Respecting Poker - Full circle at age 50

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audacity

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I just wanted to share my own POV on Poker and how it's changed at age 50.

As software engineer all my life- Up until about 4 years ago - I would see Poker on TV - and think 'come on - snore bore - how can people possibly be so analytical about what to do' - meanwhile it was wsop (not realizing it), I might see someone betting on 6 8 off suit - or 5 Q off suite or WHATEVER - and I'd think, 'come on, you can't change what cards you are going to get - what's the point here? How can these people just sit around for hours 'reacting' to some deterministic deal of the cards.'

Well well well- While I DID miss the 'online poker' revolution, I was playing on ACR one day and noticed this guy Dusty Schmidt who had a live stream - so I went there, no one else was there at the time but he'd talk about what he did, my nick there is Rainclown - was NEAT to hear someone talk back 'Well Rainclown, the reason I didn't play A 8 unsuited there was - (onward), but I watched a documentary called 'Drawing Dead' ABOUT HIM - and polarized- ANOTHER player who spent their University tuition AND racked up their roommates credit cards - LOST BIG - and walked across the country with their dog and their violin (Classical / lots of Bach) from West Coast to East Coast to end up in Boston for a 'Gamblers / Addiction' seminar, raising money for awareness.

Watching Dusty play 12 tables multi-table day after day, I KIND of got a feel for how this works, Doug Polk I see of course says do NOT multi-table - focus on the ONE GOOD game - Dusty has cleared 6 million USD though multi-tabling online - Doug Polk is up there too, I think Doug focused on Heads Up though - Soz'z'z's

Dusty Schmidt (leatherass9 on aCR iirc) made me realize - ok - WOW - you CAN make a lot of money doing this, he said he paid someone some UNGODLY fee - was like $10k a day or something when he started - well AFTER he started, he talked about HOW he started it was a 'drawing IN' rather than the documentary title 'Drawing Dead' - he realized - gee- I seem to be making money playing multiple tables - so he explored it further as a noob and paid a pro for some training.

Of course I look back on those live streams where no one else was there and ole RainClown got to just blast him with any question that popped into my head 'Why did you play THAT - why DIDN'T you play that ? '

SO - here we go - I got side tracked into political commentary at one point in my life - I somewhat SKIPPED religiosity - I never 'got' sports...

So I'm going to marry Sports here AND Poker and say...

Politics ? CAN lead to war - and serious physical conflicts, eh - maybe even religion too.

I read Marshall Mcluhan said Sports is where we formally engage in the violence of nature - but under controlled rules.

So - one night while travelling working on a software project, I tuned into an AM radio sports show - I had NO clue what the teams were - the players- all I knew is - these announcers REALLY were into this - the callers- everyone, and it was THEN I realized ah HA - SPORTS IS SAFE! A FUN CULTURE - for almost no point at all other than to do it.

ALAS - I NOW see Poker this way...

CardsChat is POSSIBLY the BEST example too of this - In this complicated world - stressors all over - I am NOW finding POKER ? to be SAFE - a WONDERFUL community to engage in, even if I'm not in it to 'win big' - OH, don't get me wrong, I DO like to dream but I will likely never pony up some hefty fee required FOR that BIG tournament heh - I'm a nit that way.

So there you have it - I NOW - RESPECT and CELEBRATE Poker culture (and sports) - and have put politics on the back burner.

Basically I'm saying I USED to think Poker was MEANINGLESS - now? I see one can dive into it as DEEP as they can hold their breath and resurface (hopefully).

:)
 
hugh blair

hugh blair

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Nice post man deep indeed:)
 
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