Poker and social misfits

[PuppyKicker]

Every poker player I meet that is any good is either a) an enormous nerd, b) obsessive compulsive c) a raging egomaniacal douchebag, or d) all of the above.

Usually, these characteristics are accompanied by a) a serious weight problem, b) poor personal hygiene, c) badly underdeveloped social skills, d) extreme physical unattractiveness, or e) all of the above.

Is it possible to be a cool, socially acceptable, yet winning poker player? I can't even think of a single pro that I would want to hang out with except for perhaps Daniel Negraneau and Howard Lederer (and if I were a woman I sure as hell wouldn't date either of them!). And all the winners I meet are ... losers.

Now you're probably reading this and getting all huffy about being a loser yourself, so you're probably going to flame me for being a troll or whatever, and I suppose I can't stop you. But I am asking the question seriously because I am more than a bit worried about what poker does to a person. Right now I don't have any of the issues listed above (whew), but am I destined to become one of the fish in the social sea?

[Monty Cantsin]

Please post this type of thing in the Other Topics forum. Thanks.

/mc

[PuppyKicker]

See what I mean about no social skills? Is it really that much skin off your ass to repond to it here?

[Monty Cantsin]

I'm just asking you to post your messages in the correct forum. Thanks.

/mc

[PuppyKicker]

This is the appropriate forum. It is a theory I have about poker. Plus, this forum has more traffic. Why ya gotta be a douchebag about it?

[Stork]

PuppyKicker, I've also noticed that pattern amongst poker players. However, I don't think it's poker that turns people into losers, I just think that more losers happen to take a liking to poker.

[PuppyKicker]

[ QUOTE ]
PuppyKicker, I've also noticed that pattern amongst poker players. However, I don't think it's poker that turns people into losers, I just think that more losers happen to take a liking to poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

AHH! That's a really interesting point!

Must think on that one ...

[Monty Cantsin]

[ QUOTE ]
Why ya gotta be a douchebag about it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because in the last couple of days several of the forums on this board have been swamped with uninteresting and unfunny posts. Posts to Poker Theory and General Hold'em should be concerned with theoretical and strategic issues. If you want to talk about personality types you should post in Psychology. If you just want to do little comedy riffs you should post in Other Topics, or preferably not at all.

The occasional non-sequitur or flame war is no big deal, but things are getting ridiculous. I'm asking you politely to keep the chatter down.

/mc

[The T.A.]

[ QUOTE ]
Every poker player I meet that is any good is either a) an enormous nerd, b) obsessive compulsive c) a raging egomaniacal douchebag, or d) all of the above.

Usually, these characteristics are accompanied by a) a serious weight problem, b) poor personal hygiene, c) badly underdeveloped social skills, d) extreme physical unattractiveness, or e) all of the above.

Is it possible to be a cool, socially acceptable, yet winning poker player? I can't even think of a single pro that I would want to hang out with except for perhaps Daniel Negraneau and Howard Lederer (and if I were a woman I sure as hell wouldn't date either of them!). And all the winners I meet are ... losers.

Now you're probably reading this and getting all huffy about being a loser yourself, so you're probably going to flame me for being a troll or whatever, and I suppose I can't stop you. But I am asking the question seriously because I am more than a bit worried about what poker does to a person. Right now I don't have any of the issues listed above (whew), but am I destined to become one of the fish in the social sea?

[/ QUOTE ]
Puppy: I agree. And what makes your theory even more compelling is that you've just exhibited the qualities of a category (c), as mentioned in your first paragraph.

You should write a book!

[spamuell]

I'm with Monty here, although I don't know why he wastes his time with this forum in the first place. It's frequently filled with crap about folding AA and online poker being rigged. Yeah, I know I'm here but I'm not a regular in this forum.

[ QUOTE ]
Plus, this forum has more traffic [than OOT].

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't. But this should be in Psychology, because it's related to poker.

And the answer to your question is that nerdy people with no social skills are the ones who have the time, the will and the ability to dedicate themselves to learning how to play poker extremely well. You could say the same thing about chess players, or MMORPG players or any game which takes a lot of time, effort and a reasonable level of intelligence.