Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

As the subject implies, I have decided that I am not mature enough to play poker any more. I have decided this after numerous cases of playing far above my bankroll and sustaining serious hits. Luckily, I'm still up about $200 for my career and that's the way it's going to be, for at least the next 5 months.

I've decided that I will play absolutely no internet poker this semester. There are numerous benefits to this decision. First of all, I won't lose any more money. Secondly, I suspect that my grades will greatly improve. Last semester I constantly found myself asking "Should I study or make money?" (I'm actually a pretty good player when I have myself under control). I can only imagine where my grades would be if I hadn't been so consumed by poker.

I own SSH, TOP, HPFAP, and TFPAP, as well as a few other books. Over the next five months, I plan to study them intently, so when I return to the game I will be a much better player.

I guess there are two reasons for me to post this. The first is how to overcome the root of my bankroll problems. When I have the money sitting in my PokerRoom account, it doesn't seem real. I seem to have a hard time appreciating money that isn't in my hands. Also, when I make a big win, I tend to think of the money as "won, not earned" and piss it all away immediately. For example, I had a great run at the tournaments and was up over $1500 one week, so I decided to hit up the $500 NL table... Three times. Do you have any tips for really appreciating the money, or is this just something that will come with time?

Secondly, I'd like you guys to help me enforce this decision. If you see me posting hands or bragging about a tournament or something during the next 5 months, call me out and publicly humiliate me, please.

Thanks a lot everyone.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

Being a good poker player requires one to devalue the money in front of you so as not to play scared. However, you've taken this to a higher degree than it needs to go. I would consider making up a strict cashout scheduele - keeping only what you need on the site.

Your decision seems like a good idea.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

I love what you're doing. It takes someone mature to make that kind of realization. Hope you stick to the plan. I hope you stay active on the forums too. Any time you catch yourself slipping shoot me a PM and I'll tell you what you need to hear. Best of luck to you.

Cheers,

deacsoft

p.s. don't forget about that "trim" you got comin' over about 2:00pm

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

As a former professor, I can only applaud your decision to emphasize study.

I am appalled at students who spend excessive amounts of time playing poker. The grades you get are IMMEASURABLY more important than any money you can win.

You've got your priorities right, but you clearly have some doubts about your ability to stick to your decision. I hope you do so. At this stage of your life, your education is supremely important.

Regards,

Al

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

I dont know why so many college kids try to take up poker.

They are much better off studying hard and leeching off their parents.

Get a good job you enjoy, make big money and have job security.

When you become an underachieving 25yo with a crap job then you can take up poker seriously as a last resort.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

I actually think poker has done wonders for my maturity level. It has tought me the value of money NOT spent, and given me the opportunity to enjoy my job (usually, heh) and look forward to advancement. I had zero direction in terms of what I wanted to do for a living, or even for a job, and poker has allowed me to focus on other things without worrying about whether I was going to have enough for rent. Winning poker is not "fun" poker most of the time, and being diciplined enough to play that way has also helped me see the value in things that aren't immediately obvious.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
As a former professor, I can only applaud your decision to emphasize study.

I am appalled at students who spend excessive amounts of time playing poker. The grades you get are IMMEASURABLY more important than any money you can win.

You've got your priorities right, but you clearly have some doubts about your ability to stick to your decision. I hope you do so. At this stage of your life, your education is supremely important.

Regards,

Al

[/ QUOTE ]

That's right. Get good grades and a good job. Then take that money and play. We want to win big money, not college loan residue...

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

Something else to consider is that you have to think about long-term money versus short-term money:

study vs. make money ... in the long-term -- studying WILL make you MORE money, in many situations.

In your free time, when you need a break from school, I see nothing wrong with a little poker -- but always always ALWAYS put your family, your study, and friends ahead of short-term things like improving your bankroll.

It's far greater +EV long-term than you'd think....

Barron Vangor Toth
www.BarronVangorToth.com

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
I dont know why so many college kids try to take up poker.

They are much better off studying hard and leeching off their parents.

Get a good job you enjoy, make big money and have job security.

When you become an underachieving 25yo with a crap job then you can take up poker seriously as a last resort.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a college kid playing poker, but only for disposable income. My schooling's paid for by scholarships...

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]

They are much better off studying hard and leeching off their parents.


[/ QUOTE ]

Ahem. What about those kids who can't leech off their parents because they don't have any money to give you?

Also I am already getting student loans, however it only covers my school and not my rent/food/entertainment.

Poker is the highest paying "job" someone my age could age.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]

Do you have any tips for really appreciating the money, or is this just something that will come with time?


[/ QUOTE ]

You've seem to have led a pretty sheltered life - Get yourself a really crappy minimum wage job (part-time, obviously since you're in school) during your time away from poker. Something seriously back-breaking, repetitive, menial and/or humilating. Pay particular attention to the poor schmucks stuck doing it for a living who have to actually survive on that kind of money.

Or go do some volunteer work in a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, etc, and learn to appreciate what you have...

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
The grades you get are IMMEASURABLY more important than any money you can win.

[/ QUOTE ]

I realize that by "grades" you likely mean education, but hearing this from a former professor is really quite unsettling. Grades have virtually no importance for anything other than graduate school.

I don't usually nitpick about semantics, but your particular word choice coupled with the image I have of you from your books really surprised me.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

As far as grades, it's just a cliche parents repeat over and over. The value of it is as much as 'wash behind your ears'. To put it with the word IMMEASURABLY is neat in a rhetorical sense but makes anyone who recognizes rhetoric kind of throw up in their mouth a little.

Now stop playing poker and start going to class. Just because you don't need a 4.0 for your job doesn't mean you can't have one and go to FREE grad school.

For the record, no, I don't wash behind my ears. I am told I'm quite clean by everyone though so I think I'm O.K.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
I actually think poker has done wonders for my maturity level. It has tought me the value of money NOT spent, and given me the opportunity to enjoy my job (usually, heh) and look forward to advancement. I had zero direction in terms of what I wanted to do for a living, or even for a job, and poker has allowed me to focus on other things without worrying about whether I was going to have enough for rent. Winning poker is not "fun" poker most of the time, and being diciplined enough to play that way has also helped me see the value in things that aren't immediately obvious.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly how I view poker. Unfortunately it was said in a way that I cannot add anything new, but I can say that I no longer feel the need to buy stuff like video games, DVDs, or other crap I used to buy. The only way to really start to value money is to start living on your own, and living on anything less than a $10/hr job is going to make you understand the value of a dollar.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

Actually, grades DO matter A LOT for first jobs out of college. I make hiring decisions for my company and generally, we get about 50+ resume's for every entry-level position we post (new college grad, no experience, yada yada yada).

GPA is one of the fastest and easiest ways to screen out people from that list of 50. Fair? No. Accurate? Somewhat. Common practice? Absolutely.

You don't need the 4.0, but anything below say, 3.4 is getting pretty icky.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
They are much better off studying hard and leeching off their parents.


[/ QUOTE ]

There are many people who do not have this option. Before poker I was making 6.50$ an hour (college towns SUCK for wages). Hell during my time playing 1/2 I was making 22$ an hour. I would have to work 30 hours a week and I was barely making ends meet (that was only paying for rent/phonebill/gas). I also had very limited time for studying. Now I am making between 1,000$-3,000 a month and have much more free time on my hands for studying.

Not to mention I have a much lower level of stress (despite how angry I get at bad beats still). While I feel there are many immature college kids who think they are a lot better than they really are at poker and continue to lose money and tell others they dont have a problem, for those who are good at the game and mature, poker can be a great thng.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

They are much better off studying hard and leeching off their parents.

Yeah, good advice. 'Cause that'll teach them responsibility and give them a healthy monetary perspective. I very seriously think my decision in High School not to ever ask my parents for any money of any kind was one of the best things I did for myself.

GoT

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

<font color="blue">You will know the answer to this:</font>

[ QUOTE ]
For example, I had a great run at the tournaments and was up over $1500 one week, so I decided to hit up the $500 NL table... Three times. Do you have any tips for really appreciating the money, or is this just something that will come with time?


[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="blue">When you don't need to ask for help with this:</font>

[ QUOTE ]

Secondly, I'd like you guys to help me enforce this decision. If you see me posting hands or bragging about a tournament or something during the next 5 months, call me out and publicly humiliate me, please.


[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="blue">The answer lies within. See you in five months.</font>

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
The answer lies within. See you in five months.

[/ QUOTE ]

so deep, Obiwan.

Re: Not Mature Enough For Poker
 

Not deep at all.

We can post it on 2+2 a hundred gazillion times, but it won't help anyone until they realize it for themselves.