October 27, 2005
Actually there was one thing that made the male Pokerroom players look up from their hands. Occasionally, one or two of the porn stars that were in town for the adult entertainment convention would come by on their way to their hotel rooms. Since I wasn't staying at the hotel, I was lucky to be let into the building when I said to the guard that I was going to a poker game. "Ok," he said, "but you can't go anywhere outside the cardroom area." Throughout the night and next morning several players would try to get inside to play poker, only to be turned away.
I had pocket Aces under the gun and came in for six times the big blind. I was hoping, of course, that someone would reraise me. But instead, I got three callers behind me. The flop came A Q 7 rainbow (three different suits). This was a wonderful flop for my Pokerroom hand, giving me the 'nuts' with top set. I checked and it was checked around to the big blind who bet. I smooth called. Everyone else folded.
Being Bad at Poker
Whether there were cars given away or dealers were toked wasn't going to stop Pokerroom players from wanting to be associated with Champions. Yes, it's an expensive tournament, but the potential return on investment is significant. As an example, The World Series of Poker used to have a 1st prize of 100 times the buy-in: $1,000,000 for $10,000. It wasn't until this year that the WSOP 1st prize went to 150 times the buy-in.
If playing Pokerroom poker is a passion, pursue it like it's the love of your life. Don't put off the pursuit until you have more time. You may never have more time. I'm not trying to be morbid here. I just am trying to help you think about what's really important to you. The effect that the loss of Brandon and Malik in my two families has made me want to do more of what I love, playing poker. I don't know how long I have to live. Neither do you.
One of the greatest, John Bonetti, calls it FOCUS. Even at 71 years of age, John brings so much focus to EVERY play in a game that he intimidates those who aren't prepared to play the 'mental' game with him. For those you think older players must lose their edge in advanced years, John will tell you: Forget about it! Poker is the one game that doesn't have to be for the young only. But you MUST keep your mind shape by using it constantly. How do you do that?
Being Good at Being Bad at Poker
So, for the average recreational bettor, is there any advice to impart here? Yes, and it's pretty obvious. Most recreational gamblers lose more than they might because they play Pokerroom games with large negative expectation. They play the slots, or they make bad bets like hardways wagers at craps, or else they haven't honed their Pokerroom skills sufficiently as is necessary to have any chance at all of beating games like poker or sports betting.
When a machine has paid out some jackpots recently, they believe it's hot and ready to deliver again. These false, fixed beliefs are delusions of sorts - breaks from reality represented by opinions that are completely at variance with the truth - but the ignorant just don't realize it. And knowledge is power in gaming just as surely as it is in most endeavors - maybe even more so.
The Pokerroom player who sent that email to me was, in actuality, wondering if he ought to make it easier on his opponents. That was really the nature of his question. And if he began to deviate from optimal play by taking longshot chances in order to recoup his losses, he'd be making it much easier for them to beat him.
