The Science of Poker

[fmhealth]

Interesting insights from today's (7/27) WSJ. Thought the poker players on this site may find it informative.

Be Well,
fmhealth

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323610704578625812355516182.html?m od=ITP_review_0

[Dave Schwartz]

That is a great link!

Thanks!

[thaskalos]

What a great player this Phil Galfond is...and how sad it is that poker -- which is largely illegal -- has been able to attract so many bright young players...while a completely legal game like horse racing does nothing but repel them.

[Dave Schwartz]

:ThmbUp:

Right on the money, Thask.

[wiffleball whizz]

For the poker players here you heard it here first....

Anybody by the Atlantic city area starting at 559am today revel bad beat jackpot will be 223k or around and is being lowered to aces full of jacks....

Starting Monday every hour revel will be giving away $500 every hour for high hand of the hour.....this will continue through August 15 24 hours a day.....

Then at aug 15 or until all the money is given away REVEL poker will go the way of the dodo bird.......room is shutting down

So come take advantage of these remaining days!!!!

Place is a total disgrace

[newtothegame]

What a great player this Phil Galfond is...and how sad it is that poker -- which is largely illegal -- has been able to attract so many bright young players...while a completely legal game like horse racing does nothing but repel them.

Thask, I understand your perceived frustrations but maybe I can elaborate as to the why...at least in my eyes......

True, backroom games where a rake is taken by the house are illegal. And, there is still much debate as to the legality of internet sites.

But, I can go to ANY local casino and play perfectly legally.
Next, where in horseracing can a no name, (literally take ten dollars) and parlay it into millions in one tournament entry?

Television is a big factor as well......

And probably most importantly, when played in a casino or other legal venture, the cloud of "illegal" (like there is almost always in horse racing) is absent. I enjoy this site to no end and love the back and forth. I consider PA to be one of the best if not the best horse racing forums there is. And, just LOOK AT THE CHEATING AND DOPING concerns posted here regularly. The point is I am glad it is addressed but it truly shows the state of racing and why many are not in it in my opinion.

[thaskalos]

Thask, I understand your perceived frustrations but maybe I can elaborate as to the why...at least in my eyes......

True, backroom games where a rake is taken by the house are illegal. And, there is still much debate as to the legality of internet sites.

But, I can go to ANY local casino and play perfectly legally.
Next, where in horseracing can a no name, (literally take ten dollars) and parlay it into millions in one tournament entry?

Television is a big factor as well......

And probably most importantly, when played in a casino or other legal venture, the cloud of "illegal" (like there is almost always in horse racing) is absent. I enjoy this site to no end and love the back and forth. I consider PA to be one of the best if not the best horse racing forums there is. And, just LOOK AT THE CHEATING AND DOPING concerns posted here regularly. The point is I am glad it is addressed but it truly shows the state of racing and why many are not in it in my opinion.

Sorry for my late reply, NTTG...I didn't see your post until now.

You are right, of course...except for your comments on online poker...which is officially dead in this country. There is no debate on the legality of the internet poker sites. They are all illegal...and prohibited from offering their game to the residents of this country.

As you've stated, there are several obvious reasons why young players choose poker over horse racing...and these reasons are all well known and highly publicized. But the fault rests squarely on the game of horse racing itself. Americans -- young and old -- LOVE to gamble...and they have embraced more than a few gambling games which are virtually impossible to beat. They would have embraced horse racing too...were it not for the high levels of greed and dishonesty with which the game has become associated.

Those who run the game have only themselves to blame.

[vegasone]

Online poker has been declared legal and is offered in Nevada and will be available in other localities sometime real "soon".

[SuitedAces]

Poker was pretty easy when I retired and started reading David Sklansky's poker books, who was soon to write a few more as did other good math and poker intellects.

Chris Moneymaker read some of these books and parlayed a pittance into a couple millions. It was observation of this parlay that sparked the surge in the new poker world. Now, the whole world is different again. Books are nearing extinction. Now, the best way to learning is with audio videos and tablet computers. The consolation for me is that I can walk around Tampa Bay Downs with the same hope of a million dollar score (read hope of minor bankroll increase). This is improvement. I'll be walking and breathing fresh air outside instead of sitting and breathing smoke filled air inside. My bet is someone here reading this forum will become the next Cris Moneymaker and make it in handicapping. It's got to be. It can't be in forex. I tried that too.

David

[Robert Goren]

Online poker has been declared legal and is offered in Nevada and will be available in other localities sometime real "soon".Only for people logged in while in the state of Nevada. Other states may follow suit, but you will have to actually be in that state to play. The Feds may go after the game sites anyway.

[thaskalos]

Online poker has been declared legal and is offered in Nevada and will be available in other localities sometime real "soon".

I'll believe this when I see it.

[vegasone]

See what?

[thaskalos]

See what?

See online poker being offered widely anytime soon.

[DeltaLover]

Poker has become very tough to beat after the Moneymaker boom. Playing for lay money today is probably tougher than the 100-200 Limit holddem I was playing years ago at Bay 101. There still are winning pros albeit very few of them go through the test of time. Most of the them will eventually go broke as time goes by, as in any other game the house will get the lion's share leaving very little hassling room.

[wiffleball whizz]

Poker has become very tough to beat after the Moneymaker boom. Playing for lay money today is probably tougher than the 100-200 Limit holddem I was playing years ago at Bay 101. There still are winning pros albeit very few of them go through the test of time. Most of the them will eventually go broke as time goes by, as in any other game the house will get the lion's share leaving very little hassling room.

That's a big game 100-200.....did they play with black or green chips?

[DeltaLover]

That's a big game 100-200.....did they play with black or green chips?

At bay 101 the 1-2 was using purples ($25) similar to green at AC

[wiffleball whizz]

At bay 101 the 1-2 was using purples ($25) similar to green at AC

4 chip 8 chip games are the best....

Dealing 100-200 at borgata one night using black chips....made for a terrible game

[DeltaLover]

4 chip 8 chip games are the best....

Dealing 100-200 at borgata one night using black chips....made for a terrible game

In the past we were playying 80-160 @ borg with yellow chips (20).
1-2 using blacks is terrible

[wiffleball whizz]

In the past we were playying 80-160 @ borg with yellow chips (20).
1-2 using blacks is terrible

I had to have dealt to you back then from 2006-2007

I played 40-80 a few times 5 handed and it's as hard a game as there is.....nothing was better then dealing to or playing with an older guy who was the most miserable mfer you will ever see....his name is escaping me...used to muck the cards as far away from the dealer as possible...

And of course the strongest player was Ian.....foot on the gas pedal at all times

[DeltaLover]

At te old poker room in the basement

[thaskalos]

Does anybody play limit anymore? :cool:

[wiffleball whizz]

Does anybody play limit anymore? :cool:


Me when I can find a good game and I'm flush!!!!

[wiffleball whizz]

At te old poker room in the basement

I played 40-80 in old room but never the new one while I
Was workimg there

[DeltaLover]

Does anybody play limit anymore? :cool:
Prx has great limit action. The old 20 taj crowd moved over there

[thaskalos]

Me when I can find a good game and I'm flush!!!!

I wouldn't touch a limit game...unless it was short-handed.

[wiffleball whizz]

I wouldn't touch a limit game...unless it was short-handed.

Good to know I'm not the only one who likes playing limit short handed....hate high low though to be honest

And yes parx has the 15-30 game that's full of collusion

[Robert Goren]

Limit hold em is a battle between the blinds and the dealer. But some games such as 7 card stud don't play well unless it is limit which is probably why nobody plays it any more.
When online poker shut down in the USA, there were far more 6 handed games being played than full table. Every game is better short handed.

[thaskalos]

Limit hold em is a battle between the blinds and the dealer. But some games such as 7 card stud don't play well unless it is limit which is probably why nobody plays it any more.
When online poker shut down in the USA, there were far more 6 handed games being played than full table. Every game is better short handed.

The complexion of the game changes when it gets short-handed.

[barn32]

The complexion of the game changes when it gets short-handed.True, but the problem with short-handed games in a live setting is that most players prefer to play a full ring game: therefore the games have a tendency to break up with the exception of games that have been going all night or very high stakes games, which were probably started short-handed to begin with.