.
Do a little test...When you're driving home from work, count how many bad drivers are in blue cars. Do this for three weeks. You'll start to notice that it seems like there are a high number of bad drivers in blue cars. Don't worry, I've already passed this on to my insurance company and had my premiums adjusted accordingly.