Poker = A legitimate profession - please help PROVE this!!!!

[deluz35]

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Is there a good book, etc... that offers some backing for the legitimacy of poker.

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Best book I've read is by fellow 2+2er Aaron Brown called [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]The Poker Face of Wall Street[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]
http://eraider.com/book.php

He writes extensively on finance, trading, and poker. He explains the economic relevance of poker and how the entire capitalist finance system is essentially a glorified gambling game.

But I imagine the book will be above the heads of your relatives who think you're a hustler.

[Bubble Bully]

I never understood the whole "poker does nothing for society argument."

[demon102]

people play poker for money for fun, its entertaining to a lot of people and u provide a service to these people where u gamble with and have someone to compete against

[Albert Moulton]

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I started playing professionally 2 years ago. I have made 50K+ each of the past two years, yet I still hear "your just a hustler", etc... from one particular family member. Furthermore, I am on pace to triple my income this year.

Is there a good book, etc... that offers some backing for the legitimacy of poker. After all, I spent more time learnig/studying this game than I did getting a masters degree before I truly started to "beat the game".

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Rent Rounders. No, wait, that's mostly played in an illegal card room run by a gangster named KGB.

Try the Stu Unger Story. Wait. Maybe not that one.

Watch TiVOs of the 2007 WSOP where the best professional put on a show of class, mathematical precision, and psychological accumen to take home the grand prize. On second thought, maybe not.

Honestly, if they want to read and think about Theory of Poker, then they might be able to understand what's happening and how the game can be a source of income for better than average players. However, those players make money from minimizing their own mistakes while maximizing the mistakes of others where a mistake is defined by the Fundamental Theory of Poker.

So, in that sense, good poker player hustle bad ones out of their money.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you probably won't convince someone like the relative that you are describing, so don't try. Respect their opinion, and trust that they will respect your right to disagree.

Over time, if you make money consistently for as long as you choose to make this your career, then eventually they will have to at least admit that you are highly skilled hustler even if they still consider you a huster.

Finally, all the real money in poker is in publishing and endorsements. So, if you can publish a book and/or gain a sponsor or start a poker-related business, then they'll see you as a savvy business man as well as a great hustler.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

You'll never change that person's mind so stop trying.

Bottom line is this. You pay your own bills and don't ask other people to support you. That's the alpha and the omega of your "responsibility to society."

If you need justification for what you do to make yourself happy, then you have a problem. If you are comfortable with what you do, tell those who aren't to pound sand.

"Its all right now
I learned my lesson well,
You can't please everyone, so
You got to please yourself."

-"Garden Party" Rick Nelson.

[swingdoc]

It's not. Why do you think we love it so much?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] and if there were a thumbs-up smiley, I'd use that one, too.

[D.H.]

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You are really fighting an uphill battle here. Your family member is finding it difficult to compare gambling to other forms of 'legitimate' business. When you play poker money changes hands without an exchange of material goods or services. You are just playing a game. Nothing is created. Services are not rendered. There seems to be no fair exchange. The community at large is not benefitting from a poker game.

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I hear this argument all the time, and it makes little sense.

Consider an ad executive trying to figure out how to get fat slobs to eat more McDonalds...


What about a lawyer representing an insurance company that won't pay claims unless you sue...


Options trading? seems neutral at best to me....


Auto executives that push and plan the sale of gas guzzling SUVs...


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Your examples are true, but that doesn't make poker any better. I hear a lot of people bashing the jobs that you mention too. For some jobs it's pretty complicated to figure out whether they actually benefit the society or not but with poker it's pretty obvious to people that it doesn't really contribute.

[Erik W]

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but with poker it's pretty obvious to people that it doesn't really contribute.


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Poker contribute a lot to society.
Think of all jobs the dealers , casino and hotel resort personal have.
Think of the +EV of a Vegas vacation for those who go there and have a ball and still loose some money.

People who go there and spend do it because they like what they get, the thrill, the excitement.

The poker economy is huge and all economy for a country is good economy and 1 billion dollar in car sales or poker play
is the same.

The gambling industry is like 30 billion dollars worldwide.
It makes a difference to people all over the world.

[Dov]

You forgot about all the people who make the cards we play with, the tables we play on, and the materials those things are made of.

And what about the food you eat, the farmers who grow it, the manufacturers of dishes, cutlery, and clothing, your phone, car, and all of the people that make those things exist and function.

Why take such a narrow view?

You can extend this out as far as you want, but the reality is that poker players really don't contribute to society directly by way of their profession.

As pointed out by someone else in this thread, there are many jobs that have the same characteristics.

Just accept it and move on.