Recreational Poker

[bernie]

your putting yourself in their shoes as 'you' playing....not 'them'. youre saying 'if i were them i would play because...' that's not what theyre thinking.

understand that many see this as a form of entertainment along with other types of gambling. these are the same players who go out and play the crap table for the same reason. does a good BJ player sit on an 8 deck shoe with 7 players? no.....but why are the 7 players there? dont they know better? no...but that's not why theyre there. just because their goal may not be to win necesarily, doesnt mean that theyre addicts either....that's an awful black and white way of painting the picture that just isnt reality...

obviously dynasty and my goals in holdem is to make money, but the casual/recreational player isnt serious about really winning. they may have read one book, if that, but other than that....'

understanding why others play other than yourself can really help in playing against them.

as dynasty said, 'they have different goals'.

b

[AlanBostick]

Perhaps we have our wires crossed. I play poker for only one reason, to win money. That is my goal to maximise my expectancy.

I don't believe this is true. I think you believe it's true, but I think you're wrong.

If the only reason you play poker is to win money, you are making a terrible mistake. Except for some unique people in equally unique circumstances, there are easier, more lucrative, and more consistent ways of earning or making money than playing poker. The typical way of doing this is known as "getting a job." Many poker pros and would-be pros appear to overlook this possibility.

I expect there is a reason poker holds more appeal to you than other methods of getting hold of money. If you are like most players, poker gives you something that you don't get elsewhere. That something is different for different players. You will be a more powerful player if you understand what your own "something" is.

Some players wind up making money while losing track of their "something." I've met a few of them. While they are respectable players, they are also sad cases. They don't lead happy lives.

Some players get good doses of their "something" but don't happen to win money. Perhaps this is true of the majority of cardroom poker players. Are they bad players? Are they losing players? Maybe.

But consider this: A typical money-losing low-limit poker player loses money at about the same hourly rate that I myself lose money in movie theaters. I lose money every time I go to the movies -- every time! Yet I keep going back to the theater again and again. Does this make me a sucker, a live one?

I'm not a bridge player, but I have read a couple of books on bridge. One of my favorites is Victor Mollo's You Need Never Lose at Bridge. Mollo writes of bridge play in an anecdotal style using a cast of fictional characters, and his opening chapter is about how every one of his characters is a winning player -- not because they make their contracts and block those of their opponents, but because they get that special something out of the game that they play it for. Papa the Greek likes admiration for his brilliant plays. Karapet the Armenian revels in his terrible luck, and so he cannot lose without winning. Hideous Hog wants to play the hand and hates being the dummy; so *he* can win in the bidding, before the actual hand is played. Und so weiter.

On this Web forum we all presumably know something about how to make money at poker. If we understand what we really play for, we can strive towards both making money and winning, satisfying our poker jones.

And some of the truly great game players will know what their opponents play for and work towards it, so that everyone can leave the table a winner, even if only a few walk away with more money than they started.

[CEO]

I found Alan's answer to be extremely intelligent and putting poker in the correct light of where it should typically be for most people. After 6 years of playing professional poker, I quit in my late 20's and went back to school and later into business. Now, I play for fun, 25 years later.
Players should remember that even for the most talented players poker really only offers "chump change" as a reward for their efforts. Many of the best are such highly talented indivduals if they applied their skills in other areas would absolutely be better off financially. One needs only read the salary's of executives at major companies to understand this. Let me assure you, the talent at the top in business, is usually weaker than the talent at the top of the poker world.
So those that choose poker as a life, I wish them well and if they enjoy it, great. Just don't fool yourself into thinking you are getting the best of it. Typically, you will be selling yourself short, particularly if you are still young.

[cero_z]

Ok here it is!

I play recreationally, meaning just once in awhile. I'm in Vegas twice a year and I play in local casinos about once a month. I play to win. But if I don't win I don't necessarily like it but who cares! I play with my montly allocation for poker and the next paycheck puts more money in the fund. So the money is there to have fun with playing poker. If the game is not friendly and fun I'll find another table. I will gamble like crazy, play tight like crazy, be loose like crazy and some times start off like a madman raising everything under the sun. No consistency what so ever. It's just plain fun.

The other night I had 3-6o in the BB and button raised me. I reraised and we capped pre flop. I flopped two pair and the war went on through the river. I won a huge pot. He showed AA in Discussed. I stated "I thought you were trying to steal my blind" Another player said to me "and you had what to gain?" He made a very good point. none the less given the result it was so much fun.

By the way I'll be in Vegas Dec. 2-6 for the Autodesk University Conference at the MGM Grand. I'll see you folks at the Mirage and Bellagio. Show up and try to get some of my chips. If you do great.

I will be looking for the locals. Including pokerbabe, dynasty and clarkm.

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