GURU LESSON in POKER PHILOSOPHY

Posts: 2913 · Posted: 16.08.2007, 05:09

GURU LESSON in POKER PHILOSOPHY

Good evening, special people!

As I am sure you have all come to know, since you started playing serious poker, there are many people with many
different ways of looking at poker players. I doubt if a one of you has not come up against some form of disapproval at
one time or another. (Amazing how many people are interested in minding our business!)

Personally, I don't give a rat's behind about how that handful of radical opponents to poker view me. That is, just as
long as they view me as good at it. LOL!

I look over them and excuse them as having been influenced by some misguided goody-two-shoes from the league of
extreme and radical fundamentalism that opposes everything that might hold a bit of enjoyment.

Now some kinds of fundamentalism is obviously a good thing for the world. But when they begin to look at themselves
as far superior to ordinary people, especially in the area of morals, I become suspicious of their sincerity as well as their
motives. An awful lot of leaders of supposedly good-to-the-core cults turn out to be no more than fakesters whose
primary interest is fame and fortune instead of following the Good Book. And unfortunately, they prey upon the most
vulnerable innocents who are truly seeking a "good" leader to follow. Being innocents, and usually not very educated or
even exposed to the real world, they swallow everything the fakesters have to say....hook, line, and sinker. Therein,
they become our worst critics.

It is good to have some pre-decided way to respond to them. That is what this brief lesson is all about. Just to make
life easier for you as a poker player. It is bad enough that 95% of the population will view you as merely "lucky" if you
win a bundle! Nor will most of them be willing to listen to reason, even if you did have the time and patience to set
them straight.

Now, I am not suggesting that you handle our critisizers the same way I do, altho you may if you so desire. I am just
going to show you how I manage to keep it from getting to me. That would not help my playing, if it did. You may
have or come up with a better way, and if you do, I hope you will share it with us in a reply to this post. I am always
ready and willing to learn from those I teach!

When some well-meaning but aggravating person comes up to me with that prim and proper look, corners of lips
permanently turned down and nose permanently turned up, stern of eye and self-rightious of posture, and looks at me
with head shaking back and forth slowly and actually has the nerve to speak, this is what such a person typically says:

"Such a shame. Do you really play poker for a living?"

I typically reply, with a smile, this way: "Good morning! Yes, I do. And I will bet you that 20-spot you are going to
gamble on bingo this weekend that I am better at it than you are at whatever YOU do!"

The responses are varied, but they are always entertaining and usually leave me laughing, which does NOT hurt my
playing. Far better than letting it get to me in a harmful way.

One day I was assaulted in that typical way when I was not feeling well at all and was very irritable. The woman was
middle-aged and trying hard with both makeup and clothing to look much younger. I responded by pretending to be
shocked and said, "How rude! Especially for a little old lady like yourself!" Then I simply walked away, leaving her with
her own indignation.

I think I will conclude this lesson with a couple of quotes from people with something to say that is worth listening to.

Somerset Maugham had this to say about poker:

"Is it a reasonable thing, I ask you, for a grown man to run about and hit a ball? Poker's the only game fit for a grown
man. Then your hand is against every man's, and every man's is against yours. There's only one respectable way to
make a fortune, and that's to down the fellow who's up against you."

Anthony Holden had this to say:

Whether he likes it or not, a man's character is stripped bare at the poker table. If the other players read him better
than he reads himself, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do,
flaws and all, he will be a loser in poker, as in life."

Good thinking, everyone. You know how.

Your PokerGuru

Posts: 379 · Posted: 17.08.2007, 07:07

Well said

I agree with youre line of thought of not getting to personal against other players, just smile and keep cool

In online poker, when I come across another player who is trying to bait me, I usually ignore or blow them a kiss, that seems to work........... wink

They seem to try to set you up for a big hit but I am already 2 steps ahead, and drag them in, bet by bet

Posts: 496 · Posted: 17.08.2007, 10:01

AGREE ...AGREE....AGREE

ONLINE POKER.....

I dont ever take what other players think or say about me personal !!

I usually say "DONT HATE" lmao

They hate that!!!!

LAND CASINO....

Well you know me...haa haa hee hee and blah blah blah

LMAO

Posts: 2913 · Posted: 17.08.2007, 16:24

Both of you above posters gave me a good chuckle!

Thanks! Don't know anybody who doesn't need a few of those!

Your PokerGuru

Posts: 1740 · Posted: 19.08.2007, 17:27

Oh you dont know how many nasty online poker players that want to argue after you hit the pot. My famous words when they try to insult me is thank you. seem to make them mad lol. I won a pot and knock ed someone out one night so it was all about (I did your mom) Instead of making me mad i replied that is very sad as she died a year ago to an infectioud dieses and mabey you should be checked.the tb was quiet and ev1 stopped fighting and by the way my mom was happily married yesterday at the young age of 73..........but no more insults lol

Posts: 3 · Posted: 29.08.2007, 18:47

I just tell them don't blame me, blame the dealer, he dealt you your beaten cards. I find most of the "nasty" trash talk takes place in freerolls. Rarely to I play "open" freerolls, league or private are fine. The other thing I reckon about nasty trash talkers is there prolly kids, so treat them as such, talk to them as you would to your own.

Posts: 2913 · Posted: 05.09.2007, 20:06

Hi to my PCers,

Just wanted to say thanks for all the excellent posts above.

Also.......To our new member, pothole88, you are very, very welcome at Poker-Crush. It is easy to see you have a cool and very reasonable head. Good thinking! You should fit right in with these top-of-any-list members!

Your PokerGuru

Posts: 2913 · Posted: 19.04.2008, 10:36

Thank you for your input, Galaxy.

PokerGuru

Posts: 1825 · Posted: 19.04.2008, 18:19

Well I thank you galaxy for the post but it totally lost me. Maybe in another year or so I will worry about pot odds... right now I am learning to play the cards Razz

hehehe But then I have my blonde days, my brain is mush days, and lack of grey matter other days... so that could be the reason Smile