Posts tagged number 1

Every­one loves an opti­mist.  Their enthu­si­asm is con­ta­gious.  They’re go-getters.

You know what?  I’ve had an ass­load of opti­mists lately.  And truth­fully, the only place I want to see them is at the poker tables. Prefer­ably, with their opti­mistic fuck­ing mouths shut.

Here’s why? They’ll opti­misti­cally go to the ATM machine way more times than they’ll make that mir­a­cle one –outer.

If it’s so easy, then why do I sound so mad?  Thanks for ask­ing. I get tired of hear­ing how opti­mism and enthu­si­asm are the be all end all of every­thing.  Every­one thinks those qual­i­ties are great. What about their cousins greed and self-delusion?  Well, they’re con­nected.  Alan Schoon­maker, Ph.D, put it best in his book, “Your Worst Poker Enemy”- “Destruc­tive emo­tion #1: Hope”

Here’s the big secret.  Poker is really about things not hap­pen­ing.   Top pair on the flop usu­ally holds up.  Make all the opti­mists pay dearly for their sunny outlooks.

Don’t get me wrong, I have my opti­mistic moments.  I’m basi­cally a long term opti­mist, short term pes­simist. Both in poker and in life.

I play poker to watch the opti­mists drown in their own hope.

Why do you play? Let me know at stories@whydoiplaypoker.net