Can Poker Keep You Young?

A recent article in Card Player magazine by Dr. Alan Schoonmaker asks, and then answers (mostly) this very question.  Titled, “Stay Young, Play Poker,” the good doctor suggests that besides eating right and  getting physical exercise (something we all need), older folk also need to keep the ol’ gray cells active, and what better way than playing poker?  In fact, Dr. Al points to research showing that mental activity does in fact keep brains (and their owners) healthy, and certainly poker is a cerebral activity of the highest order.  Since I’m now in the “can take the AARP discount, thank you” category myself, I find this news of great comfort.

Except…he also says that one should not play poker “on auto pilot.”  Now, I’d argue that no one, young or old, should do this (except for those multi-tablers who feel they must grind it out at 24 seats at a time, playing by rote to make a meager existence).  But what does this mean, exactly?

I confess I didn’t get a clear idea from the article, so I wrote to Dr. Schoonmaker for clarification.  Once I hear back, I will update this blog.

For now, I consider the info good news, and I have taken the advice to heart, somewhat.  I have long considered getting into mixed games, including Stud, Omaha, and the various HORSE/HOSE options, if for nothing else than to break the tedium of no limit Hold ‘em.  Not that I’ve mastered NLHE of course, but to continue my education.  But I do worry that by trying to learn multiple games it might affect my Hold ‘em performance.  So, I think I might have another way to ”mix it up.”

Since I’m in the USA, I can’t play for real money.  It doesn’t matter if I win or lose play money; it won’t break me or cause my wife to divorce me if I lose all $2.7M of it.  But I can test new “theories” and “playing styles” in these free games to see how well they work.  Yes, I know I’m playing other freebies, and it’s “not the same” as playing for keep, but…in this testing mode I can try new things, stimulate my brain, and, hopefully, learn something.

That’s the plan.  I will keep you posted as to what I learn and how I do.  For now, I’ve been trying to make up for lost time (tourist season) when I couldn’t play poker for weeks on end.  That’s one reason blogging has been light - playing too much poker!

The Hell with Morality?

The hell with morality.  As an argument against online gambling, anyway.

Even though gambling in some form has been with the human race since…well, since the human race began, and even though there is some form of gambling that’s legal almost everywhere in the U.S. (only Utah and Hawaii have no form of legal gambling), there are some who object to gambling, and specifically poker, on “moral grounds.”  Now I am taking a bit of liberty in using that term in this post, but I can’t think of another term to use other than morality.  But I think it’s not moral to do so, because it’s a misuse of the term.

OK, let’s start with the ol’ dictionary definition:  Morality - conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct.   OK, keep this in mind.

My ire today was redirected at the current political platforms as spelled out in this year’s national conventions.  The GOP went so far as to title part of their platform “making the Internet Family-Friendly” (that’s a moral statement, isn’t it?).  It calls for a reversal of a recent DOJ decision on the 1961 Interstate Wire Act, and says,

"Millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can destroy families. We support the prohibition of gambling over the Internet and call for reversal of the Justice Department's decision distorting the formerly accepted meaning of the Wire Act that could open the door to Internet betting."

So what’s wrong with this?

Well, the “door” to “Internet betting” has been open for so long it’s hard to remember when it was closed.  I’ve been able to make horse race wagers (ain’t that gambling?) on the Internet since the middle 90s. Why say one form of gambling is legal online, and another isn’t?  Better yet, why say one form of gambling is legal one way (live) but illegal another (online)?  Conformity is missing here.

And if some Americans suffer from problem gambling, why eliminate it for everyone?  Taking this same argument further - many Americans are overweight, so we should eliminate takeout food and delivery service.  Or we should shut down all restaurants that serve fattening foods (uh-oh, I’m out of work).

Many Americans can’t hold their liquor, and drunk driving is a problem.  Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are on the rise, so, let’s prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages.  Oh, wait…tried that.

What is so virtuous about not allowing people to do something they enjoy when it doesn’t hurt anyone?  I don’t get that.

I always tend to see conformity as consistency, and that’s my problem with many people who try to hold onto a position.  They’re not consistent.  I really don’t mean to make the comparison of poker to abortion, but I’ll tell you a story that illustrates the lack of consistency and let you draw conclusions.

A number of years ago I argued with a co-worker about abortion.  She felt very strongly about this, and felt that abortion was wrong, a sin, evil, you name it - abortion had no place in a civil society.

“So you’re against all abortions, no matter what.” I said.  “Even in cases of rape or if the mother is endangered?”

“Well, no, I don’t think a young girl who’s been raped should have to have the baby,” she replied.

“What about the endangerment of the mother?”

“Well, I’m not sure about that.  I guess it depends.  But I am pro-life.  All life is precious.”

“Are you against the death penalty, too?”

“No, I’m not.  That’s different, and don’t try to change the subject.  I only want to stop seeing so many abortions.  They’re so wrong, and I feel so bad for all those innocent…”

“So reducing the number of abortions is your goal.  Is that right?” I asked.

“Absolutely.”

“So you’re in favor of sex education in the schools so more kids don’t get pregnant in the first place, right.”

“Absolutely NOT.”

See?  Consistency.  Or lack thereof.

If you’re going to argue against online gambling, find another approach other than the weaker-than-hell morality angle.  That dog will not hunt worth a damn.

Details Do Matter

If you’re a teacher, you know that if you had a nickel every time a student asked, “Does spelling and/or grammar count?” you’d have a small fortune.  Of course, every teacher (save for one I had in college) responds in the affirmative, because, as we all know, “DETAILS MATTER.”  I have a great story from my teaching days that illustrates this, but I’ll save it for the end.

This being a poker/gambling blog, you’ve no doubt guessed that this somehow relates.  Of course it does.  Anyone can play poker, but to be better than the other players, you have to mind the details.  And there’s a lot to mind - playing tendencies, bet sizing, tells, meta-game, stack sizes…the list goes on.  Every time I pick up a poker magazine or read some online site, there’s information to digest, to process, to utilize.  Some of it is refresher, some of it is new to me. But the more I can use the better.  Like money.  And that’s how we get more money, by minding the details.

Too many players play as if on auto-pilot.  They always make the same moves, interpret opponents the same way, and often don’t put their full mind to the game.  Like the book report where proper spelling goes out the window,  playing with less than full concentration is not the way to win.

You say you don’t have time to keep proper records, to categorize your opponents, to play will the full concentration you need to mind all the details?  Fine, then play that way, but if you still expect to come out a winner, you’re only kidding yourself.

Or, as someone wrote earlier this week: “your only kidding yourself.”

That’s not quite what was said, but the Facebook post in question (which I naturally criticized) they used the wrong word, writing “your” instead of “you’re” (for you are).  When I pointed out the error, I was reprimanded thusly: “man i sure wish i could be a grammar troll and spend all day looking on facebook to correct small errors... my life would be great.”  What’s sad about this is that the post was from a college radio station (my alma mater) and yes, this person is going to major in communications.  And I had a sad.  And my story as to why spelling counts comes from the same field. 

 

When students asked me if “spelling counts”, I told them this tale: 

I was teaching a radio management course, and one project had the students write a policy and procedures manual for their fictitious radio stations.  One group wrote about the basic requirements for on-air personnel, and was doing quite well until the part about work beyond their regular weekday shift…

“All Full-time on-air personnel will be required to do voice work for commercials and station promos as needed.  In addition, each disc jockey will be required to take a four hour shit on weekends, on either Saturday or Sunday as per the discretion of the Program Director.”

I would have hated to go the pizza buffet on Friday night only to find out I was working on Sunday rather than Saturday…

 

Back to Blogging. What’s changed? Nada.

Well, finally, I can take some time on a Saturday afternoon and bang out a post.  The ice cream store is closed, the season is over, and when we last left this pithy blog, I had high hopes of playing real-money-online and LEGAL poker by this time.

Ha!

Oh sure, there has been “progress” since we last met:

• PokerStars bought out Full Tilt and is trying to get back into the DOJ’s good graces
• Nevada and other states aren’t waiting for the Feds to get their stuff together and made their own decision to legalize intra-state online poker (Nevada has already issues some licenses, and South Point Casino hopes to be live for Nevadans by the end of the year)
• Senators Reid and Kyl have another bill - I don’t think much of it, and neither does the PPA, but that last sentence rhymes, so I had to add it.

Now friends, I plan to talk about all of the above eventually (gotta make up for lost time) and more, but for now let me set you straight as to why this online poker thing is taking so long.  It’s the same reason most everything involving lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$ takes a long time and is subject to tons of maneuvering, politics, back-stabbing, and other legal and not-so shenanigans.

It’s the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Money drives it.  Money motivates. Follow the money.  Money makes the world go ‘round, and it all comes down to money.

With the states and the feds, major players are “strategizing” (read: manipulating)  so that they (or their constituents or supporters) can be first (or the only ones) to cash in.  The Native American casinos in California take a dim view of that state’s push for online intrastate poker…unless they can find a way to be a part of it, too.  The Fed issue has more players, and therefore, is more complex (and that doesn’t even take into consideration the many who don’t want ANY online gambling for moral reasons, which we’ll discuss in another post).  It’s all about money, though.

Long ago, I remember a discussion with a broadcasting guru about the NFL and how they convinced CBS to downplay (read: eliminate) discussion of the point spreads in their pre-game shows.  “The NFL is certainly against betting on the games,” I said.  “You’d think they’d promote the spreads given how many fans actually put money on the games, or have betting pools at work.”

“Oh the NFL isn’t against betting on games so much as they haven’t figured out how to get a cut,” he replied.  “Once the NFL finds a way to get what they perceive as their deserved 5%, they’ll let Jimmy the Greek talk all he wants about Green Bay being plus three.”

And so it goes, or doesn’t…as the power brokers and moneyed interests jockey for position, we players sit and wait.  Again.  Still.  See?  Nothing’s really changed.

Summer has started, and that means not much here

Better said:  because it's summer, this means I'll be working 90 hours a week until September (we sell ice cream in a tourist town - 'nuff said).  Blogging opportunities will be practically nil.  So will times to play poker, so...as the song goes,

"Will I see you, in September?"

Sessions

It’s June, which means all eyes are on the WSOP, except mine, which is focused on work.  Since I own an ice cream shop in a tourist town, June is the start of our busiest three months, and when I say busy, I mean slammed to the point where getting a haircut is a major challenge, let alone playing poker.

Still, in the past years I’ve found time to squeeze in some SnG action either early in the AM when wifey is at work making ice cream (on those days when I don’t have banking, supplies, or laundry duties), or late at night, just to wind down.  This year, thanks to PokerStars and their ZOOM Poker, I’ll been at the 6-max table on short sessions.  So far, it seems to accomplish two things:

1.    I relieve myself of my “Poker Jones” and

2.    It helps my game when I do switch over to the Sit ‘n’ Go tournaments.

Of course, I have to remind myself to

1.    Quit when ahead, or when I’ve lost two buy-ins (no sense tossing bad money after good), and

2.    Change tactics when going from cash games to SnG action…and visa versa.

That’s a major mistake many players make - tournaments are NOT the same as cash games, and too often (to our benefit) they make mistakes at the cash tables that aren’t necessarily mistakes in a tournament (too large of a raise, too ready to go all-in on a draw), and visa versa.  Of course, I have suffered a bit of late, as I’ve gotten the worst of it in seemingly every draw situation lately.  But that’s poker.

Another note - we’ve been busier at the store than normal for the last 6 weeks, which is why blogging has been slow and erratic.  I might try to play less poker and write more, especially when other players are making their ridiculous draws.  I that if the odds are in my favor, it will all average out and eventually my 2-pair hands will reign supreme when their 2-outers miss on the river, but until then…yeah, more writing.  That’s the ticket.

TILT BY ANY OTHER NAME

You’ve read many articles about going on “Tilt” and probably thought to yourself, “Yeah, I get it, but I don’t go on tilt.  I am in control, and while I might have the occasional losing streak, I don’t do dumb shit and toss my cards and make bad plays and etc.”

Yeah, me too.  And while I am still resistant to the “Tilt” label, I recently harbored a losing streak of such proportions that I am rethinking how I define tilt.

Remember the Rolling Stones?  Their big hit, Satisfaction?  The last few lines…

…better come back later next week
'Cause you see I'm on a losing streak
I can't get no, oh no, no, no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say

I can't get no, I can't get no
I can't get no satisfaction
No satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction

Well, that was me.  I have been working a lot and not playing (or blogging) much, just the occasional Zoom on PokerStars and 4-max and 6-max Sit ‘n’ Gos.  And in a three week period I managed to shed 10% of my bankroll, and finish second (1 out of the money) in 10 straight 4-max SNGs.  In 7 of these tournaments I was the chip leader once we got to heads up, and in three of them my opponent went all-in and received a miracle card on the river to make a straight or flush (beating 5-1, 6-1, and 13-1 odds).  In the cash ZOOM games my well-stacked opponents seem to make flush after flush, higher trips than mine, etc.  I raised when I was ahead, I raised when speculating, I called to trap…and nothing worked.

I was frustrated, to be sure.  But I didn’t say to myself, “Hey buddy, take it easy, watch yourself…you’re on TILT.”  No siree-bob.

But I guess I was.  Maybe not in the “traditional” tilt sense, but I wasn’t playing my best, wasn’t playing like I could, wasn’t playing like I should, wasn’t playing like I CAN.  And I was losing…what more evidence could I want?

I can’t exactly pinpoint when I woke up.  But I finally realized that something had to give, and that something was me.  And my playing style.

You know the cliché definition of insanity, where if you keep doing the same thing over and over and over and expect a different outcome…that’s insanity?  That was me.  Insane.

So I made changes.  I changed my games, my style, the time of day that I played.  I took chances where before I played it ABC.  I bluffed less.  I semi-bluffed more.  I played fewer hands.  I shook up my game and myself, and in two weeks time I am almost back to where I was.

And I recognize now that Tilt has difference faces.  I will respond better, quicker, then next time Tilt comes to call.  Because Tilt always comes a’lookin’.