Degenerate Diaries: The Chronicles Pt. 2

[CHIPPYMAN]

What about PJ mum Mr . Gaz ? Any progress sir?

[smashedagain]

What about PJ mum Mr . Gaz ? Any progress sir?

There is a video on the Internet

[kinboshi]

Great post Ian. 

Here's a question for you.  If the money means nothing at the 2/5 game, why play it and play against the best players at DTD when you could find a 1/2 or 1/1 table with weaker players where you could enjoy the game more?  Or are you playing for the buzz of actually beating the Lintons, Goulders, Beltons, Johnsons, etc.  I don't know what the analogy would be for your business life, but I'm sure you can think of one. 

As a recreational player, you should be enjoying he banter, the chat, and be looking to do more than finish the session with a win.  Of course, for me winning is important and if I was losing more than I won then I'd be looking an alternative hobby - as I don't like losing. But I don't just want to sit there completely dead-pan and a good night is a good win and some good banter. I like being at the table with you (and a lot of other players at DTD) - not because you're 'value' or I consider you a weaker player, but because sitting down with you at a poker table for half-a-dozen hours is usually a pleasant way to spend an evening.

So my question would be, why do you play poker?

[iangascoigne]

Very good question and at the heart of it all.Some of  my most enjoyable evenings has been relaxing in a tournament and taking it a little more seriously if I do,heaven forbid run deep or a cash game with the right ' mood' 'ambience ' call it whatever you may like.I certainly don't enjoy spending an evening if there a few nob heads on the table :-) . The friday 2/5 is probably poor table selection because the line ups are often quite tough ( which I don't mind if I am in the zone myself) but is a little reckless if fatigued etc.The sensible decision would be to table select based on my motivation for the night ( relaxation,gentle banter,serious arm wrestling with the big boys etc).
As for why I play? Escapism,a different world to the day job,quite like the 'community' aspect,mental challenge,occasional buzz and get to travel to Las Vegas and get a 'flag' lol.I also recognise I don't necessarily have the emotional temperament to take it to seriously as I do get bored ( not good for 3 day comps) and sometimes can be intolerant ( see nob head comment).
At the moment I am enjoying it but I also know my obsessive nature could see me latch on to something else just as easily.

[kinboshi]

Running deep in a comp is great fun, but more often than not (probably because of my standard of play) comps can be dull and disappointing affairs.  Cash is much more fun in percentage terms imo.

I agree that table selection is the key - not only for playing profitably, but also to get the most enjoyment out of your time playing poker (if you're a recreational player). Some nights you're going to be up for locking horns with the 'stags', but other nights you might just fancy a bit of flirting with the 'does'

[atdc21]

Hi Ian, dont know u and u wont know me, but think your original post is prob soooo true for a lot of players.
Sounds like you are stuck in the middle of something and not knowing quite what route to take, good luck at the tables whichever ones you decide to play

[ruud]

Ian, your original post makes for exceptional reading. So refreshing to hear such an honest open review of a night's action. And yet, totally not uncommon on blonde. One of the very best things about blonde imho. The way that people are prepared to expose themselves like this is very refreshing and certainly not something common to other forums.

I think it's great that you can analyse your own motivation so clearly and accurately. If the money is no object to you, how do you decide the right game to play? Is it a case of "play as high a game as DTD has available", or are you genuinely considering picking the 'correct' game on your next trip down? It would be great to see you on the 0.50/1 or 1/1 tables, just for the awesome banter which you clearly bring!

btw totally not saying you need to drop down to 0.50/1. Have seen some hard evidence from hh's of Alex/Sean that you more than hold your own at that level and, it seems, regularly own a few of the usual faces.

[ruud]

Also Sean,

live update? multi final-tabling?

[tight4better]

Great post Ian, you don't know me either but a great post none the less.

[smashedagain]

Ian is one of the good guys and that post is insightful and thought provoking stuff. Hope he gets the world ....... Or at least a diner date

[zerofive]

Confirmed was not multi-finalling. Made the final table of a $5.50 with $2.5k up top and bust with AT < KQ button to big blind for $350 or something. Pretty sigh ''cause that was my only real sweat all day. Got seven bounties in my last comp which was a $27 turbo KO, so freerolled that but only just made the money. Morale for the day was high, at any one point someone was on a giant heater and everyone else just bouncing off that. PeeJay also killed two wasps with his bare hands like an absolute warrior. That was a lot of fun to watch.

After a small winning day and a fucking load of fatty, salty pizza; spirits are very high, but waistline is shifting ever south. Time to implement my new four-day training schedule and see if we can't burn off some of these saturates.

[zerofive]

Also, re: Ian. I wrote this out last night and fell asleep (with a glass of chocolate milk in my hand I might add; my sheets look disgusting - and just how tired was I?!)



Really good post Ian. As others have already stated it's refreshing to see that level of honesty, especially from someone who doesn't post here a great deal. It's a real testament to the level of community on the Blonde Poker forum.

I think a lot of what you've said is experienced by just about everybody that plays poker, be it recreationally or professionally. Sometimes I've found myself thinking something along the lines of, "what am I doing here when I could be in bed," "how does this guy always have it versus me," "will I ever see another hand," and find my thoughts drifting somewhere else. I think everyone here can relate. As long as you're otherwise enjoying the game, a good thing to do is take a quick break for a cigarette or a drink or some food. Don't let your fun activity become boring, because the human brain is very good at tricking you with selective memory that your entire night has been boring, etc Not only can this lead to you starting to make a bunch of mistakes, but also if you're a recreational player that doesn't really want to call it a night at 11pm on a Friday you don't want to be doing something that isn't fun!

Personally I've found that the most fun and enjoyable games you can play in are cash games where you have at least one or two regulars in the games. For someone like me, this can be difficult because a lot of the time I have to grind 50/1 and 1/1 games, and trust me "grind" is no misnomer. If I had infinite money, I'd definitely be playing in the games you frequent: fun £1/2 games, active £2/5 games. Lots of money flying around, some great banter, lots of levels (is he/isn't he/does he think that I think that he thinks). Plus in these games there's the added bonus that if/when you find yourself getting bored, there's always plenty of people willing to make side bets and prop bets, dinner flips, drinks flips.

In short, yes I do feel what you've described; no it's not all EV decisions. The most important thing for a poker player, especially one who doesn't play exclusively for a living is having fun.

[Honeybadger]

Great post Ian. A blonde hero in the making I feel.

[jgcblack]

Great post Ian. A blonde hero in the making I feel.

+1 sir



What about PJ's mum tho?
Anyone got an artists impression?
Cliffs on how PJ got to look like he does?
Other relevant information the community need to help Ian in his quest?





<3 pj

[zerofive]

Oh hai der John Black. What a coincidence it is that you would be posting in my diary.