Self defeating video poker habit.

[Jeff Oneye]

Greetings,

I have posted here before (usually in the context of offering advice) but now I am the one looking for feedback. Basically, my problem is a fascination with video poker. For some confounded reason I really get excitement playing video poker in the casino. Unfortunately, the casinos around here don't offer optimal payoff tables. If I was playing video poker in Las Vegas I would have a slight advantage playing 10/7 double bonus (slightly over 100% payback). Unfortunately, I'm playing 9/6 double bonus poker (97.9% with optimal strategy) and a comp card. This means the house has about a 1.5% advantage over me.

If I lived in Las Vegas or even in a state like Missouri I could find optimal machines. I probably wouldn't be posting here as I'd likely be breaking even or slightly winning. But I'm not exactly going to pick up and leave just for lucrative video poker machines.

Here is what's really mind-boggling about my video poker habit. First of all, I'm a consistent winning player at one of the 'allegedly' hardest sites. Last year I won around 5k playing (low stakes online) and I lost an identical amount playing video poker!

Sometimes I become so bored with online poker. It is such a grind and I just don't get enthusiastic about it. Sure, I can win $5-$10 an hour on average, but that doesn't seem as exciting as it once was. It's funny that I spent so many years becoming a winning poker player; it was always a dream and goal of mine. Now I could seemingly care less.

I think I play video poker because it's exciting. You can win a lot of money in a very short period of time. Futhermore, there is some social interaction that is missing online. Then, I have a serious problem with migraine headaches and find playing online aggravates my condition (this becomes worse with the long hours demanded of a grinder). Also, I work at a computer terminal and it's best to minimize the time I sit behind a monitor.

I am not in an financial trouble. Even with my casino exploits last year I broke even due to my poker winnings. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just trying to sabotage myself so I no longer play online poker. Maybe there's something more important/constructive I could be doing with my time. Perhaps I'm trying to deplete my bankroll INTENTIONALLY so I quit online poker all-together.

It just sucks to play poker to fund a losing video poker habit. It's my chosen behavior and I'm well-aware of what I'm doing. I have some really convoluted justifactions. For example, I tell myself I'm lowering my tax burden (by offsetting the winnings through losses). I tell myself it's not good to win too much online anyways because it would push me into a new tax bracket.

Even though I'm having an unreal cold spell (lost $1,400 in the last 2 weeks playing 5 quarter video poker) I am not causing myself any significant financial problems. I cashed out some online poker winnings to pay $1,000 and will cash out $400 more to pay for yesterday's losses.

Curiously enough, I'm very disciplined playing online poker. I have been at this game a long time and use my rational emotive behavioral techniques to keep my emotions under control. Futhermore, I have relatively sound math skills, creativity, courage, patience and other traits of a winning player.

I could just focus exclusively on online poker again (I did this for almost half a year without even entering a casino). Also, I just joined a health club and that could fill a void while helping with my chronic head pain disorder. Futhermore, I could just terminate both online poker and video poker. Lastly, I could move to Las Vegas and play 100.1% and higher machines (just kidding).

Anyways, I guess I feel like TJ Cloutier on a very small scale. I'm told this is common to many poker players (they donk off their poker winnings to some other gaming vice). Nevertheless, it is starting to become a real nuisance and I need to take some action. Any feedback/criticism would be greatly appreciated.

JeffreyREBT

[jtr]

You sound extremely articulate and self-aware about the whole thing -- it would be hard to write you off as some sad addict. If you genuinely enjoy playing video poker, is it really a problem?

[schwerd2]

if you enjoy the social aspect why dont you play live poker?

[Jeff Oneye]

Greetings Jtr,

Thanks for offering your appraisal of my situation. Also, I appreciate the compliment. I have to concede I tend to take myself too seriously at times. It's the dichotomous black or white thinking problem. Either I'm doing something right or wrong and there's little room for grey area.

Really, I wasn't expecting your reply. I was expecting something more along time lines of "you compulsive nit." Anyways, the real issue for me is the relative cost of playing video poker. This is necessarily married to the cost of playing online poker, which basically subsidizes my losses.

And yes, this is a very enjoyable pursuit. It would be especially nice to profit from it. I have a close friend who lives in Missouri (which has 100.6% machines) and perhaps an occasional 3-day vacation would constitute a nice middle ground.

Thank you,

JeffreyREBT

[Reef]

as long as you understand that you WILL lose in video poker in the long run, and it's not jeopardizing your finances, you're good to go

[Jeff Oneye]

Greetings Schwerd,

I used to play live poker at Canterbury Card Club in Minnesota. One problem with the card room is the brutal rake. More importantly, there is just too much congestion as the room is the only one in the area.

Now I'm not saying you can't be profitable at Canterbury Card Club. I do think a successful player will need to move up limits to at least 6/12 or 8/16 where they get a rake reduction. This requires a large bankroll of around $3,000. I used to play there exclusively and had a modest track record.

I often wonder why I no longer play live. I just sort of tinkered with online rooms and temporarily fell in love with them. Everytime I drive to Canterbury and almost put my name on the board I walk out. It's too crowded and doesn't seem as exciting these days. Yes, it is an alternative though. Perhaps playing live would be a long-term goal that could make playing online seem more worthwhile. Maybe playing a couple live tournaments at Canterbury would be a good experiment to see if I still enjoy live poker.



Thanks for the comment,

JeffreyREBT

[Cry Me A River]

[ QUOTE ]

I think I play video poker because it's exciting. You can win a lot of money in a very short period of time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Throw in some MTT's into your online play. I assume you're a ring player? So every time you make $100 at ring, enter a decent sized $20+2 (etc) MTT. Or for every $200 you make enter a $50+5 MTT (etc).

This will do two things - It will give you something new to learn, a new challenge, since MTT is very differrent than ring. It will also give you the opportunity to chase the bigger score. But at a +EV game instead of the video poker.

[Jeff Oneye]

Greetings CryMeARiver,

You correctly speculated that I was a ring player. The only other games I play are heads up sit and go's. I haven't played a MTT in several months. And yes, there can be some great excitement given the possibility of big money for a small investment.

I think this suggestion is fabulous. I used to play large field sit and go's (27-45 players) and tournaments. My current status as a short-handed holdem player was somewhat inadvertant. The money is consistent (in the ring) but there's no real chance for a 'big kill.' If I kept my buy-in to a reasonable limit, it could represent a nice break from the monotony of fixed limit ring games. Futhermore, the bankroll management technique you recommend sounds reasonable.

Thanks for the feedback,

JeffreyREBT

[Jeff Oneye]

Greetings,

Yes, I'm fully aware of the consequences of facing a negative expectation. Everytime I hit "bet max coins" I'm donating just over two pennies to the tribal community. The real question is whether or not the entertainment value is worth the cost. At this point I'm starting to think a little more seriously about alternatives.

Thanks for the feedback,

JeffreyREBT

[raze]

It's a sad game - you play with perfect strategy, and you are still guaranteed to lose, but just a bit less than others.