I play no-limit, primarily $2/5, and to the general public, it's a fairly decent chunk of money that can be won or lost in any given session or even individual hands which can climb to $2-3k. There are several people who I play with at a local club who constantly lose $500-1000+ per session, and keep coming back week after week after week. These are not wealthy people, they are working stiffs, and they certainly don't seem to get much enjoyment out of it when they lose. I can't fathom how they can afford to blow that kind of money (think of something like $20-50k per year), yet they do. Many of these people are sports bettors too, and they aren't winning in that either. In my eyes, they have a problem.
Now, when I go to Foxwoods (or any other casino for that matter), that does not change. When I'm playing $2/5 at the casino, my typical table is are composed of the same type of people I see at the clubs. Constant losers. Very few of them are obviously weathly. I can honestly say that on some Saturday mornings at Foxwoods, I've taken entire paychecks from problem gamblers.
Personally, I don't see most poker games as wholesome, good environments. Sure, a group of buddies getting together once a month to drink beer, smoke cigars and play poker is fun, but that is not what we're talking about. We're out to take money from lessor players over many session. Most of us are polite, and socially friendly with many of those we play with, but that doesn't change the fact that we're playing largely for the purpose of winning hands and taking money from weaker people. If you play the game on a regular basis that's what it is all about - eating the weak, and those that have gambling problems are weak.
Several months ago, NPR had an interesting show on the poker phenomenon. I was quite surprised when Phil Lak (the guy with the stupid "Unibomber" moniker) called in. He painted a bleak picture of the tournament circuit realities that never get shown on television - hundreds of people, constantly broke throwing their money into these monstrous tournaments in hopes of winning the big score. Week after week, tourney after tourney. All that money has to come from somewhere, and much of it comes from people with gambling addictions (poker in this case).
Would I encourage someone that I care about or a family member to play substantial stakes poker? No. Hell, I wonder sometimes myself whether playing is worth the emotional swings, and the feelings of uneasiness I get when I watch someone throw away money they clearly need.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-03-01 22:51 (UTC)Now, when I go to Foxwoods (or any other casino for that matter), that does not change. When I'm playing $2/5 at the casino, my typical table is are composed of the same type of people I see at the clubs. Constant losers. Very few of them are obviously weathly. I can honestly say that on some Saturday mornings at Foxwoods, I've taken entire paychecks from problem gamblers.
Personally, I don't see most poker games as wholesome, good environments. Sure, a group of buddies getting together once a month to drink beer, smoke cigars and play poker is fun, but that is not what we're talking about. We're out to take money from lessor players over many session. Most of us are polite, and socially friendly with many of those we play with, but that doesn't change the fact that we're playing largely for the purpose of winning hands and taking money from weaker people. If you play the game on a regular basis that's what it is all about - eating the weak, and those that have gambling problems are weak.
Several months ago, NPR had an interesting show on the poker phenomenon. I was quite surprised when Phil Lak (the guy with the stupid "Unibomber" moniker) called in. He painted a bleak picture of the tournament circuit realities that never get shown on television - hundreds of people, constantly broke throwing their money into these monstrous tournaments in hopes of winning the big score. Week after week, tourney after tourney. All that money has to come from somewhere, and much of it comes from people with gambling addictions (poker in this case).
Would I encourage someone that I care about or a family member to play substantial stakes poker? No. Hell, I wonder sometimes myself whether playing is worth the emotional swings, and the feelings of uneasiness I get when I watch someone throw away money they clearly need.
Anyways, that's my rambling 2 cents.