Why do you play poker?

[kinboshi]

I play because I'm fundamentally lazy.

You are not alone.  I think I'm the laziest person I know - unless I'm doing something I enjoy, then I give 100%.  Poker has this appeal to me (as does playing sport, and any jobs that I enjoy doing and can do when I want to do them).  I have a low boredom threshold, and the challenge of playing poker has managed to keep me interested/hooked.

Although I appreciated what Claw said that there is enjoyment from playing - I don't think I'd still be playing if I wasn't winning.  I'm too competitive to just 'take part'.  Also, if I can't develop and improve as a player, then I don't think the appeal will last.  I'm never going to be the best in the world, but as long as I can improve and become a more winningester (that's a real word, honest) player, then the enjoyment is still there for me.

[KingPoker]

When i started out i must say it was because of the money. I never ever won at the start or came close. I was the biggest fish ever. I played on what i liked to call at the time as 'instinct' which was basically i will bloody play any two cards if i want too. This probably went on for 6 months or so til the very first edition of pokerplayer magazine was advertised on tv with the picture of devilfish on the front. I literally ranout and hunted it down in WH Smiths. I found it such a great read, with freeroll opportunities, simple analysis of hands and player interviews. I found that i fell in love with reading about poker and have sunsequently read most of the literature out there. My favourites being Sklansky, Supersystem 2 but the biggest one or at least the most enjoyable was Caro's book of tells. I decided that i was not a player who took naturally to the game but with eerything i do i was prepared to become a student of it and just practice, practice, practice til i felt was good enough to actually put a fair bit of money into it. The benefit at the time was that i was a poor student and couldnt have put money in if i had wanted too!
But it wasnt the money i was interested in. It was the competition and i have always been super competitve and felt this game offered me the best chance of finding it (what other game can you play that is as intriguing as poker and that is possible to play 24 hours a day!).
I am definately a live player although i have qualified for a few TV tournaments online. I never really had the roll to get into cash games so mainly play live mtt's in grosvenor cardiff. The highest buy in i have ever payed is 75 quid for the APAT comps but hopefully one day will be buyinh in to bigger ones!
So to sum up i definately play for the competition not the money. I play to try and get respect from fellow players but also just love to win. I am never devestated when i bubble because of the money, im devestated because i wont have that first place!

[Claw75]

With respect Longy, you can't really change the Poll questions at this stage, as some have voted already, so the integrity of the Polll would be compromised.

I wouldn't want the integrity of the poll compromised, so if Longy wants to remove the last option, I'll just vote for the IFM one instead

[bolt pp]

I play because I'm fundamentally lazy.

When given a task which takes 3 hours to do, I'd much rather spend 6 hours working out how to do it in 30 minutes. As a result of our totally broken 'go at the speed of the slowest' education system I was never really pushed at school and so never developed a work ethic.

Gambling had the allure of enabling me to make money by using my intelligence without having to work at it. I'd dabbled with horse racing and sports betting but quickly realised that to be successful at this actually requires huge amounts of effort (in terms of research). I then tried poker and immediately hit paydirt as an inate understanding of the fundamental principles, plus discipline, was really all I needed to make tidy sums, get free holidays, and get on TV.

Hitting the inevitable dry spell (along with the raise in standard of internet players) made me realise that maintaining the good times did require effort and research, but because I loved the game so much I didn't classify this as real work.

 , honest one.

This is exactly my story, though i havn't been on tv yet(without an e-fit)

[Horneris]

For me its........

Onlinë: to make money.

Live: To have fun. Playing live is ace.

The reason for this may be that live im just playing for 15, 30 quid with people ive come to know, but online im playing for anything upto $100-$200 a pop trying to grind out results against strangers.

[kinboshi]

I play to spend 5 hours plodding away and going out on the bubble in two sats...

 

[booder]

I play to spend 5 hours plodding away and going out on the bubble in two sats...

 

standard

[bhoywonder]

right now im on a 3 year plan

1st year..to build up my bankroll to a sufficient level..


2nd year...to maintain this bankroll whilst creaming off a good sum


3rd year...to quit my poxy job



this 3 year plan may be extended/delayed by anything up to 20 years

[CrestOfaWave]

Good Post...

I started playing to...
(a) Stop throwing money away on sports betting.
(b) to compete at ever increasing levels against more experienced players
(c) to try and build a bankroll minus living deductions of $200k
(d) to change my lifestyle
(e) to meet people
(f) to travel to different parts of the world playing poker


Since Nov 2005 I have been able to do all the above except (c) ...

Target 2007 is to achieve (c) ....

Bring it on.