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

[6max6max]

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".

[Mllndllrmn]

You are not hustling, you are beating people in a psycological war. Explain to him that the same things happend in the board room but instead of betting 5 thousand people buy and sell five thousand products and try to out think eachother.

If you are financially secure and it is legal...what is the problem? ASk him that.

PS is this a ultra conservative? Cos if so you will never change their mind. Trust me my family is mostly all super religious right.

[deluz35]

Read these definitions of legitimate and you will quickly realize why poker is not a "legitimate profession" no matter how lucrative it is. If they don't respect poker, so what? If you need to be "legitimate" go push chips for a bank or hedge fund.

1. according to law; lawful: the property's legitimate owner.
2. in accordance with established rules, principles, or standards.
3. born in wedlock or of legally married parents: legitimate children.
4. in accordance with the laws of reasoning; logically inferable; logical: a legitimate conclusion.
5. resting on or ruling by the principle of hereditary right: a legitimate sovereign.
6. not spurious or unjustified; genuine: It was a legitimate complaint.
7. of the normal or regular type or kind.

[El_Hombre_Grande]

I would just ignore it. Continue to be civil and polite, and continue to play poker for a living. Poker is an unusual but quite legitimate manner of earning a living, and that should be apparent from the number of professional poker players which are now part of pop culture, and` plastered on TV. Myself, I am none too found of commisioned insurance salesman/ financial planners, politicians, and CEOs who lose a billion in equity yet are entitied to a $500 milion golden failure parachute, all of which I would be more likely to classify as "hustlers." Yet when I run into one of these fellows I don't demand that they justify their existence. Just smile politely and move on, play well, and earn money.

[kittyhead]

Definitely ignore it (even though family memebers can be immensely hard to ignore)...people often hate what they don't understand! :

[johnnyrocket]

i would just say your right, i'm a hustler and move on. No need to let it worry you or get in an argument about it, no matter what neone else thinks it seems right for you so dont worry and just move on.

[johnnyrocket]

not only is everyone on this site real good at poker but it appears they are all very intelligent also so def pokeris a game of pychologically outsmarting one another.

[gholizad]

Ask him: What is the difference between a football player and poker player? What is the contribution of a professional athlete to society?

[Reef]

light a $100 bill to start the fire for the tyrannosaurus rex egg you're cooking in front of him.

that'll show him

[PLOlover]

http://www.corporatecrimereporter.co...lean032107.htm

the youtube video is really good I'm sure it's on the net somewhere. My point is that this guy is a hustler, not you.