The world of poker can be a little like a bubble, with us inside it and (at least within the poker portion of our lives) others on the outside looking in.

How has this affected you? Do you find you talk about poker to your non-playing friends, or routinely discuss your accomplishments within the game? Although most of my friends play to a tiny extent (and thus know it's not merely "gambling") I still only mention it in passing. I suspect they all I know I do pretty well out of the game; this has been my worst month since March yet i've still made more money (somewhere between $1500 and 2000) than most of the fellas I know who are my age and don't have "career" jobs will have made this month tending bars, working in call centres, driving vans etc. Still, it's not something I discuss too often. Less still with my family; I am particularly loathed to discuss my results with my mum who works hard (and well) as a fairly senior estate agent yet I routinely make more than she does (last month by several times) mucking around on the internet clicking 3 little buttons. How do people react to you when you tell them you're a serious (or in some cases, pro/semi-pro) player? Do you find there's still a stigma attached, or is there a little bit of kudos and mystique to it? I find I get to know people first before I bring the subject up (in fact, very rarely will I bring the subject up of my own volition), and you never quite know what to expect!

In the next couple of months, a major transition is occurring in my life; I'm buying my first property, and as I'm a little overstretched I'll probably need to break into my monthly poker winnings to survive with a good quality of life (and to put some money away for the future). I guess for the first real time I'm relying on poker as part of my income, rather than just money in the bank to throw at a car or a downpayment on a mortgage. I will in the truest sens be a semi-pro (or perhaps a pro poker player and semi-pro scientist would be more accurate - hour for hour I make a lot more playing poker!).

In the UK, where I live, the TV poker boom has not taken off to the extent where people outside of the game are beginning to be more immersed. The success of TV poker about 5 years brought a lot of new players into the game (it was about when I started thinking seriously about it, too), but the average joe on the street is probably no more or less interested than before, despite the glut of new players getting a feel for the game. How do you consider your achievements in the game, and what do you think other people's view of you is? Personally, I'm more proud of my poker achievements in the last year or so than I am about just about anything else I've done in recent years (including completing a degree, getting a decent job, new house, new car etc) as it's something i've accomplished entirely on my own, with help only from those people i've sought out to provide it, and with resources i've created myself (knowledge, records, money) and a bit of help from some research . Still though, when people ask me what I do with my life, poker is far from the first thing I mention ... Thoughts?

Monk
xxxxx

I know we talk about this stuff but I'm living in the same bubble. You even mention you play poker or have anything to do with gambling and they look at you like you have told them you shoot up on hard drugs. Even dare try to point out you actually make money from it and its all you can do to stop them putting Gamblers Anonymous cards in your pocket. It got to the point with one very good friend that I sent her a copy of my NETeller account pointing out how many bank deposits I have made and that the last one was in July.

I see no reason to be honest to tell most people. My Mum is aware I play but I won't tell my Dad. Some friends know but to be honest I don't feel any desire to talk with others about it as I just can't be bothered to explain it all, since thats what you have to do each time.

I do have two friends who have taken up the game since I did though to lesser extents me. At the end of the day I learned the game knowing nothing of the poker boom and to be honest got into it despite that. I decided to learn the game for the sake of it in the same way you might learn a language because you are bored. The fact that its introduced me to a wider community, I have made friends through it (though you are a wanker Ian) and found a way of making some money is all a bonus to be honest.

I am serious about my play and my thoughts about the game though I often don't yet feel confident to voice them to others all the time. To be honest I feel there is enough already here that I don't need to involve everyone in my life and I am confident enough in what I am doing not to seek their approval.

Guess its just my little secret...

Rich

My story is pretty much the same as all you guys. As I type this, Im sitting in my brother in laws home office and when he asked what I was doing, I said "checking my email".

I mentioned to my sister in law that I had my own poker web site now that was really taking off and she said "youre really adicted to that stuff arent you"..Like it was a drug or something. I doubt she would say that if I was a partner in an internet T-shirt website or something more "normal".

One time I was playing poker and an argument broke out on the chat box and a guy said something like "so what, its not like any of us are pros". Because I was bored and wanted to fire him up, I said, "I am". The next ten minutes of chat were very interesting. Even alot of people who play poker on the internet think its just for fun and that nobody really wins anything substantial.

I have several friends at work who for quite a while thought I was crazy, now they are playing themselves. Of course if they would listen to me, they might actually win.

I think there will always be a stigma attatched because its considered gambling. People dont understand that its different from Blackjack and other games of chance.

Dodgyken, how can your girlfriend be against poker but think its ok to bet on Football (soccer I guess your talking about)? Thtas ridiculous. Also, I dont think poker is more important that a personal relationship, but if ANYONE told me I had to quit poker or they would leave me....they would be leaving.

.....but if ANYONE told me I had to quit poker or they would leave me....they would be leaving.


RIGHT ON!

Lol...

Monk
xxxxx

As someone who drifted into playing poker for a living (fixed term contract ended and I never bothered looking for another job) I understand your point. When people ask what I do for a living and I respond with "I play poker" I get one or more of these responses:

"Wow, you must be a really lucky person!"

"Yeah, but what do you do to make money?"

"You should teach me then!"

or something along the lines of "But someday you'll play someone who's better than you and they'll take all your money off you!".

Because of such retarded comments I don't initiate conversations like this though if asked I'm up front about it.

Among friends, most will ask how much I've won in the past week and I'm honest, from losses of £400 to profit of £800, I don't want to glorify it, it can be utterly tiresome when you're on a bad run. Bad runs are way more boring when it's your living, you need to become somewhat ambivalent, though not totally ambivalent.

I do have one friend who plays on line and is a good player and it's helpful to have someone who when they ask how the poker's going I can actually mention outs and pot odds and actually be understood by someone who knows that losing money even though playing well is a hazard of actually playing properly.

My parents were sceptical of my obsession with poker though don't seem to mind now that they see that I can earn double in a month what I would in my previous job, and they proud that I do this my using my brain.

Whille I understand the reluctance bring up the complex subject of poker to the 'unknowing', I am certainly not ashamed to be honest about how much I play and how interested in the game I am, a lot of people aren't passionate about anything, nevermind something that can make money rather than cost it.

Molina

I don't tell strangers and some family for most of the negative reasons listed above.

But, I do tell some of the single ladies that I meet. Makes for a good icebreaker, and a good conversation topic. Its my new "hook".

I am pretty lucky because my wife likes to play in our home game and she doesn't care that I play online, as well as my brother plays in the home game and online. Matter of fact most of my friends play in local games so it does make it easier especially having my brother play as he has read most of the books i have.

The more money I make the more my wife likes poker.

To show everyone how much she is catching on. The other night I was watching one of the WPT reruns. (I'm ready for a fresh show). She asks me why they don't just take the money they have and quit. At the time severial of the players had over a million in chips. As I tried to explain the difference in a money game and a MTT she never could understand that chips didn't really have there dollar vaule.

OK. One of my better mates just sent me a message through MSN to see what I was up to tonight. He wanted to know if I fancied learning the card game Texas Hold Em.

I've just about stopped laughing.

Martin

Dodgyken,

I've seen you play online quite a bit (is dodgyken2 you as well?), why do you keep it such a secret? One of your mates expresses some interest in poker and you still don't say anything?

I'm sorry, I don't see what there is to be quiet/ashamed about. Everyones entitled to keep whatever details about them quiet, though I do think it the image of poker that is the issue, something that we as poker players should be trying to change. If were making the same money from chess or backgammon would you be as quiet then?

Don't mean to rant at anyone in particular.

Molina

Hi Molina,

I think, if you read back up the threads, you'll find that this post is more about the fact that other people have a problem with it, rather than ourselves. I will gladly talk poker with anyone who wants to listen; the problem is most people either don't want to, or have a problem with it (the "you'll lose in the end" bunch).

I just found the fact that one of my mates didn't even realise I could play extremely funny. It's not that I've never told him - it's that he's never cared. I have regular games of poker with some of our mutual friends, and I've discussed it with him before when it turned out the lead singer of one of our favourite bands played hold em.

To be honest, I was partly insulted by the fact he didn't know - shows how much he cares!!


Martin