Originally posted by MatejM47
Oh and as far as stress goes, please show me a job that pays over 3k/month and has 0 stress. Dream on, the only job that has no stress is being something like a janitor for a minimum wage but then you have stress when you don't have the money to pay the bills.
You also have stress when somebody shits all over the floor
i understand what you're saying about it being pretty stressful and easy to go into lockdown mode and not take care of yourself, but in that case just see it as a hobby. it is so true that you shouldn't see it as a way of making money until you are on something like $50 an hour. why would you want to when you can just get a job? i think it's just better to see it as a learning curve and enjoy it as a hobby until you learn enough/make enough to play high enough to make a solid hourly rate. looks like this will be an interesting thread!
Originally posted by BObamaJr
Originally posted by needagun
so how much have you lost?I've won $14K at an average of 8.4 BB/100 but I don't feel satisfied in the slightest.
ship me the $ then ♠_biggrin:
Originally posted by MatejM47
Its seems like a whine thread from someone who wasted a year playing making 5$/h and can't beat nl100. No wonder you don't wanna play. If your not making at least 50$/h poker is not worth the hard work and the stress. Just because your a breakeven tag fish on nl10 it doesn't mean there's no money to be made from poker, even now making 50$/h is fairly easy even if the games have gotten really tough.
lol
I agree it's extremely stressful, but still beats working for wanker boss who expects you up at 6am every day. No chance.
Stress?
There is only stress if you care.
If losing 200 or 300 dollars/euros/pounds will cause you stress, then yeah, poker isn't for you.
Because it is going to happen.
but if you pay attention and put in the effort, your hobby can be enjoyable and anything above break-even that you are willing to get.
There is a thread in "learning to win" called Poker and Money.
It's a good read.
When there is a whine thread the first question is always, "Do you enjoy it?"
if the answer isn't "Yes" cash out and quit -- then find something you DO enjoy.
If you think poker is costly and frustrating, try golf.
I think the question is: What do we expect when we play poker?
Some people play for fun, others just to fill the downtime, some seek a challenge ....
But I agree it can be quite stressful if you think of money, considering the hours invested to learn and return on investment that it brings
GENERALIZATION, so much generalizations!!!
In our world, there is a certain amount of types or personalities (140 if i'm correct or something around) and poker is a type of activity that won't fit certain types of personalities (obviously yours).
BUT, there are a few types of personalities that will enjoy this kind of life and this game more than you could imagine. Why would you tell people to stop playing this game if THEY (not you) like it? Of course they're taking money from other people, but a lot of those (stupid) people will stop depositing and losing money and don't forget that they decided on they're own to put the amount of money they wanted to.
If you think this game is a big society problem and that it shouldn't be played at all, I suggest you go right a book or an article about the problems this game brings and everything.
This answer may seem a bit hateful, but actually your thoughts made me think and I kind of see where you're trying to get, but it is far from enough to convince me that this game is bad.
Of course, I would suggest to anybody feeling so much stress and disappointments from this game to stop playing also, even if they make a lot of money, because money isn't everything, especially if it makes you live a life you don't want to live.
Although, everybody who feels this game brings a decent amount of happiness in their lives should continue playing and having fun with their lifestyle.
Hm, I kind of agree with some points from OP and disagree with others.
Ultimately I think life needs to be a balance of doing things that make you personally happy and things that help others or make other people's lives better.
I think there needs to be more to poker than just grinding and living like a 'baller' etc. I think if you only play poker to get money for booze, parties bling cars and things only for yourself then yes you could say that is a waste of a life, sure you enjoy it on a hedonistic level, but contribute absolutely nothing, if anything you'd make a negative contribution to the world with the money you take and fail to use in a constructive way.
However, say you make a lot of money playing poker, and use it to raise a family with children who can think in a conscientious and empathetic way and to contribute more good than bad to society then that is a really good thing. Or if you use the money to buy nice things for other people, people you know, people you don't know, homeless people on the street. Donate to charity and so forth.
I think poker is just a means of fun for some, and the fact that can also make you money complicates this.
The money side is in my opinion just like life. As long as you do more good than bad and as long as you make the world a better place, even if only by just a tiny bit overall, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to enjoy yourself as well, often you will find you're able to do both. Maybe this is not the case with poker, but it can definitely give you the capacity to do good things through the money you make from it. Also there is a nice sense of friendly competition in a lot of live poker too, usually people are just there to have a good time, not win cash. Especially for the losing players, it is mostly not about the money.
And WillyD, I'd say there are 7 billion types of personalities. You're against generalizations but those 140 personality types would definitely be generalizing. 
Originally posted by stevegold87
You also have stress when somebody shits all over the floor
Best response in this thread by far
The game creates stress and anxiety while playing and away from the felt. It produces only a marginal return for investment ($/hr) when one considers the study/review/discussion/installation/chat involved (at least for stakes up to NL100).
if the computer is so slow that installing the software is a major drawback, then I wouldn't enjoy poker neither^^
I just want to open your eyes guys what kind of good think poker is.
just look this and compare that to a cardgame that we playing and making money with.
ofcourse when you can make way more money in a normal job it is different but for the people who are not have al that oppertunity or are just students it is a perfect way to amke money with playing cards for a lot of people it just like a dream i can tell you.
ok playing poker for 5-10$ a hour of working at mac donalds for 6$/h? 
EDIT: and in poker you have great oppertunities to promotion (or how you wil call it :P) then in other jobs.
i think poker is a great game in the sense that you, and only you, are responsible for your own path.
what brm to use? how to manage your session schedule? how to deal with upswings and downswings? etc etc...
people may help with the path, but ultimately it all only depends on you. you can't shift the responsability to others, sweet talk your way to success and all other stuff that happens in "normal" corporate environments.
anyone, and really anyone, can build a solid bankroll out of very little or even nothing at all. that's what i find so great.
Originally posted by Tomaloc
i think poker is a great game in the sense that you, and only you, are responsible for your own path.what brm to use? how to manage your session schedule? how to deal with upswings and downswings? etc etc...
people may help with the path, but ultimately it all only depends on you. you can't shift the responsability to others, sweet talk your way to success and all other stuff that happens in "normal" corporate environments.anyone, and really anyone, can build a solid bankroll out of very little or even nothing at all. that's what i find so great.
+1
poker is the most fair "job" in the world imo
Stressed out....... get a Hooker,,,,, as a matter of fact get 2.... preferrably 2 asian women, thats what helps me relieve the tension....
Originally posted by BObamaJr
It is an intensely unsatisfying experience - it produces nothing of tangible value for others or our world, it is an innately selfish return...
- What about top boxers/ MMA fighters? They don't have any products to offer? They trained themselves to hurt their opponents, get paid millions, and hailed as heroes by fans. Of course, these professions won't have such negative impression as poker because the society labeled them as sports. Even tennis, the top pros are getting paid by merely mastering the game. People pay them for their talents and because they are entertained by these athletes. All they got is their skills and their fame + charm to earn even more money through endorsements.
As a poker player, I consider myself as an entertainer. I give action to recreational players who wants to gamble and have fun, and my BB/100 rate is my talent fee.
Originally posted by BObamaJr ...and only generates misery for the recreational gamblers who continue to lose.
- Ok, remove all regular/profitable players and you only have recreational (mostly bad players) left still willing to gamble. Money changing hands from one fish to another and we still have a lot of losers here. These bad players choose to play and take risks. The point is, this is not a regs concern.
Regarding the health, relationship, and social impact of poker to anyone is manageable. It's up to you to balance your activities and responsibilities.
Anyway, nice topic sir... ♠_biggrin:
Well, a good place to say "Don't play poker, it sucks" it is a poker forum. Indeed.
If I could have 100kUSD/year to do either poker or a normal job I would take the job.
The only advantage poker has is that you can make your own schedule, but the variance nature of the game is really crushing on the mind (for me at least, if it isn´t for you you are lucky in that regard).
Originally posted by suaveplayer
If I could have 100kUSD/year to do either poker or a normal job I would take the job.The only advantage poker has is that you can make your own schedule, but the variance nature of the game is really crushing on the mind (for me at least, if it isn´t for you you are lucky in that regard).
Well good luck getting a job that pays 100k a year.
Originally posted by TiciBoy
Originally posted by suaveplayer
If I could have 100kUSD/year to do either poker or a normal job I would take the job.The only advantage poker has is that you can make your own schedule, but the variance nature of the game is really crushing on the mind (for me at least, if it isn´t for you you are lucky in that regard).
Well good luck getting a job that pays 100k a year.
Getting such a job would require something other than luck.
The problem with such a job is that it comes with expenses, such as houses, cars, families. Furthermore, you have much less spare time.
The "variance" in poker reminds me so much of the time I sold insurance.
It would require long tedious hours of "prospecting" to find suitable people to try to sell to, then hours more analysing their situation, presenting the plan then being shown the door.
The old hands just laughed -- it is all about volume. If it takes a 1000 calls to get a sale, make 3000 and get 3 sales.
At least poker is fun.
If you don't enjoy poker do something else.
If you are "grinding" just to make money, that is sad.
In Russia, apparently, poker grinds you.
Or so I've been told.
As a poker player, I consider myself as an entertainer. I give action to recreational players who wants to gamble and have fun, and my BB/100 rate is my talent fee.
+1
