Degree vs. Poker......RE:ZeeJustin (IMPO)

[Phishy McFish]

One of the best posts I've read on here. Nothing to add to that. I'm a fan.

[Lori]

I'd be interested to know how much of a "geek" (e.g., Magic, D&D) overlap there is with the poker demographic. I say this as a card-carrying geek.

Search 'Magic' on this forum, there are several real Pro Tour players on here, far more than there would be at random (I've been to two magic PT's and I feel like a magic novice in here)

A liked your post, well thought out and giving a solid argument.

Lori

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd be interested to know how much of a "geek" (e.g., Magic, D&D) overlap there is with the poker demographic. I say this as a card-carrying geek.


[/ QUOTE ]

One thing I saw at magic tournaments, was that the smarter, more successful players, were also the cooler, better looking, and hygenic players. They didn't play magic because they enjoyed playing "cards". They played it because it was a competetive, mental challenge, with some decent payouts, that also allowed a social outlet. The fat, nerdy, hairy guy at tournaments that never takes showers (unfortunately these guys were all too common) tends to just play the game because he has nothing else to look forward to than his equally repulsive wife. Each round in magic tournaments, the players with the best records are put at the tables closest to the front, and the players with the worst records are put in the back. It's amazing how you can see the "showerless" players in the back, and the clean looking players in the front.

I'm guessing you would find the same with poker. When I look at the WSOP and other tournaments, I see clean cut players at the top, like Phil Ivey, Dutch Boyd, Lederer, Gardiner, etc. Obviously there's some exceptions that don't need to be named, but there's always a few exceptions. But when I look at local home games, I see the same thing at magic tournaments. The guys that are talking about going to dance clubs and girlfriends, and look like they take showers, are the ones that win, while the older depressed drinkers that seem sad to leave are the ones that never win.

If I stereotyped in this at all, and I offended anyone, I apolagize. These are just trends I've noticed. And yes, intelligent people do shower more often than the not so smart.

[dangolf]

Well, I had been lurking all day trying to decide whether to post something in regards to this discussion, and it appears that this post summed up most of my thoughts. Well put.

Let me give you my two cents. Go to school. It can't hurt you, financially, socially, or mentally. If your mental abilities are as abundant as they seem, and your goal is to only make C's, then it shouldn't require too much time on your part to make these grades. Go to class fairly regularly and put in just enough time to turn in mandatory homework, and there should STILL be plenty of hours a day for you to spend in front of terminal taking money from rookies like me. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I say this as a man in his early thirties, that had all the abilities that I needed to take me through school, but threw it away. I graduated fourth in my class in high school, was a state scholar based on my college entrance tests (top 1%). I had an Air Force Academy nomination all but wrapped up, but unfortunately I could throw a baseball about 93 mph, lefthanded.

Instead of going to one of the many good colleges that had recruited me, either for baseball or academics, or going to the minors after my senior year and being drafted. I decided to stay in my home town and play ball for the local junior college. Two years of being a local hero, just inflated my ego. I loved it.

Then schools like Texas and Oklahoma State tried to recruit me, but said I needed to take some summer school, but I was way too cool for that. Ended up at smaller four year school in Alabama, where I blew my knee out in the first two weeks playing pick up basketball. Moved home, got married, had a kid, got divorced, and was miserable because I hadn't given myself an out.

I have since moved to Dallas, hired on with a major corporation, and am using them to obtain my bachelor's, then my masters. After that I'll take my CPA exam.

I'm sure I've told you more than you want to know, but my point is, no matter how gifted you are, you need to give yourself some alternatives. If not, you end up having to work twice as hard at something that could have been so easy.

I'm not saying don't play poker, but it wouldn't be so bad to play poker and go to school. Just think about a poor schmuck like me, trying to play poker, go to school, and work full time. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Good luck, Zee, in whatever decision you make.

Dan

[dangolf]

[ QUOTE ]
It seems to me that some of you people would send this girl to college if it meant you felt happier with your own lives.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not? Tiger went to Stanford! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Dan

[Lori]

Is it just me, or are all the best posts on this forum the ones with snippets of people's lives?

Lori

[t_perkin]

ok here is the snippet of my life:

went to school, got good grades. Went to uni, did computer science and spent around a third of my degree studying poker (player modelling techniques), which led to my first class bachelors.

Now I am considering starting a PhD in... you guessed it poker. Continuing the work in the bachelors.

So you really can do BOTH.

Although having said this, I often find myself wishing that I was *not* going to do poker. Mainly because I spend far too long either studying it or playing it. That is what makes me know that I would not want to be a pro (not that I am anywhere near good enough) I get bored of poker sometimes (heresey!!) .

tim

p.s: if you do want to become an "online pro" then you should move out of the states to a country where gambling is tax free (england, or any one of the hot and sunny tax havens, plus probably a lot of other countries)

[goodguy_1]

I agree Lori.Once you have a clue about poker basics...the everyday analysis of the game
becomes a litle stale for me...this is much more refreshing stuff.

[Cyndie]

just had this link from another thread...but this thread on what it can be like when you REALLY run bad may help a little to encourage you to get the education to give yourself choices!

David Ross Saga

[goodguy_1]

lol Mary ..3 weeks is bad but it can get alot worst than that even if you a great player..you can run bad for 4-5-6 weeks easily.I'm not saying you lose net net but maybe you break even over that time period or experience a nasty 150 bb downswing and even off.

MSSunshine had a chitty run like this in Fall03 if I recall and he was cool enough to share it w/us.He was obvioulsy dejected during it.
Minus 125-150-175 bigbets swing for full ring game players happen all the time especailly online. Seems to happen to me every 3-6 or so months onlijne or B&M.