Re: Why Poker?
 

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Why do you guys play poker?

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magic the gathering got boring and some of my friends switched to poker, so I joined in. I've always been a fan of card games (spades, hearts, asshol*, etc) so I picked right up on poker. Money is also good but if I wanted to make money in my spare time there would probably be better ways to do it

It's a somewhat intellectually stimulating hobby that is a lot of fun, and when I play live the social aspect is pretty awesome

Re: Why Poker?
 

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I enjoy the competitiveness of it as well, but if it weren't for the money I would feel like I was wasting time.

--turnipmonster

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Yep. I'm one of those competitive gamers as well. The money is nice, but the fact is that I really don't need it and haven't spent much of it. Though now that I've moved up to 10/20 . . . damn. Makes me wonder about making the move to playing for a living.

Anyway, point is that I used to waste tons of time playing computer games (Civilization was the biggest time-suck, but crap like Minesweeper and other games took their toll as well). But then . . . I find a game that is intellectually challenging and you make cold hard $$ when you do well. Makes those other games pale in comparison.

Money + Statistics + Gaming. What's not to love? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Why Poker?
 

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Why do you guys play poker?

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Money, I value it the way most people don't seem to on these boards. I hope to make a million and retire.

Krishan

Re: Why Poker?
 

Better shoot for more than a million.

Re: Why Poker?
 

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Better shoot for more than a million.

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I'm a high school teacher. I'm use to living pretty cheap.

Krishan

Re: Why Poker?
 

Anyway 1 million would generate more interest than what I would need to live ...

Re: Why Poker?
 

1) I'd say the competition. More of in the sense though that I am driven to "beat" a game/level. I also love the fealing of outplaying or outsmarting someone.

2) I'd say the money is a big factor too. I could get along without it, but life is easier with it.

3) I have always like cards. Ive' spend countless hours on hearts/spades/assswhole/ blackjack/ before discovering a passion for poker. I hate to admit it, but I would continue to play poker even if I was a longterm loser. Now if that were the case.....I'd probably be playing nickle/dime.....but I wouldnt stop playing (i think).

Re: Why Poker?
 

I play because I can't do it very well and I know I ought to be able to and it bugs the hell out of me that I suck so badly so I keep trying. Luckily for me the opposition is even worse than I am. If it weren't for 2+2 I wouldn't have realised I'm not killing the game and would have given it up for boring and easy years ago.

I'm a mathematician. A really good one. People always expect I'll be good at games like chess and bridge, but I suck at them and always have. Any half competent player will destroy me easily, despite my having studied the games for an long time.

Poker is the one game I "should be good at" that I just about hold my own at despite basically sucking, because there just aren't many half-competent players out there.

Guy.

Re: Why Poker?
 

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I play because I can't do it very well and I know I ought to be able to and it bugs the hell out of me that I suck so badly so I keep trying. Luckily for me the opposition is even worse than I am. If it weren't for 2+2 I wouldn't have realised I'm not killing the game and would have given it up for boring and easy years ago.

I'm a mathematician. A really good one. People always expect I'll be good at games like chess and bridge, but I suck at them and always have. Any half competent player will destroy me easily, despite my having studied the games for an long time.

Poker is the one game I "should be good at" that I just about hold my own at despite basically sucking, because there just aren't many half-competent players out there.

Guy.

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This speaks to why I don't play poker competatively. If you have played chess competatively, you find out that no matter how much work you put into your game, there are people who can hand your ass to you on a platter. Lots of them. In fact the harder you study, the more you find out just how bad you are.

I don't have any illusions. I know I'm not one of the top .1% most poker capable/high ability players. I don't think many of us are. I think we have stumbled onto a game that most people who could really tear the game in half, don't know about. That's really the only reason we beat the games. Because the best minds in the game just haven't caught on.

If you really enjoyed a challenge, I think chess is a better game. If you want a game that makes you feel like your brilliant even though you might not be, poker is for you.

FWIW stellarwind is a good example of someone who is probably top .1%. I think he has an extensive background in bridge and it's not hard to tell he has a hell of a lot of talent. There are a lot of people like that.

Krishan

Re: Why Poker?
 

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FWIW stellarwind is a good example of someone who is probably top .1%. I think he has an extensive background in bridge and it's not hard to tell he has a hell of a lot of talent. There are a lot of people like that.

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There are not a lot of people in the the top .1% no matter how you bill it. The very nature of .1% means not a lot.