[quote="excession"]

Look at Allstar - busy high-pressure job, family and up 'til 3am most nights playing poker - 'obsessive gambling problem' ?- very possibly in the eyes of GA. However as he is $30k up plus a WSOP main event seat from a standing start about 1 year ago (and is presumably enjoying it), most of us would describe him (and he would describe himself) as a successful young player rather than someone with a gambling problem.

Plenty of hobbies are addictive and can lead to (especially) bright young men becoming 'obsessed' with them - chess, world of warcraft, climbing, poker..

quote]



And here's the thing EX. Since as far back as I can remember, I have been an obsessive person. I get into something and I will fight and scratch and bleed until I cannot physically or mentally improve any more. This trait has helped me in my life, helped me in business, sports and poker...BUT its a dangerous way to live. For some ungodly reason, I was a pretty self aware child/teen, and recognized this in myself at a young age. Its why I never tried drugs, at all, (besides booze), because I knew/know that for me there's isnt such a thing as trying something. I throw myself into it full bore.

Now, this makes me a good poker player, because I have the will to study and improve. BUT, it also makes it almost impossible for me to close the books on a losing session. I just want to win so badly that its very diffiuclt to shut it down in the red. Its been a long hard and sometimes costly process for me to understand that no one wins EVERY day, and its ok to go to bed a slight loser, rather than grinding out another hour.

This kid seems to immature to tackle these issues and I was honestly trying to help him. If it sounded harsh, thats life....

whats funny is i started off playing poker and lost 3 bankrolls... a good $1500. It's amazing to think about considering I'm in the position I'm in now.

I didn't use anymore money though. I couldn't afford to after that $1500, so I got a dollar and just built it up for years. I studied like a mofo, read tons of books and probably 5 gazillon posts on the forums.

I'm nothing like All-Star. When I start doing things, I rarely finish. I'm pretty calm and collected in anything I do. I do not like to lose, but it's not a big deal to me. When my dad beats me in ping-pong, I don't start yelling and throwing the paddle like he does. When I was playing sports in highschool, I didn't care all that much if we lost.

All of this gives me an interesting perspective on gambling and poker. I struggle to get my hours in... it's a job, who wants to work?! When I'm winning, I like to leave and I'm happy. I have to force myself to keep playing when I'm having a winning session. heh Lately I have to force myself to play at all.

I still tilt on occasion, but I don't jump up on higher limits to make it back. I don't play 18 hours sessions trying to break even. I get up when I start feeling like shit. I try to find other avenues in my life... acting, piano etc to seperate myself from poker.

Poker is a job to me (a damn good one) but that's all it is to me. Money. And maybe some fun competetion.

I guess what I'm saying is... if you're playing poker for 18 hours straight on a computer screen 8 tabling to break even..... you need to reevaluate your life.

I do think that BTP is becoming more like 2+2 everyday, but in this case this guy needs to listen. Just thinking about 18 straight hours on a computer 8 tabling makes me wants to vomit. Then not willing to take a break. Get help, get it now before you throw your life away.

i guess swede's can be moody and harsh, or just certain ones

[quote="adamh"]i guess swede's can be moody and harsh, or just certain ones[/quote

Its because they cant find their way out of that damn Ikea, friggin place is purposely conceived as a maze.

I've read a ton of 2+2, with a particular focus on the psychology forum...why? I have no clue, it interests me to see people's hard luck stories

I think it's the same 'rubber-necking' mentality that makes me watch Fox News on satellite TV when I'm bored at 1a.m.

As for the 'vibe' of the thread of course in reality it is nowhere near as bad as 2+2. It just that in the context of what is a very polite site, I felt it was getting a little personal.
It is just a little too easy for 'tough love' posts to slide into simple flaming.


I remember when Stoneberg first came on the scene - you would fire up NL Cash games and see maybe 15 new posts by him daily dealing with hands at the 10c tables.

He more or less took over the NL forum for his first few weeks. And yet people like Ice (playing up at $400 NL+) would post perfectly polite and hopefully useful responses and eventually he calmed down (at least I think he did) and has become a very good player (from what I see of his posts anyway).

SNG registered here at the end of March. I think all new players get a little over-obsessive the first few weeks. He needs to calm down and take a break for sure. Whether he will be good poker player and long-term winner I don't know - at least he has time on his side - maybe he should stick to SnG's where tilt can't do the same damage until he gets his emotions better under control....

hahaha