[morphball]

...and also, never ever ever say that the waters are infested with nits and sharks.

Everyday, there is a thread somewhere about the games being unbeatable, and filled with sharks.

OMG, you say, since UIGEA, Pstars is filled with rocks and I can't beat the games. FTP is a rock garden, you say.

I think its debatable whether or not this is the case. I think its also debatable that the bill is responsible for this. But this thread is <u>not</u> about this debate, this thread is about <u>recruiting</u>.

The truth is, that just like you, the average recreational player wants to win money. Of course, if such a player doesn't have the same skill sets as you, in the long run he will lose. However, he normally doesn't believe that he lacks the skills, and usually thinks that is he is very skilled. Ask yourself, how many poker players have you met that honestly deep down believe that they are fish? Not that many, probably less than 5%.

On-line poker, however, has several drawbacks already to recreational players. The average recreational player doesn't trust the sites are not rigged. The are unsure of the legality. The don't know if they will be able to get their money out.

So, on top of all this, do you think its wise for these players to also be told that the games are now unbeatable because it's just sharks, HUDBOTS and rocks? Don't you think there is enough going against on-line poker in general for these players. Do you want your griping to tip the scales against the new money coming in?

There is a lot of griping about the game conditions on this site. (A lot of it has actually been going on pre-Frist as well, and pre-Frist, very very very few players actually made real money playing on-line poker.) However, I wonder where else people may be talking about the games being tougher or unbeatable.

Do you ever find yourself talking about the games outside of this forum, bitching to your friends that you can't win anymore? Did you use to make boat loads playing SSNL while in college while the rest of your friends worked schmuck jobs?

Here is something to think about. Your friends were probably jealous of you, and after playing a few $10 tournies, may think they have what it takes. Now, you start talking to these friends about how you are going to have to get a real job? Guess what, that friend's decision not to play on-line poker has just received positive feedback.

More so, when you pull in a nice 10 buy-in weekend, week, month at $200NL, and you tell your friends, they tell their friends and there is a chain going about how so and so made $2,000 playing on Pstars. Five or six tellings down the road, it's now rumored that so-and-so made $20,000 in one night.

When you bitch about the games getting harder and unbeatable, what are those stories like five or six retellings later.

If some asks you if on-line poker is unbeatable, they are a potential recruit, or they know potential recruits. Think about that, before complaining about the HUDBOTS.

Better yet, let's try a script, just like a telemarketer.

Q. Do you play poker for a living?

A. Yes, I started just for fun, but after losing a little at first, I learned to beat the games and never looked back.

- or -

A. No, I play as a hobby and use my winnings as supplemental income.

Q. So and so told me that games are infested with sharks and can't be beaten. Is that true?

A. No, it's not true at all. First of all, I play (insert stake here) and the really good players and pros play much higher because it's not worth it for them to play at my level. Second of all, I am constantly surrounded by bad players at my tables, and not to sound condescending, many of them are just easy money.

-or, if you are balla -

A. Dude, I made $200K last month.

Q. Yeah, but I heard about so many people going broke and have to go and get real jobs since the UIGEA?

A. Well, I think that's a bit of a misnomer. Poker is a real job if you want to make a living at it. You have to put in real job hours, and it's a lot more challenging then your typical run of the mill job. I think the people telling you this don't understand the game for what it is. The truth of the matter is that many people who say it's unbeatable never put in the time to learn what it takes to win over the long-term. I can promise you, that if you put in the time, you will be able to beat the lower limit games, and if you have some natural talent, you could go all the way and make a killing in the biggest games.

Whether or not you believe this, this is what the public image of poker should be. Coincidentally, I believe this 100%, so I am not advocating misinformation.