In order to be a poker player...

[ScottySo]

I saw a post somewhere ( I beleive it was on pocketfives) recently saying something along the lines of "In order to be a good poker player you need to be able to take a $100 bill and burn it". The point is you have to be able to remove yourself from the money aspect of the game and just make +EV decisons. However I thought this was the total opposite of the truth. As a poker player you need to make sure all your actions are going to be +EV in the long run, which burning a money obv is not. What do you guys think of this quote, and are there other (better) quotes that fit this thread title?

[FW Andy]

That statement is obviously just a metaphor. I've heard the same for any type of gambling. Basically if you can't go into a game with whatever your buy in is with the ability and knowledge that it can be gone and be ok with that then you can't play ANY game of chance. It's obvious that burning money is not a +EV move but then again, playing with scared money isn't either. It clouds judgement.

[DeliciousBass]

[ QUOTE ]
As a poker player you need to make sure all your actions are going to be +EV in the long run, which burning a money obv is not.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll bet you a thousand dollars you can't burn a hundred dollar bill.

[AlanBostick]

Put up the money, and you'll have yourself a bet.

BURN BABY BURN

[DeliciousBass]

[ QUOTE ]
Put up the money, and you'll have yourself a bet.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just making the point that burning money, contrary to OP's belief, can be +EV.

[AKQJ10]

Meh, hyperbole makes me want to go kill someone....

The point of course is at the table you should be able to disassociate the chips from the money they represent. That doesn't in any way preclude making EV calculations to try to win more of the clay chips. Just that you can't think (apologies to Sklansky and Miller) "I just lost 50 bucks! That's a new shirt!"

There are people who literally love gambling to show the money doesn't mean anything to them, and those are my favorite people to fleece at Foxwoods or the Borgata. You want conspicuous consumption, pal? I'll give a good gamble.

[ASD99]

haha i would love to see that but on a more serious note you can't let the stakes you are playing effect your judgment. You should play the same way and not be scared whether it is low or high limits....obv you have to change your strategy etc but the money involved shouldnt change this decision. If it does then you need to play lower stakes where you dont feel this way.

[SFBAY23]

[ QUOTE ]
It's obvious that burning money is not a +EV move but then again, playing with scared money isn't either. It clouds judgement.

[/ QUOTE ]

[imjoshsizemore]

Phil Ivey said that that would be the first line of his book if he were to write one on The Circuit.