Poker is a net negative - discuss :)

the game is a total negative, It makes you mad. the RNGs make you look stupid, only certain people are allowed to win. The rest of us just keep slaggin off money only for something idiotic to happen to destroy your run. The time needed to play is so life consuming. The way they payout MTT is so ****ed up, they should pay less places and more out. You got everyone teaching how much skill you need when ever game you watch, if just a big luck fest. I wouldnt ever do this for a perfession, , to me there is some order and I dont know what it is

Well basically what you describe is a mental leak and people who have this are the ones who wont achieve so what you say is counter-intuitive in a way, so what i am saying is, nor the depressed nor the ones who get mentally ill in any kind of way because of Poker will ever achieve something at Poker, like in any other business right? who can succeed being depressed and unhappy at what he does? A poker player must not get obsessed and addicted to his grinding, must not stop socializing, must not follow an unhealthy lifestyle(alcohol ,drugs for focus and energy etc), must not start believing that he is defined by poker and still look to do more stuff like education other business investments anythign he is interested at etc. Get enough sleep and excercise regularly. Your discipline is destroyed when you are the absolute master of yourself, you can fall for these bad habbits very easily, when your discipline is ordered by outside factors and not yourself it is way more easier, thing about when you were at school, it was so normal to wake up and go there every single day, or do your homework, i know so many people that when they go to college they completely change and become underachievers from good students and it is just because of that.

If you play for fun and you play only freerolls you you will be on a plus side without any doubt. If you play for fun and only loose money that you can afford to loose it is just like every other hobby. If you intend to play as a profession you should consider many things before taking such decision. Many people see the pros making millions and think that this is easy game and you can become millionaire in a few months. This is very serious mistake. Few percent of all players are winners in a long term and it takes time and serious constant efforts to get there.

TheShek said:

Fair points above....I was writing from one perspective which is why I opened the discussion. I don’t intend to make a living from this game, I don’t have the mental fortitude or the physical health for it. I guess I personally need more balance to enjoy it when I play and to feel motivated to learn and play my A game. Sometimes this game makes me very cynical.

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Truth is that hold'em is a dangerous,dark,patient,degenerate,difficult,complex,complicated game. I avoid quantitative structures and just jam my freeroll winnings into biggest tournaments I can find. Still takes a pure hell toll to be a pro at it. I do well in omaha cash games nice and steady monthly profit. Being a poker pro without marketing sponsorship is a terrible profession, the game is constantly getting thinner edges and the House depises fact that players can make profit from each other.

Hello.
For me poker is an interesting and fun entertainment. I do not see anything negative for myself in this game. I am sure, that poker is a positive mental activity that only benefits.

ZenGreen said:

the RNGs make you look stupid, only certain people are allowed to win

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This statement needs another look. It implies that certain players are being favoured by the cardroom, which would obviously be disastrous to any poker site's reputation. I would say that certain people win more on average, but not because of more favourable RNG results (These even out over large samples), it is simply because they play superior ranges, and have shrewd pre/postflop skills which enable them to extract value more frequently. Of course, you will sometimes be called/shoved into by trash like {J2o, 93s, 72o etc etc}, but the times that these hands suck you out (and you get "RNG'd") will be roughly balanced by the times you stackoff with big favourites. This sounds more like a mindset leak to me. R

Playing poker does not add any "work product" or added value to a society. It's a self indulgent means of occupying one's time. In terms of opportunity cost relative to any society, the net tangible benefit is negative regarding lost productivity. By this I mean that if I were "flipping burgers" I would probably make more money and contribute to the economy than if I were a mediocre player playing low to mid-level buy-ins.

If you play good (better than average) poker you will tend to win money in the long run.

Cash games are more reliable in the shorter run and probably overall too. That's why many good tournament players have financial backers.

It's a form of entertainment, and adds value to people's life as a strategic and exciting game.

Ironically, ever since I stopped caring about whether I make money or not I've become a better player and have started to have a positive winrate. My mindset has switched to playing Poker because of loving the game whether I win or lose. I think this is Key.

i think poker has a lot of luck to it, but you need to be a very good player to make it a profession. you can't be emotionally about it. i like to play for fun with friends. get drunk enjoy. online i only play freerolls, because i like the challenge of playing agains people that have nothing to loose. and in the end is luck. because i have lost with pocket AA many times pre flop with someone with a terrible hand.

Since posting this thread, I’ve done some hand history review and introspection. Poker is what you make of it. The game is definitely beatable. You just need to put in the time to review your play and criticise yourself. Having other players willing to talk poker is helpful.

I shouldn’t play on days I’m not feeling up to it. Tilt is a huge issues, especially if you suffer depression or health issues. Don’t play on the bad days.

Since I posted this, I’ve been feeling better and playing better. Analysing my mistakes and making adjustments has been huge. I’ve been on a bit of heater the last few days.

Enjoy your game!!

Good to hear that. That's why CC is so good place - you can discuss and see other people point of view. Sometimes this is just what you need to see your weaknesses and improve your game. Good luck on the tables.

It clearly depends upon our attitude. I play poker for fun only and I use freerolls winning to taste other items like betting and casino games. I have never tried to withdraw any amount from my bankroll whether it stands at $1000 or at $0 as I have not deposited anything yet also.
For me it is a nectar and I love to drink it.

TheShek said:

Since posting this thread, I’ve done some hand history review and introspection. Poker is what you make of it. The game is definitely beatable. You just need to put in the time to review your play and criticise yourself. Having other players willing to talk poker is helpful.

I shouldn’t play on days I’m not feeling up to it. Tilt is a huge issues, especially if you suffer depression or health issues. Don’t play on the bad days.

Since I posted this, I’ve been feeling better and playing better. Analysing my mistakes and making adjustments has been huge. I’ve been on a bit of heater the last few days.

Enjoy your game!!

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Poker is great! (yah... I luckboxed my way deep into a tourney yesterday, lol)

I can really relate to your first post in this thread but also to the bolded line of this post you made here too, lol.
I loved poker for quite a few years. The passion has worn off but I still like it some days and usually I'll think I'm going to like it but it doesn't always work out that way, lol (Poker sucks!... what's the password though?)