Why I Quit Poker - Sort Of
Well not completely. I do still play just not as regularly as I used to.
I will clarify one other thing. I love poker. I love the strategy and the reads and the cards. I do enjoy it but lately I have found myself not playing as much. Hell, Bristol events have come and gone and I haven’t been too upset. I want to play in them but I can’t.
Here is my list why I have basically quit poker:
1. My life has got in the way. Work, family and other hobbies have taken priority. I can’t play online with my kids. I can play other games online with them.
2. I reached a goal. I won an MTT. I didn’t win a fortune but I won it. It was a goal to win a 500+ tournament when I first started and I did. This was in Dec 2006.
3. I was never a bankroll junky. When I won I usually spent it. Hey I won $100 at Bristol. I take my family to the Keg. I won $800!! Yay…I just bought presents for my boys. I lost $200!!!! Oh well.
4. 2 of 3 of my favourite bloggers don’t really blog anymore. Dave Scharf and Devin Armstrong. Dave quit and is rarely heard from. Devin posts occasionally. At least I have Sir Watts.
5. A lack of home games. I used to host my own but I got tired of organizing and cleaning up afterwards. I have a new job that requires a high security clearance with the Federal Government. Any arrest could put that in jeopardy. So good-bye undergrounds.
6. I don’t want to drive to Niagara.
7. Brantford is okay but I prefer No-limit.
8. I have come to realise that I don’t want to play in the WSOP. It was always a dream but I know I don’t have the stamina for it. After 8 hours I am usually pretty beat. My weaknesses would become gaping holes.
9. Speaking of weaknesses, I don’t know if I can improve without really looking at myself and putting the time into fix it. I am by no means a great player. I am a good player but …..
10. I am prone to mixing it up illogically when I get a little bored. I make calls out of spite. I raise with crap just to raise and then do it again and again and again. So I get a little bored and don’t have the patience for long games anymore.
11. I hate using credit cards and getting money online is a lot more difficult. I withdrew everything a while ago and haven’t deposited into an account since mid 2006.
12. There isn’t a bad beat story that I haven’t heard. I am tired of hearing them again. “I had a Royal Flush but then the guy had a Loyal Rush and I lost! Of course the Jack of Rupies hits the Ocean.”
13. I miss the old Bristol. There are so many new faces (which is great for Bristol) but it makes me miss the old group.
14. I have grown tired of trash talk. When it starts up, I check out. Which means…
15. I just don’t take it that seriously. I want to have fun.
So that is it. I still love Bristol games and will play there when life doesn’t get in the way. I will go to Vegas again. I just have other things to do first.
The reasons why I will still play occasionally:
1. Merry Christmas Madness
2. Winning money is fun.
3. Getting the right read and using it is a rush.
4. Bristol.
5. Poker can’t make me pregnant.
6. I miss seeing Mark pantless.
7. The Bender
8. The accolades of winning a Bristol.
9. I want the title of Blue Diamond Almonds Bold Player of the Day.
10. Heck, it’s poker.
I will clarify one other thing. I love poker. I love the strategy and the reads and the cards. I do enjoy it but lately I have found myself not playing as much. Hell, Bristol events have come and gone and I haven’t been too upset. I want to play in them but I can’t.
Here is my list why I have basically quit poker:
1. My life has got in the way. Work, family and other hobbies have taken priority. I can’t play online with my kids. I can play other games online with them.
2. I reached a goal. I won an MTT. I didn’t win a fortune but I won it. It was a goal to win a 500+ tournament when I first started and I did. This was in Dec 2006.
3. I was never a bankroll junky. When I won I usually spent it. Hey I won $100 at Bristol. I take my family to the Keg. I won $800!! Yay…I just bought presents for my boys. I lost $200!!!! Oh well.
4. 2 of 3 of my favourite bloggers don’t really blog anymore. Dave Scharf and Devin Armstrong. Dave quit and is rarely heard from. Devin posts occasionally. At least I have Sir Watts.
5. A lack of home games. I used to host my own but I got tired of organizing and cleaning up afterwards. I have a new job that requires a high security clearance with the Federal Government. Any arrest could put that in jeopardy. So good-bye undergrounds.
6. I don’t want to drive to Niagara.
7. Brantford is okay but I prefer No-limit.
8. I have come to realise that I don’t want to play in the WSOP. It was always a dream but I know I don’t have the stamina for it. After 8 hours I am usually pretty beat. My weaknesses would become gaping holes.
9. Speaking of weaknesses, I don’t know if I can improve without really looking at myself and putting the time into fix it. I am by no means a great player. I am a good player but …..
10. I am prone to mixing it up illogically when I get a little bored. I make calls out of spite. I raise with crap just to raise and then do it again and again and again. So I get a little bored and don’t have the patience for long games anymore.
11. I hate using credit cards and getting money online is a lot more difficult. I withdrew everything a while ago and haven’t deposited into an account since mid 2006.
12. There isn’t a bad beat story that I haven’t heard. I am tired of hearing them again. “I had a Royal Flush but then the guy had a Loyal Rush and I lost! Of course the Jack of Rupies hits the Ocean.”
13. I miss the old Bristol. There are so many new faces (which is great for Bristol) but it makes me miss the old group.
14. I have grown tired of trash talk. When it starts up, I check out. Which means…
15. I just don’t take it that seriously. I want to have fun.
So that is it. I still love Bristol games and will play there when life doesn’t get in the way. I will go to Vegas again. I just have other things to do first.
The reasons why I will still play occasionally:
1. Merry Christmas Madness
2. Winning money is fun.
3. Getting the right read and using it is a rush.
4. Bristol.
5. Poker can’t make me pregnant.
6. I miss seeing Mark pantless.
7. The Bender
8. The accolades of winning a Bristol.
9. I want the title of Blue Diamond Almonds Bold Player of the Day.
10. Heck, it’s poker.
Comments
Like you, I don't play online anymore as it wastes too much time with the kids and only play once a week. For me, the family time is the first priority and I can always play poker more down the road when my kids are grown up. Hell, they can join me by then!
When life gets in the way of poker, that's ok. When poker gets in the way of life, that's a problem.
I see a lot of myself in what you have written here. I still have money online and I still get on there and donk around but I no longer grind and have absolutely no desire for it. As far as playing live I can't be bothered to make a trip to the casino. I am a minimum 1 hour drive from live action.
> Rob
It sounds like you have a tonne of insight into your life and into your game. I respect your words as it sounds like you are essentially choosing your family over wasted time on the internet however I do hope to see you, for selfish reasons, at MXM.
stp
What the hell are you doing here?!?
Seriously, though, kudos on being disciplined enough to make the choices you have.