The Power of the Ego In Poker

[spoonitnow]

This started out as a reply to user smitts187 in his thread: hmm tips for ps 100k. You can read the progression of that thread there, but I thought this reply would have more instructive value to new players than to turn it into a pissing contest with someone who didn't know any better. This also ties in pretty well with my 2000th post, which can be found here: Poker and Internal Growth.

The power the ego has over us in general is very much exemplified in the situation that developed in smitts187's post I linked to above. I'm not trying to pick on him as an individual, and I hope that in a year or so he looks back on this and laughs about it because of how far he has came as a human being and as a poker player, but for now we have to learn what we can from his attitude towards poker as a new player.



The following is my reply:

First, I'm only replying because of the instructive value of OP's mindset and approach to his particular situation. I truly believe that new players will get something out of this at one point or another.

Second, and most importantly: Let this thread be a lesson to people who don't think that learning bankroll and money management at the low stakes isn't important. If someone can't handle playing inside of their bankroll at a low level, what makes them think that they will be able to handle it when real money is on the line and the temptation to gamble outside of your means is so much greater.

i asked for your advice assuming (apparently incorrectly) that this was a helpful forum in w/e u needed for poker

You received, multiple times even, the best advice you could have received. You are choosing not to take it, and that is your choice, albeit an incorrect one. You are very obviously -EV in this tournament, and everyone can see that. This is a good example to all players of the type of attitude that will not be successful in gambling ventures: purposely taking -EV propositions.

some of the most popular videos on the site, bigspenda73's microstake 5nl

i watched this, he was playing 4 tables of 5nl, and when he rebought he had under 80$ in his BR, now if BRM is so important then why is he playing 5nl with an underfunded BR, and yet not one person said anything about this?

I'm pretty sure that his bankroll was in the range of $4000-$6000 at the time of the video. It's pretty ridiculous that you would be questioning an experienced player's bankroll management without questioning your own.

ut i definately will not be posting as much anymore, its not worth being torn down and treated like shit

Then your ego is too far in the way and you will not make it anywhere in poker until that changes. Period.

the only thing i have to say to you is:

Your an asshole, simple as that, you act as if your jesus of a pokertable

EVEN if you are good, you are arrogant, you put yourself up on a throne and think your better then every1, when your probably a fucking loser IRL, you were probably a fucking loser growing up in school, you were probably a fucking loser when you finished (IF you finished), and you'll probably be a fucking loser when you die so fuck you

fuck this site, i dont need this shit, peace the fuck out

spoon, again fuck you

This post is a perfect example of a person's ego in action, and is very much related to what I talk about at length in my 2000th post (the link is in my signature). This particular reply by you is a case of someone's inability to be incorrect protecting their ego by way of personal attack. If you were really open to the advice that you came here for without getting your ego involved and without being hurt by being told you were wrong then you would have gained something from this experience. When you lash out at me, you are really lashing out at your insecurities over being wrong about playing the tournament. If you can't handle being wrong about something as small as bankroll management or the fact that you are buying in for $11 and not $2, then how are you going to handle the moment when you decide that you're not a winning player? You can't, which is obvious by your choice to play in the tournament tomorrow, and the fact that you don't care if you're -EV.

You came here looking for advice about multi-table tournament play, and there is plenty of that. The advice you received was much more important and critical to becoming a winning player. If you can't follow the more important, yet easier to follow advice of simply not playing in the tournament, then how will you have the discipline to grow as a player to the point that you could actually play in the tournament and be +EV?