just a thought

bigmarcb · #1 11-03-2006, 02:48 PM

I dont even know if this is the right place to post this random thought but here goes. I was playing recently in a cardroom in so. cal when a depressing thought came to mind. They allow kids to be 18 to play and i cant get over how many were there playing. They already had that "dead" look in their faces. Trying to strike up a topic of conversation other than poker and gambling was a waste of time. Some had droppped out of school to play poker full time. Of course they were online players who all made at least $100,000 online (nobody ever loses online) and since Ive been a full time player who has survived for a number of years (not too proud of it mind you) I suggested they go back too school and not ruin their lives before its too late. I live in las vegas and have a modest home, wife, cars and some money put away and i can tell you that i am associated with the sharpest gamblers in the country and can tell you to a man that they all wished they had done something else. Unless you win a MAJOR event and get some moron to back you in these things you will be better off just playing for enjoyment. The time you spend doing thid crap for a living will rob you of the gifts in life. Its hard for a 18 year old kid to see 25-30 years into the future but do you want to be 40 years old and going to a poker room everyday?

Mason Hellmuth · #2 11-03-2006, 04:03 PM

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do you want to be 40 years old and going to a cubicle everyday?

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eamato · #3 11-03-2006, 04:21 PM

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do you want to be 40 years old and going to a cubicle everyday?

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that is his point. You go to that job in the cubicle everyday and wish you did something else when you had the chance, no family, medical reasons, or just take a risk
and now your stuck working to pay bills and hopefully do some things you like, maybe even play some poker.

just a thought

pfapfap · #4 11-03-2006, 04:59 PM

Are choices only poker or cubicle? I agree, it's a little depressing to see kids eschewing everything else for the sake of gambling. Regardless of how you feel about the Establishment (and I'm slowly getting myself out of The System), the mere act of going through school opens and sharpens one's mind, enlarges social circles, not to mention giving a hell of a lot to fall back on. And it helps you be a better player. Is it any surprise that many of the top pros have post-graduate degrees? (And, hell, I'd rather get laid by hot coeds than the average cardroom attendee.) It's about discipline and learning how to learn (very valuable in life and at the table), not just getting an office job.

Unfortunately for most of us, we're trained to be good little rats, and most of us don't realize until far too late that there are a hell of a lot more options out there.