I think i may be playing for the wrong reasons :(

I think i may be playing for the wrong reasons....

a brief history:
i first began playing poker w/ my college roommates after watching rounders one night. this movie has inspired me more than anything i've ever encountered in my life. when we first started playing, i was consistently losing (now that i look back, i was as fishy as they come). after getting beat for 4 nights in a row, i decided that i was sick of losing and dropped $35 on supersystems. since then, i've won very consistently. everytime i win, i take the money i win and buy a new book (currently own 9 books). I've gotten to the point that none of my friends will play me anymore due to me winning a majority of the time.

that was when i started considering playing online. i began by first playing on a free money site called "casinofatcat.com". after finding this site while surfing the web one day (i was actually looking on reviews for kem cards, lol), i decided that i wanted to move up from play money to real money.

i first began on the 0.01/0.02 ring tables on pokerstars. much to my dismay, i really disliked it and was slowing bleeding away all my money. After getting down to $30 from $50, i read all the guides on tournament poker and decided to try some SnGs. I've played roughly 30ish $5 SnGs since then and have had amazing results (my bankroll is now at $239). i LOVE playing "tournament" poker and have recently tried a few MTTs. I love the competition, the drive, and the thrill of being the best.

here's the problem...... alot of books and guides all say (for example, DavSimon's tourney guide) "This guide is not really geared to that type of player, I am focusing more on the “serious” player whose reason for playing is to make as much money as possible."

to be perfectly honest...i don't even care about the money anymore



to me, the money is like x-number of lives in a video game. i manage my bankroll so i don't lose all my lives and get a gameover. alot of people don't like playing on pokerstars because there are less fish, but that's the reason why i want to play there. i want to improve my game and in order to do so, i have to play with the best to learn how to improve my game - even if i won't make as much money. all i want to do is win, the money is like an extra bonus. is this kind of thinking going to lead to trouble down the road?

You win money but don't care becuase it's not a substantial or life changing amount yet. But once you start making significant chunks of cash, you'll change your mind.

-'rilla

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Most of us want to pretend that we're poker hitmen raking in the dough, shearing the sheep, etc. And to a certain extent on this site - with some of us - how much we make, or our ITM % or our ROI, etc. are ways of saying, "respect me, affirm me, I am good... see... look at this!!!"

"You like me. You REALLY REALLY like me!!!"

Alot of it's bullshit. And some of it is a legit way to know whose advice you should strongly consider, even if at first you think it's lopsided. So there's that.

I recommend to beginners plunking down their first deposit online to think of it exactly this way. As a game to see how long they can survive and keep playing. And there's no law that says you Have To turn into some John Moneymaker. (pun intended)

It's not going to lead to trouble at all, you'll probably end up on the Travel Channel. "This new guy at the final table says he treats poker like a video game. It's all points and high scores to him." as legions of pimple faced poker groupies say "yesssss, like a video game.... i will treat it like a video gammmeeee!"

You're fine. Don't sweat it. Enjoy your game and don't let the posturing a blovating we do affect that at all.

By the way my ITM percentage is.... So you should believe me. REally. BELIEVE MEEEEEE!!!

I'm right there with you Variable. I've played some live games with friends, usually 6 or less players, and am generally way up on them - I think because I'm taking it more seriously. I'm not so far ahead of them that they're looking to stop playing with me, but I'd rather take money from strangers than friends

So I'm looking at the online games as fun. Not money making - I've got a decent paying job, I'm married with a one-year old - I'm not looking to live the poker professional lifestyle.

On the other hand, making money sure would be fun, and would keep the wife from worrying too much that I'll start blowing money out onto the internet.

-dunk

I don't think there's anything wrong with your approach to the game. You're looking at it like an entertainment cost... and frankly, so do I.

There's nothing wrong with seeing your bankroll as a score in a video game... It is. Money is how you keep score in poker.

I dawdled at break even poker for almost a year, and it's really only been the last 3-4 months where I've started to see my bankroll climb, but you know what? I had a blast during that break even period, and I've yet to ever end up in the negatives playing poker. Not many people can say that. It is a game... there's nothing wrong with your approach so long as you're enjoying it.

I agree with aokrongly.

To be frank, bro, I wouldn't play poker if it weren't fun. Yes, I'm out to make some money, but if I didn't enoy it, I couldn't take it seriously.

Dont' sweat it...just don't get sucked into stakes you can't handle!