Yeah as per previous discussion honestly it's stupid to talk about numbers with people who don't play poker. Even though I'm actually paying my own rent/expenses I still don't see any good that could come in discussing my poker results with my parents. They just don't understand variance at all. Galfond actually did a blog entry about this where he basically asked his family/non-poker friends not to read his poker blog just because it may come off the wrong way. Just put yourself in the shoes of someone who's never played poker and works every day for the same paycheck every 2 weeks. Now think of reading especially about results from someone like him. "oops, bad day lost 300k but it's ok I'll be back tomorrow", "nice got to play a fish HU took for half a million" etc. But even for people like us not playing for as much. I'm not sure how my parents would react but like the night I lost 4k at 1knl they asked "how was your day" "fine" lol.
It's actually a good lesson I think for poker in general being able to handle the swings and not vent/take it out on anyone else. Because when you get 2-outered for the 5th time in a day, how many non-poker friends care? When you make a soulread call with bottom pair 200 BBs deep how many non-poker friends care? Anyway not quite sure what I'm trying to say but basically especially for people playing full-time if they ask how you're doing results-wise just ask them how much they make. Hopefully they'll take the hint. I made it clear that I can manage money responsibly, I don't play for the thrill or rush of gambling, and that I'm treating it just like any other job although it just has a bit more variance in pay. But that long-term I know just about what I'm going to earn. Maybe I'll win a donkament and end up with more and maybe I'll run a bit worse or play worse and end up with less, but overall short-term variance isn't the biggest impact on long-term money won. So I'll put in the hands, I have ample bankroll to handle swings, and that the amount I make is my own personal information.
Anyway obviously if your parents are paying your way they have a bit more input although I still think if it is your money that you could go out and spend however you wanted that they should have no reason to not let you trust that it's fine in a poker account. But that's their decision and I'm not one to tell them how to be a parent. If they're paying your way the only thing you can do is try to negotiate with them because they have the final say.
It's actually a good lesson I think for poker in general being able to handle the swings and not vent/take it out on anyone else. Because when you get 2-outered for the 5th time in a day, how many non-poker friends care? When you make a soulread call with bottom pair 200 BBs deep how many non-poker friends care? Anyway not quite sure what I'm trying to say but basically especially for people playing full-time if they ask how you're doing results-wise just ask them how much they make. Hopefully they'll take the hint. I made it clear that I can manage money responsibly, I don't play for the thrill or rush of gambling, and that I'm treating it just like any other job although it just has a bit more variance in pay. But that long-term I know just about what I'm going to earn. Maybe I'll win a donkament and end up with more and maybe I'll run a bit worse or play worse and end up with less, but overall short-term variance isn't the biggest impact on long-term money won. So I'll put in the hands, I have ample bankroll to handle swings, and that the amount I make is my own personal information.
Anyway obviously if your parents are paying your way they have a bit more input although I still think if it is your money that you could go out and spend however you wanted that they should have no reason to not let you trust that it's fine in a poker account. But that's their decision and I'm not one to tell them how to be a parent. If they're paying your way the only thing you can do is try to negotiate with them because they have the final say.
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Top post Zach and I think I will follow that advice, the missus will be relieved. I think alot of people dont hear most of what you say anyway when you talk about poker and just think wow he/she has a problem. I have had this happen to me although I havnt made much money out of poker I really enjoy it but some people think your going to blow every last penny you have on poker. Even when you explain BRM and the fact you dont deposit. Alot of people just like looking down at poker and say snide things about GA and stuff, most of these people who do it me have drink or drug problems and they lecture me on gambling all my money away!
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Mr McCluskey said:
lol not sure if first/second/neither/both parts are sarcasm but if you're married especially assuming you share money/bank account that's probably the one person you could talk about results to lol. Also similarly if you had a job one of the only people who would also know how much you were making.
zachvac said:
Not sarcasm at all Zach, my pc locked up and I posted half my intended post.
The missus part was you know explaining getting one outtered and how frustrating it was, or explaining how good it was calling your read and ace high winning. My gf knows I play for micro stakes and doesnt worry about it. I have had family members and friends of friend lecture me on the game and how I will lose thousands blah blah.
You post made me see its not worth talking to many people about the game. Its a shame though because I dont know anyone who plays so talking through theorys, hands etc is not happening.
Interesting post zach, everytime I go to my gf's house her bro asks me how poker is going and I always say "yeah ok" even if I am having a good or bad month. I think if you say yeah Im winning then people think your good at poker and if you say im losing atm people instantly think your bad and have no idea about variance at all. Thankfully my gf does actually understand and when I told her Im losing this month she was like well dont worry you cant win every month etc which helped me out alot, however if I said I was going to play for a job when we werent in education I am not sure how she would react.
Jurn8 said:
Touche sir...
Yeah my mum basically hates anything she regards as gambling so, although she knows I play poker, she doesn't know I play for money, and I don't plan on telling her, despite the fact I grew my roll from nothing and haven't deposited
I think I'd only consider telling her if I started moving up and making respectable amounts of money. My mum and dad are divorced so I can kinda talk to him about it, especially as he gambles a little and so can at least understand the idea of odds and probabilities. I have basically one friend who plays and knows about poker who I can talk to about it, the rest either don't play or say it's due to luck...