"Wow.....You play poker!!!!"

BigDragon

Anyone else find that they're becoming celeb's amongst friends who introduce you with the addition "....and he plays poker."

Its starting to become alot more 'cool'. I was at a New Years Eve party with some D4 types and spent hours talking about poker to people who now see it as 'acceptible'.

Just a year ago I gave Marq and a very drunk mate a lift home and we gave up defending poker to him. Its all changing fast.

Or is it? Is it just the same as knowing ' a kid from the other side of the tracks'? Is poker 'a phase we are going through'? Are we just fashion accessories'?

The_Chopper

Hey BigD
I defo agree with you about becoming celeb's amongst mates and others.

An example that happened to me (it's kind of a brag as well),
I played some really bad poker at the Irish open last wkd and got knocked out after about 4 hours. I was sitting down reflecting when someone comes and slaps me on the back of the head. I turn around and it's Andy Black, he says "33 to 1 shot err, what you doing out so early". I was a little chuffed that he knew who I was.
I can't sit at a cash game anymore without people knowing who I am - I am sure this is happening you more and more now?

MadsL

Only reason I play Dragon....:D

But I am amazed how many people play now, subject of many conversations at work...

Marq

The_Chopper wrote:

I can't sit at a cash game anymore without people knowing who I am - I am sure this is happening you more and more now?

You're playing the wrong cash games.

The_Chopper

Maybe - I've only played in the 4 aces (galway), the poker lounge (limerick) and 2 places in dublin (Fitz and SE), and these are just texas tables, not omaha.

Dave

Yeah I seem to get admiration from people when they find out I play alot of poker "for money?" Little do they know how bad I really am in the whole scheme of things.

ntlbell

I was only thinking of this the other night, at the gf's xmas party everyone knew me as "the gambler"

and knew exactly what in my house was purchased with poker winnings....... women :rolleyes:

smurph

The_Chopper wrote:

Hey BigD
I defo agree with you about becoming celeb's amongst mates and others.

An example that happened to me (it's kind of a brag as well),
I played some really bad poker at the Irish open last wkd and got knocked out after about 4 hours. I was sitting down reflecting when someone comes and slaps me on the back of the head. I turn around and it's Andy Black, he says "33 to 1 shot err, what you doing out so early". I was a little chuffed that he knew who I was.
I can't sit at a cash game anymore without people knowing who I am - I am sure this is happening you more and more now?

I don't know who you are either...... but I know very few peoples nicknames on Boards

The_Chopper

I'm not much of an online player that's why people don't know me by my handle. They know me by name or face.
That said GF are a terror for telling people if you have wins. Of course they never tell anyone when you loose. When you go out then every expects you to pay for the rounds :-)

Nalz

MadsL wrote:

Only reason I play Dragon....:D

But I am amazed how many people play now, subject of many conversations at work...

Texas Holdem has got a new lease of life because of Sky Digital, Online Games and celebs playin it! Its def the in thing...

2 years ago very few regular people new what terms like "burn" "river card" "small blind" was. Now nearly everyone I know, especially the lads know what they are

ionapaul

The_Chopper wrote:

I'm not much of an online player that's why people don't know me by my handle. They know me by name or face.
That said GF are a terror for telling people if you have wins. Of course they never tell anyone when you loose. When you go out then every expects you to pay for the rounds :-)

Ahh, the way around that is to live like I do, without an interfering woman in your life! Yes, I choose* to remain a single man to ensure I can play whenever I please and do whatever I want with my riches...this includes wasting money on various electronic gadgets, power tools and masculine shaving paraphenalia, the principle outgoings for every single man.





and by choose, I obviously mean under the explicit instruction of the district court justice...even I agree, his decision is the best for the women of Ireland

Rodge

I agree with you BigD, work people and friends are always talking about it. While it is a little like being a celebrity, the only thing I find is that people still struggle to believe that I actually make money out of it. I tell them that I put $100 in about two years ago and havent put anymore in since and its always the same, "Yeah right, tell the truth"

MrPillowTalk

When I first started playing regularly a few years ago I used to really enjoy the odd conversation that would occur if someone found out I played, I would enjoy telling them all about it and assuring them that I wasnt on the road to pissing everything away on a spin of the magic roundabout, trying to explain the difference between poker and other casino games and eventually disscusing what I enjoy about the game etc.

However since the popularity explosion it seems that nearly every conversation I am involved with when Im out is about poker, and it now absolutely sends me to sleep!! I still enjoy talking about the game with people who can actually play well and the conversation involves more content than "whats you biggest win?" "whats your biggest loss?"(the answer to this one usually followed by a look where they assure themselves that I truely am an absolute nutter) and finally that old beauty that people ask . . . . . . . . . . . . "I think online poker is rigged cos I keep losing, what do you think?" emmmm that your probably **** at poker not cash out cursed!

Also when people who I am aquainted to but wouldnt be very good freinds with find out I play theyfeel obliged to ask about poker every time we meet.

It is fast becomming one of my biggest pet hates as can probably be seen by this post.

Does anyone else HATE it when you are constantly given unsolicited advice by players who have been playing at the local pub once a week for a month and think they are ready to destroy Ivey heads up?

The_Chopper

ionapaul wrote:

Ahh, the way around that is to live like I do, without an interfering woman in your life! Yes, I choose* to remain a single man to ensure I can play whenever I please and do whatever I want with my riches...this includes wasting money on various electronic gadgets, power tools and masculine shaving paraphenalia, the principle outgoings for every single man.

You're one of the wise ones - I spend a fortune on gadgets and on the woman. She loves it when I win and if I loose nags me for a week to give up the game, I can't win

The_Chopper

MrPillowTalk wrote:

.... and finally that old beauty that people ask . . . . . . . . . . . . "I think online poker is rigged cos I keep losing, what do you think?" emmmm that your probably **** at poker not cash out cursed!

Also when people who I am aquainted to but wouldnt be very good freinds with find out I play theyfeel obliged to ask about poker every time we meet.

It is fast becomming one of my biggest pet hates as can probably be seen by this post.

Does anyone else HATE it when you are constantly given unsolicited advice by players who have been playing at the local pub once a week for a month and think they are ready to destroy Ivey heads up?

You mean internet poker isn't rigged

I love with people give me advice about poker for a number of reason (even the local idiots)
1. I might learn something
2. It might just be an interesting story
3. It could be so ridiculously funny,

I might get sick of it soon though!!!

Imposter

MrPillowTalk wrote:

...I would enjoy telling them all about it and assuring them that I wasnt on the road to pissing everything away on a spin of the magic roundabout, trying to explain the difference between poker and other casino games and eventually disscusing what I enjoy about the game etc.

Poker has not taken off in Austria like it has in Ireland at the moment. However I do get this when talking to some friends and surprisingly don't get it from people I would expect it from. I occasionally mention any big wins and then all I get is "Oh but you never tell us if you lose" to which my response is that I would tell them but they probably don't want to hear it (actually much like my winning stories then...:)).

Does anyone else HATE it when you are constantly given unsolicited advice by players who have been playing at the local pub once a week for a month and think they are ready to destroy Ivey heads up?

Hell yeah but it's worse when you have a 'friendly' game with them and lose to their muppetry

Samba

Hell yeah..


http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54659

On a serious note, i've given up attempting to explain the skill element involved to people who are utterly ignorant as to the workings of the game.

In the eyes of most people i know it simply is gambling, that might change after my little t.v appearance

It's somthing i don't really think about anymore I have come to accept other peoples rather ignorant opinion of the game.

They are entitled to their opinion, smile and nod.

NickyOD

I'd had a good night in the round of each on Sunday in the Fitz. Only played for a few hours and was up 450. When I sat down at the table I was greeted by "Ah, here's the TV star" and not one person at the table seemed puzzled by that comment so I'm assuming they they all knew who I was, and I didn't really know any of them. I tried to use it to my advantage though. I played like a rock for an hour, then made some bluffs, then bet my nuts hard and got paid off.

On my way back to the city west in the cab I got talking to the driver, and he asked me where I was, what I was doing etc. I told him I was playing poker. He asked me if I heard about that guy from Limerick who quit his IT job to play poker for a living. "Oh, yeah I think I heard about him" I replied. :rolleyes:

ionapaul

OMG, they got me too!

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54664

That is sick - who else from boards is on there? Combined with the FOS page, that makes me officially a Z-list celebrity, right? Next stop, I'm A Mediocre Poker Player, Get Me Out Of Here...I do enjoy bugs and creepy-crawlies, I do.

On topic, I don't ever get asked about the exciting life of playing poker, only 'how much do you lose', 'how pathetic are the other players' and 'Paul, do you have a gambling problem? Why are you playing so often?'...I hear the last one at least once a quarter from the parents...

MrPillowTalk

NickyOD wrote:

He asked me if I heard about that guy from Limerick who quit his IT job to play poker for a living. "Oh, yeah I think I heard about him" I replied. rolleyes:

lol now thats funny

The_Chopper

ionapaul wrote:

OMG, they got me too!

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54664

That is sick - who else from boards is on there? Combined with the FOS page, that makes me officially a Z-list celebrity, right? Next stop, I'm A Mediocre Poker Player, Get Me Out Of Here...I do enjoy bugs and creepy-crawlies, I do.

On topic, I don't ever get asked about the exciting life of playing poker, only 'how much do you lose', 'how pathetic are the other players' and 'Paul, do you have a gambling problem? Why are you playing so often?'...I hear the last one at least once a quarter from the parents...

The mob got me to:
http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54584

Bozzer

I hardly ever talk to my friends about poker. They know I make money from it, but I don’t tell them how much or for what stakes I play.
The last thing I want to talk about if I’m introduced to somebody is poker.

Norwich Fan Rob

my friends used to think i was mad, then we went to spain for a lads holiday to play golf, have a few beers and so on......well on about the 3rd/4th night, after dinner and a few beers, back at the apartment, they said, go on then, show us this holdem game then, so i did, and we played til 6am, 6 of us.
so next night, after dinner, i say, which pub/club then, they all say, nah, lets go back for another game, so we did, fair enough.
The following night same thing happens, jeez, im on hols for the craic, i play every day at home, so im not happy with this now, but all 5 of them cant get enough of it. They spent the rest of the hols playing, they were even playing accross the ailes on the plane on the way home, as i slept.
Now, every 2nd day its "when are u having another home game rob".
Dunno what i started there, last game i had in the house, i managed to squeeze 16 friends in, great night it was, but there was a waiting list.
So now i want to play in the fitz, or some decent online tourney, and its "ah theres some €10 in some dodgy pub, bring me there, (dunno why, but they wont seem to go on their own).
I suppose its a fairly addictive game.
Now lunch conversations have changed from "stop going on about that stupid gambling addiction of yours, cmon, how much are u losing really", to "and the flop was xyz, and i moved in".

MadsL

dunno why, but they wont seem to go on their own

I get this a lot.
"Oh, I really, really, really wanna play in a live casino game"
Play the Fitz sunday game then, 4.30 sun €30. Great tourney to start out.
"Are you going?"
No, I play on Tuesdays and Thursdays mostly...€50 games.
"Ah, right. I'll think about it...." (disappointed)

or

"Oh, I really, really, really wanna play in a live casino game"
Right, I'm playing tonight, coming along?
"Ah, sure. I'll think about it....I'll text you if I'm coming"
They never do.

sonneti

All I ever hear is "That internet poker its rigged.... <insert dumb play here> .... so it's rigged isn't it.... no but really its rigged isn't it... NO it really is rigged isnt it"

I used to say no its not etc but now I just say yeah it's rigged so all the mugs do their dough

NickyOD

sonneti wrote:

All I ever hear is "That internet poker its rigged.... <insert dumb play here> .... so it's rigged isn't it.... no but really its rigged isn't it... NO it really is rigged isnt it"

I used to say no its not etc but now I just say yeah it's rigged so all the mugs do their dough

Yes sitting in a cash game, and I'm asked about whether or not internet poker is safe/rigged etc. Some guys say I can't believe the hands that come out on there. It can't be right. Next hand in the cash game. Aces flop a set. turn gives KQ a gutshot for the straight. River gives a chaser a flush.
Yes, yes of course internet poker is rigged.

Amaru

MadsL wrote:

I get this a lot.
"Oh, I really, really, really wanna play in a live casino game"
Play the Fitz sunday game then, 4.30 sun €30. Great tourney to start out.
"Are you going?"
No, I play on Tuesdays and Thursdays mostly...€50 games.
"Ah, right. I'll think about it...." (disappointed)

or

"Oh, I really, really, really wanna play in a live casino game"
Right, I'm playing tonight, coming along?
"Ah, sure. I'll think about it....I'll text you if I'm coming"
They never do.

I'm not surprised by this at all. When you've only been playing cards a little while, places like the fitz are very intimidating. There's a lot of etiquette, and it's also very cliquey, where there's a lot of table talk between people who obviously know each other, and make a lot of inside jokes.

ionapaul

Amaru wrote:

I'm not surprised by this at all. When you've only been playing cards a little while, places like the fitz are very intimidating. There's a lot of etiquette, and it's also very cliquey, where there's a lot of table talk between people who obviously know each other, and make a lot of inside jokes.

I was pretty nervous going into the Fitz for the first time (December 2004 I think), and the second time too, I'm sure most people were. Even figuring out where and who to pay to play was a bit of work; 'over there, up the stairs' was a bit vague for a dunce like me! I didn't care about any cliqueness (I don't feel today as there is much of a clique thing going on in most casinos - secondary school, now there was a place with real cliques!), but trying to figure out the etiquette / table manners was a little tricky. A few of my friends / co-workers are online enthusiasts, really would like to try live poker, but just too nervous to come on in by themselves...

5starpool

NickyOD wrote:

I'd had a good night in the round of each on Sunday in the Fitz. Only played for a few hours and was up 450. When I sat down at the table I was greeted by "Ah, here's the TV star" and not one person at the table seemed puzzled by that comment so I'm assuming they they all knew who I was, and I didn't really know any of them.

Ah, that was me who made that comment. And I doubt few of the other people even heard me (considering who was playing - Rufina, Angela, Macker and one other only at the time).

If it makes you feel any better, I never seen/heard any of the radio/tv stuff. I only knew you cause I was on your table in Tom's Sunday charity tournie a few weeks ago, and put the name (from here) to the face then.

TrueDub

Amaru wrote:

I'm not surprised by this at all. When you've only been playing cards a little while, places like the fitz are very intimidating. There's a lot of etiquette, and it's also very cliquey, where there's a lot of table talk between people who obviously know each other, and make a lot of inside jokes.

Hmm. I remember my first visit to the Fitz, and while there was a lot of chatting between people who knew each other, I found the atmosphere very friendly and welcoming, with no intimidation at all.

I appreciate it's different for each individual, but I've always found Luke & the gang to be very welcoming to any new member. Indeed, last Saturday night this Scottish bloke rocked up early and stated that he'd never played Omaha before. One of the dealers (I don't know his name, to my embarrassment) sat the guy down and gave him a 30-minute crash course. He didn't have to do this, and it struck me as a very friendly & welcoming thing to do.

As always, your mileage may vary!

NickyOD

5starpool wrote:

Ah, that was me who made that comment. And I doubt few of the other people even heard me (considering who was playing - Rufina, Angela, Macker and one other only at the time).

If it makes you feel any better, I never seen/heard any of the radio/tv stuff. I only knew you cause I was on your table in Tom's Sunday charity tournie a few weeks ago, and put the name (from here) to the face then.

Aaaah. :rolleyes:

kpnuts

Yeah, it's tough adjusting to this new-found celebrity status alright! ... I met up with a poker pal for a few "after-work" pints last Monday morning, we arrived in the Chancery Inn just before 8am and who's at the bar nursing a large vodka only Shane MacGowan! Now I've seen the Pogues five or six times and have always been a big MacGowan fan, so I send him up a drink and say thanks for a few top nights out, blah blah. Shortly afterwards, he sends me down a pint, we get chatting and once I mention the word poker, he insists on playing me heads-up for matchsticks! Wide-eyed, almost awestruck (ALMOST!!!), Shane tells everyone in the bar, "He's a poker player, he's a poker player!" LOL Fortunately, a deck of cards could not be found, so we settled for gambling wildly on the throw of a die! Needless to say, I have no recollection of leaving the pub on Monday afternoon, but yes I certainly think poker has arrived now that in the space of 72 hours I've had Ken Doherty buy a round for me and Alex Higgins at Citywest ... and spent a day on the pi$$ with Shane MacGowan!

shoutman

kpnuts wrote:

Yeah, it's tough adjusting to this new-found celebrity status alright! ... I met up with a poker pal for a few "after-work" pints last Monday morning, we arrived in the Chancery Inn just before 8am and who's at the bar nursing a large vodka only Shane MacGowan! Now I've seen the Pogues five or six times and have always been a big MacGowan fan, so I send him up a drink and say thanks for a few top nights out, blah blah. Shortly afterwards, he sends me down a pint, we get chatting and once I mention the word poker, he insists on playing me heads-up for matchsticks! Wide-eyed, almost awestruck (ALMOST!!!), Shane tells everyone in the bar, "He's a poker player, he's a poker player!" LOL Fortunately, a deck of cards could not be found, so we settled for gambling wildly on the throw of a die! Needless to say, I have no recollection of leaving the pub on Monday afternoon, but yes I certainly think poker has arrived now that in the space of 72 hours I've had Ken Doherty buy a round for me and Alex Higgins at Citywest ... and spent a day on the pi$$ with Shane MacGowan!

That truely is a class story.

Damn I wish i were a famous poker player :rolleyes:

hehe

nicryan

I normally refuse to talk poker with people (unless its me who brings it up, then you can all shut up and listen) but occasionally I've found that I get recognised when out having a drink or 2....and had some people buy me drinks simply cause I was a poker dealer, and I've no idea who they were...

now if only poker was more popular with random women...



Nic

smurph

kpnuts wrote:

Yeah, it's tough adjusting to this new-found celebrity status alright! ... I met up with a poker pal for a few "after-work" pints last Monday morning, we arrived in the Chancery Inn just before 8am and who's at the bar nursing a large vodka only Shane MacGowan! Now I've seen the Pogues five or six times and have always been a big MacGowan fan, so I send him up a drink and say thanks for a few top nights out, blah blah. Shortly afterwards, he sends me down a pint, we get chatting and once I mention the word poker, he insists on playing me heads-up for matchsticks! Wide-eyed, almost awestruck (ALMOST!!!), Shane tells everyone in the bar, "He's a poker player, he's a poker player!" LOL Fortunately, a deck of cards could not be found, so we settled for gambling wildly on the throw of a die! Needless to say, I have no recollection of leaving the pub on Monday afternoon, but yes I certainly think poker has arrived now that in the space of 72 hours I've had Ken Doherty buy a round for me and Alex Higgins at Citywest ... and spent a day on the pi$$ with Shane MacGowan!

Kp your such a lush. Brillant story.

DubTony

The_Chopper wrote:

... I spend a fortune on gadgets and on the woman. She loves it when I win ...

DeVore

Mostly I get "Are you Tom or Mike?" (please note for future reference, Tom is the good looking one).

"What do you do for a living?"
"I'm an accountant"
Works every time, stops the conversation dead because can you IMAGINE trying to describe what I do for a living to someone you just met. Try it. I can't even feckin do it inside about 10 sentences that just leave them even more confused

I think my mother tells people I've become a missionary, for the shame of it all.


DeV.

DeVore

The_Chopper wrote:

The mob got me to:
http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54584

Got me too
http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54607
but they got my Limerick win wrong.

DeV.

Dub13

Jesus Tom.....thats not the best photo of you,and you said you were the good looking one.Anybody who has not met mike must think he looks like King Kong.

DeVore

You saying I'm a fat burd?!


DeV.

Dub13

DeVore wrote:

You saying I'm a fat burd?!


DeV.

Not at all...you look more dead than big.

karlh

tee hee

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=54334