On being a "poker snob"

[PaulSF415]

Not playing poker with your friends doesn't mean you can't spend time hanging out with them. Just explain to dude that you play so much poker during the week that in your off time the last thing you want to see is a poker table. This way you don't play in the home game and you're not alienating your friends. When they're up to it you can always go to a ballgame or do whatever.

[AaronBrown]

[ QUOTE ]
It sickens me to even think that might occur. Don't ask me why, it's like a switch I can't turn off.

[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can't play poker with this attitude. You will lose sometimes.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree with OP, not Pokerfarian. You can't play serious poker with any other attitude. Yes, you will lose sometimes, and you have to learn to deal with this--but not by lowering your intensity. You have to really care about the difference between a 51% and a 49% shot, even after three days of play with only a few power naps. You have to really care about $10 during a session when a million dollars moves in and out of your stack over a few thousand hands. But along with that intensity you have to be willing to back your judgment without a trace of a tell, and forget winning or losing as soon as it happens (but not the lessons from winning or losing).

Most people don't have that kind of intensity about poker, and they may be better or happier people for it. But serious poker is very intense.

Bill Parcells said that most players in the NFL, when it really came down to it, wanted not to embarass themselves and earn a paycheck. When he could get a Lawerence Taylor, who wanted to win more than anything, it would make all the difference for a championship. I don't know much about football, but I do know it's true in poker.

[Dromar]

[ QUOTE ]
"[Insert random HG donk] never plays and just beat AC who plays all the time".

It sickens me to even think that might occur. Don't ask me why, it's like a switch I can't turn off.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with AaronBrown, of course. His advice is always good.

I think it's good to care about how well you play. But it's also very important to let go of your ego. Sometimes you will lose. There's no way around it. Caring what other people think of your skill can only be detrimental. Worst case scenario, one of your friends thinks you suck and you end up playing HU for rolls. lol (that's a joke of course. "HU for rolls" is like a reminder that you shouldn't let your ego get in the way of your play (because playing HU for your roll is so irresponsible)).

As for whether you should break up the game, again I agree with AaronBrown, and I think he explained it very well in the second paragraph of his first post.

You've got to realize that, when playing poker, it's bad when people think you're clever. If all your friends think you're the luckiest, dumbest fish to ever play cards, that's a real accomplishment.

[RobNottsUk]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Perhaps you should seperate social life and professional poker in your mind.

What is wrong, with playing badly in a small game for fun at home with friends?


[/ QUOTE ]

The thing is, I don't know if I can seperate it. I have to be a Stone Killer all the time, or else I'm mad at myself. This is especially true when playing in home games. I can't bear the thought of anyone who would go busto in an hour in a casino game beating me for $10.


[/ QUOTE ]
Perhaps different goals would help. It's small money, so you say you play LAGtard and can't take it serious, but then you say you desperately want to win. There's some inconsistency, if you think about it. At the game, you're conflicted, not playing your best, but at same time wanting to win you say. If that's really true why wouldn't you play your usual way?

Small money is perhaps a rationalisation for apparently irrational playing decisions. Perhaps you're slipping because you actually really feel that doing fun stuff is more important at the home game you host.

As for ppl who'd go busto... I always found 'really bad and very lucky' is the most deadly combintation. They sure will beat me when they're on a heater.

[south chicago]

there is no such thing as playin for fun. i wouldnt soft play my mother!

[RobNottsUk]

You'll make less money than someone more astute then.

Playing badly for small stakes, and then rather well when the stakes are much bigger, is a classic hustler trick.

Guess you just don't want to encourage 'Whales' into the Casino to play with you in the big game?

[br.bm]

you can always choose:
- have fun with friends
- make money

anyway, I'm a lagtard too in our 50 bucks first place tournys
(our tourneys don't last 8 hours though)

[Yepitis]

I am kind of in the same boat except for the fact that these people became my friends after we started playing poker together, so I think they just call me for another seat at the table (my personality takes a little getting used to).

But anyway, I used to go about every week now I go once a month or so because as you say, why take it seriously to make $50 when they are just there to have fun. I feel bad taking advantage of people I know, and I have reads on all of them and no one seems to care or change up (most of them a baked as well).

So, I would just go play donkey poker when you can and let them know why you go to the casino the rest of the time.

[wheelflush]

[ QUOTE ]
My wife is TEH NUTZ when it comes to me playing and has no problems about me going off and putting in a session pretty much whenever I please.

[/ QUOTE ]she's cheating on you ldo

[redfisher]

I think your plight is pretty common. I hosted a small home ring game for a couple of years, but when I started playing higher stakes it became a little tedious. I didn't really care about the game, I felt it was costing me money. After a while, I just decided it was better for me to cut back on serious poker and have more of a normal social life. I don't look at every recreational activity as costing me $XXX in poker opportunity cost.

OTOH, if you're playing for money that you actually want/need, you can't let your friends' desire for you to host a BS game make your life difficult. Even with a wife who is TEH NUTZ, you probably don't have unlimited poker time.