Poker Perambulation

I don’t know about you but it has been pretty erratic on my part. I’d actually rather play a bit of poker than ‘watch’ it vicariously through those reporting it. I can pretty much wait for ESPN to louse up the final tables. I tend to stop by and browse a completed day more than do the reload-reload-reload methods of the past.

 We here beat the Donkey syndrome to the point it is a dead horse. (Not sure if that is mixing metaphors or breeds. But at least the underdog (metaphor butchery noted) beat out Big Brown.) The tournament format shows we all must assume an aggression that we may avoid when given a choice. Of course that must go away as blinds get abusive. I guess we class folks who go for it a bit early that way. Unfairly?

 They say it is hard to be a cash game player and play tournaments. I guess. But, maybe the better way to put it is there’s an added frustration that most don’t enjoy all that much. Ring lets you play as you will for good or evil.

 You can spend hours or days of solid play and walk away with bupkus. I’ve enjoyed the tournament challenge. It is a lower cost option for many and that may be why so many tournaments have the big runner counts – even freerolls. It a viable choice for the recreational player. Of course the WSOP’s buyins aren’t to be classed that way.

 It sad I’m not a bigger reader. In the past, I couldn’t get enough of the reports. And, it was always fun to trash Harrah’s. Well, they finally got their act together and they seem to be give better value for the whorehouse rake. It’s always fun to have casino management to trash.

 The reporting over at Poker News has been better, too. They expanded the staff to give a bit of life with some days off. I wouldn’t want the job. It is still a grind. But, the new folks have brought a bit more color to what is – let’s face it – a pretty boring collection of people leaving with us already knowing that covers everybody but one. The hand reports prove that a shuffle machine isn’t any kinder than those ‘action RNG’ devices on one’s favorite site. That pretty much leaves the conspiracy theorist in the dark alley they deserve. It seems a bad beat when it happens to us; it is just good variance when it goes the other way.

 It looks like Poker News is paying well. People are living in private rentals with pools and hot tubs. That sure beats Pauly’s first year living one step down from public housing. The folks are taking cabs or rental cars instead of public transportation and shoe leather. Throw in a day off between 18 hour days and it appears almost livable. That is to everybody but MeanGene; but, he does tend to be whiny. At least a few others are giving the semblance of having a good time. I am missing CC for his great interviews! BTW, his blog move to here.

 Everybody ponders and pontificates over the future of poker. I don’t think it ever gave anything but the appearance of mainstream. But, that isn’t bad. OK, I’m looking a bit jaded in following the TV version. We’ll lose the dilettantes that gave Vegas expansion. But, too many like us find enjoyment and challenge and that won’t go away. The player base has expanded and those that like that challenge will be around – at least off and on at worst – the rest of their life. That’s the sustainable boom.

 ADDENDUM:

Got this in an email. It doesn’t have a copyright notice attached and I thought it funny and possibly timely.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 at 11:51 am and is filed under Journal, Site Talk. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.