♠ Monday, August 01, 2005
Still Dreaming about Poker
I had another dream about poker last night. This time, at least, I wasn't being bad-beat. I had something like Queen-Ten suited, flopped the broadway straight, and rivered the flush, and got paid off in two places.
This was in a limit game at the Orleans in Las Vegas, apparently. It didn't look like the Orleans, but with dream-logic, that's where it was. So, yet again, I'm dreaming that I'm already in Las Vegas. After that hand, I went to the bathroom (and took a shower—dream logic again), came back, and there was some confusion about which stack of red chips was mine. They'd colored me up, but why would they color me up only to red? In any case, I had made a profit of several hundred dollars playing low-stakes limit poker.
The only surprising thing about the dream was that I was in Vegas; I had just finished a nice session of $3/$6 in Mt.Pleasant. I only walked away about +$90, but this was after losing my first hundred and then going on a three-hundred-dollar rush. Unfortunately when I got back from dinner I took several bad beats in a row, and the table wasn't nearly as good anyway. I looked around for a different table, and eventually joined the one Gil was on, but the action had dried up a lot relative to earlier in the day. The best $3/$6 table I saw at that point was about five players to the flop, and that was Gil's; before dinner my table was averaging seven to nine players to the flop. Unfortunately the people even making Gil's table five to the flop apparently left just as I was getting there (I had to take somebody's seat . . . ) and so the table turned out to be three to four people to the flop, or about what I'd left on the other table. Still, I won a nice hand right before we left, so I didn't embarrass myself by finishing only even after being up over $200 at one point.
Right before we left, one of the regular's at Pete's game (which I called Pete the Dragon, below) showed up on our table. It took a while before I was able to place him; I knew I'd played him before but I couldn't remember where. He looked to be settling in to a good session.
Critics
I'm tempted to respond to the critics of my last post, which probably wasn't so much about the post itself as about me generally. Gil and I came to different conclusions about who my critic is. If Gil is right, then I can discount the criticism of my game because I have no respect for my critic's game (though I can understand why he'd have no respect for mine). But I actually think my critic is one of several people I've played only once, at a home game, where I was, in fact, probably the sixth or seventh best player at the table. I reacted by playing tighter than I should have, and got pushed off several hands, but I can be excused by being pretty inexperienced at big-bet poker at that point, particularly live. So, his assessment of my game is correct for that time. It's significant that I correctly assessed my game at that time, too, and didn't go back to a game where I was the sixth or seventh best player.
It's possible that I continue to play with this critic; there is some overlap between the players of that game and the players in Pete's game. But I don't think so; this criticism reads like it comes from someone whom I've played once.
There's a good bit there criticising my psychological makeup and particularly my self-assessment in my last post, but I already covered that ground pretty extensively last time I became a 2+2 whippingboy. I could repeat my point of view, but if you've been reading regularly, and you don't understand now, you'll never understand. I'm not going to waste more virtual breath trying to explain myself.
That sounded as if it was aimed at a particular critic, that last, but it wasn't: It was aimed generally at the people who, when I talk about myself as honestly as I can, point to what I say and tell me how useless I am. Well, fuck you too; let's see how good you look when you publish how messed up you are for all to see. I'm trying to find a way to fit into the world despite my flaws and you tell me it's hopeless, I'm not going to fit in that way, either. Well, go fuck yourself.
Status
For the second time, I can see the point at which I'll head west and get a job there; I'm only a few hundred dollars away. That happened before, and I went on a protracted slide, but barring that I should be about two weeks away from heading west. That's pretty much where I've said I was for a month now, but at least now I'm including some time to get my money out of NeTeller etc and making arrangements for interviews in Las Vegas. In other words, I'm assuming that I'll be where I need to be financially, within a week. The facts might turn out to be different, but that's what my limited prognosticating skill tells me.
Words that Rhyme with "Orange"
There aren't any.
♠ Comments:
You and Gil are not the only gay poker couple in grand rapids. . .
: 2:37 PMor manistee . . .
we are actually an underground syndicate, or gang if you will, of barely competent poker players, looking for players like yourself. we are sincerely hoping that you do not move, and continue to donate to the games in the michigan area. however, if you do decide to pack up and assist the las vegas economy (as much as you can with your $1.75 stake), we will be in touch with our chapter there who will welcome you with open arms . . .
: 3:14 PM : 11:31 PMI have played with you in the michigan card rooms several times, and I believe I have read all of your posts.
I couldn't agree more with most of what el dave has to say. . . the whole trip out west is a complete disaster waiting to unravel.
My recommendation to you is to read back through the history of your posts, and pretend it's your best friend that you are reading about, and think about the advice you would give to him. Unfortunately, you have consistently shown that you don't have the ability at all to be objective about your capabilities.
The facts are clear, and they stick out like flashing red alarms time and time again. I'm not trying to come off like a prick (unfortunately many of the best comments to your posts have been disregarded because they are so derogatory---however, the truths in them are inescapable), but the fact is you are a complete failure as a poker player. I don't mean that you can't change that, but you need to make drastic and extreme changes to the way you approach the game.
If you are looking at going out west and getting lucky to build up a bankroll that's fine, any asshole can have a good run of cards, but honestly, you have never been a winning player. Never. Read your posts. If you were a winning player, you would have money to play, money to pay your bills, etc. You have had short term runs of good cards and/or luck, or whatever, but they are always followed by you going broke. Then out comes every excuse in the book besides the truth---you are a losing player. And without serious changes, you will always be a losing player.
I hope you don't see this as a personal attack, but I'm sure you'll want to. You always are focused on everything but the problem.
best of luck . . .
Jeff S.
: 3:33 PMIt's interesting to me that one can come to definitive conclusions with such a paltry amount of information.
One issue I will look at, certain other assumptions are so silly as to be laughable, is Dan's play. Is he a loser? Sure sometimes. Is he a winner? Sure sometimes. Is he a long term winner or loser-that we don't know and can't know.
It's clear to me he has improved but what is the next step? Getting specific about how he should change his game is difficult and I doubt any of these posters have enough data to suggest a path.
Anyone who thinks they can form an intelligent opinion based on a few posts has a more serious problem with their own thinking and is in need of serious self reflection.
Also when El Dave becomes the voice of moderation and prudence one needs to reflect......
: 11:56 AMExample... Stu Ungar was THE GREATEST gin rummy and NL Holdem player in the world, but his inability to manage the professional side of his game, meant he was a complete failure as a PROFESSIONAL poker player.
Ask any poker player, from the big game specialists, to low limit grinders. ANYONE can learn to win at poker... but very, very few will ever be able to make a living at it.
That is because being a professional poker player takes more than simply being able to win 1BB an hour. PROFESSIONAL POKER IS A BUSINESS. You manage your own taxes, pension, and bankroll. You maintain paperwork related to your job (keeping records). You work whether you are earning money or not (running bad). You play with an edge over your competition, and look to play your best game at all times.
And from what I have read, during both of his attempts at going pro, RhymesWithJoker has shown that he is unable to approach his poker career with the kind of level head needed to make a success of it.
Maybe, in the future, he will gain the qualities needed to be able to play this game for a living.
But right now he does not have what it takes... Kidding himself otherwise will end in dissappointment...
ReadyBrek
: 5:07 PMAnd for christ’s sake, that post from Gil is the most co-dependent, enabling piece of garbage reply on the whole site. I’m not sure what he is blinded by-- puppy love, stupidity, or whatever, but it seems like that guy likes you right where you are---living with him, taking his money for poker, and going straight down the tubes so he can save you.
I’m not saying you can’t make it as a poker player, but certainly not in your present state as a player. You lack any capacity whatsoever for objectivity. If you think some criticism is valid, then you’ve already thought that yourself. If you don’t think it’s valid (no matter how many times you hear it, and no matter how many people you hear it from), then the world is wrong. I hope things improve for you.
: 2:40 PMCongratulations---you going to write something up? I'd be interested to hear more about it.
Also, good luck on your interview (hope I'm not letting any cats out of the bag).
: 9:46 AM
