Need help convincing a loved one that poker is OK

[Variance God]

A loved one found out that I play poker on the side of school. I'm still doing well in school at a good University, I'm about to finish my undergraduate degree in 3 years, and I've made a lot of money playing poker.

She's a smart girl, but she's convinced that all the money I've won is luck, and that I'm on the path to addiction and loss, despite the fact that I've won consistently for a year and a half. She refuses to accept the fact that poker is a skill game, and that poker isn't necessarily the demon she's making it out to be.

Are there any good resources that I can show her? I've spent the last 3 days convincing her, but she refuses to listen.


Thanks.

[Equal]

You gotta understand, chicks around that age are just forming their opinions on the world outside of their social circle. Everything is black or white to them, and they think they know it all.

Tough to convince someone who doesn't listen. I used to argue with stubborn, closed-mind people, but now I find it works a lot better when I only "argue" with intelligent people that have an open-mind.

[Equal]

Oh and before other people waste their time, 2p2'ers will often suggest teaching her about statistics, odds, EV, standard deviation, bankroll, the long run, etc, etc. Don't bother, that will never work, even if you think she's intelligent enough to understand that stuff.

[knifeparty]

There was an artical Daniel Negreanu wrote in the last issue of Canadian Poker Player that tells the story of how his mother reacted to him telling her that he was going to become a professional poker player.

Obviously she didn't take the news very well and told him to get back into school. Y'know, the usual things mothers tell their sons.

She only started accepting it as a profession when he started winning big tournaments etc... (as anyone would).

At the end of the article he suggests putting poker in a better light for your loved one. Try to convince her to watch a televised tournament with you. Take her through the hands as they're being played and explain to her what they're doing and what mistakes the players have made, etc...

Have you kept record books up until now? If so, show her that you're a winning player and that you've been one for awhile.

Hopefully all this will help. Granted, if she doesn't have an open mind to what you're saying, it may all fall on deaf ears. If so, just do what the rest of us do when our significant others disapprove: Shut up about it [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Good luck.


P.S. And I know how you feel. I've only been playing for a couple of months really, and at this point I'm really just dead money. Despite the fact that I have it under control to the point where I'm not clearing out my bank account, my mother and my girlfriend still think I'm heading on the bath to gambling addiction.

Meh.

[Skleice]

I'm a teacher and I wanted to convince my wife that I could play poker in the summers as my 'job'. She wasn't to into it until I won more than she makes in a week playing for a few hours each day. Now I have the thumbs up for summer status!

With regards to your situation...maybe let her watch you play online and tell her what you are doing. Keep it simple, but maybe she can see the skill involved.

[Mike]

[ QUOTE ]
She's a smart girl, but she's convinced that all the money I've won is luck, and that I'm on the path to addiction and loss, despite the fact that I've won consistently for a year and a half. She refuses to accept the fact that poker is a skill game, and that poker isn't necessarily the demon she's making it out to be.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps she is right? She sees the you, that you do not see.

[Variance God]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
She's a smart girl, but she's convinced that all the money I've won is luck, and that I'm on the path to addiction and loss, despite the fact that I've won consistently for a year and a half. She refuses to accept the fact that poker is a skill game, and that poker isn't necessarily the demon she's making it out to be.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps she is right? She sees the you, that you do not see.

[/ QUOTE ]

She's my sister, and she lives 3000 miles away. She hasn't ever seen my play poker.

[Josem]

show her thousands of data points on an upward trending graph.

[Mike]

Okay, she is your sister, she does not know your play, but she knows you and your personality.

[nuts]

[ QUOTE ]
show her thousands of data points on an upward trending graph.

[/ QUOTE ]