gl all ... I am quitting
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gl all ... I am quitting
Good luck with whatever you're doing instead then, mate
Good luck in whatever you choose to do dude. You havn't mentioned why so I won't ask, but I'll miss our chats on IRC
:(
gambler's anonymous? :P
what????????
well I hope you change your mind, GL in whatever you choose to do
Kinda like like a bolt from the blue huh? I don't reckon him ever mentioning quitting on irc. But I hope he'll drop by now and then anyway. :?
Huh wha?!?!?!?!
It was just a month ago when Obertray convinced ME not to quit, I owe a lot to him.
Well, I guess good luck in whatever comes your way.
Cya buddy.
interesting, wonder what his reasons for quitting were. Must be serious because I'm sure a majority of the players on this site are winning players.
I'm going to be really unpopular posting this but...Quote:
Originally Posted by jmontis
I know several big posters who are not winning players. A couple who would be if they fixed gapping holes in thier game. Several are maginal winners. I can count on my fingers the regulars here who crush the games they play in.
In the spirit of being honest, I don't beat online poker at anywhere near the rate many think I do.
yea you're probably right. I usually give people more credit than they deserve when it comes to poker. I'd say i'm a marginal winner, who has a few leaks, but can easily win money in a good game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
As some people hung out here more and more stories reflecting people's place in the big poker pecking order came out.Quote:
Originally Posted by jmontis
That was one of the things I was shocked to learn when I met {edit} and {edit}. It seems the perception is not reality when it comes to winning players here.
I honestly don't know what I would classify myself as. I win some, I lose some. If anything, I'd say "break even". I haven't ever really lost my shirt, because the stakes I play are so low.
Well good luck Ober.
Fnord don't you play poker for a living? I was under the perception you're clearing like 2k a month.
edited by Fnord, no names please unless someone wants to say something
Honestly, I don't feel I have found my place on that poker pecking order quite yet, too early to tell..Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
Hope to be wiser in a year or so :)
i am in the black and working on becoming one of the top poker peckers :)
- sed
My win-rate is more than double that, the funny thing is the higher you get the bigger mountains you see...Quote:
Originally Posted by FyrFytr998
So then I would disagree with your statement that you're not winning as much as people think you do. 4k a month is nothing to sneeze at depending on your lifestyle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
Fnord wouldn't quit a Microsoft job to make 24k a year playing poker full time.Quote:
Originally Posted by FyrFytr998
On the positive, side here are the posters I know are strong and are probably big winners:
Soupie - The biggest winner and most rounded player I know playing "cards" vs "poker".
Radashack - Strong "poker" player with some impressive recent results.
Micheal1123 - Plays big games, but I don't know him well enough to say how well he does long-term. Solid posts and certainly could crush lower stakes.
ILikeAces - Plays big and has been winning. Plays tight and seems weak, but then posts a great play.
a500lbGorilla - The more I talk shop with him the more impressed I am.
ElipsesJeff - Strong rounded player with impressive recent results.
TTanka - Rocktastic, crushes weaker players and could move up if he put the time/effort into it.
Anyone not on the list I probably don't know enough about, mistakenly ommitted or won't comment on in the interest of not saying anything mean. Also, there are some marginal players I didn't mention who excell at certain aspects of the game but their liabilities drag them down too far. Hence, I have great respect for them when they talk about those parts of their game.
If that's the case, don't expect a follow-up post.Quote:
Originally Posted by ChipSticklah
My 2 cents,
The majority of poker players should quit if they play for money, because they are never going to make any based on their play. No shame in that, i would never make it in professional golf, tennis, bowling, chess, counterstrike, or 1000's of other things. That doesnt make me a bad person nor does it make me a good person in and of itself.
Now as amateur, i certainly can play golf if i limit my risks and enjoy my time on the course. And if you spot my 36 strokes we can play for a little money, but when i play golf it is very clear to me it is for entertainment and i am not going to play for 1000 dollars knowing i am outclassed.
Poker is so full of ego maniacs that drive the poker economy. People willing to risk all their money to play with the pros because sometimes they can beat them. This is different than say golf because for me to beat SCgolfer, i would have to break his left elbow, and still he probably beats me with his right arm. I have been playing poker for 14 years or so and these ego maniacs will never go away, they will always be willing to play the pros. Always and forever, it is an addiction. If they werent playing poker they would find some other way to lose their money.
I can remember one guy who would bring his little boy and make him sit outside the pokerroom while he would proceed to annoint himself as table captain and blow up a couple 100 in a 1 to 3 omaha game. It was sick. The guy would sit there and lecture his kid to sit still and behave because Daddy had to go to work. This guy was in total denial as many players are.
It is actually a very big step for someone to admit they dont have what it takes and quit playing. Financially, it can mean the difference between constant poverty and a more financially secure life. It can mean the difference between divorce and a successful marriage. (who here would willingly live with someone pissing away all the families money, it happens all the time out there)
In short, i applaud ober's decision, it was no doubt, the best for him.
soupie
Hey I'll openly admit that I 'excel' at certain aspects of the game. But my liability to tilt really has let me down a lot this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
This really is a shock though, Obertray was nailing everything left and right.
He said he was going to play a $100 + rebuys event last night, maybe he lost big on that, but I shouldn't think so. The only other reason I can come up with is him thinking he needs the GA, which is a very understandable reason to quit. If that's the case, good luck to Obertray!
aww shit are you serious?
ober if you ever do look at this again, Id just like to say thanks a lot, youve handed me a ladder after Ive dug myself into a whole numerous times. I really appreciate your support. Good luck in whatever it is youve chosen to do, sad to see you go.
Great post. And wise words from someone who's been on the poker grind for a bit. Anyone who reads it should be able to see what side of the fence they're on. Even if they outwardly deny it. That's exactly one reason I don't play higher stakes. My competitiveness would be my downfall. For all my poker dreams, the reality is that I would be broke and lose all that means anything to me in life (Wife, daughter, home, etc...), because I am one of those players that have a vendetta when dealt defeat. That's why when I have a bad beat I leave the table if they don't leave first. If I stay. All I do is focus on getting revenge on them. Not very condusive to being a winning player.Quote:
Originally Posted by soupie
That's why I like guys like Soupie, Fnord, and Rilla'. They're always quick with the reality bitchslap when my head gets in the clouds. :wink:
There are some great points in here. Everyone should really take the time to read this thread.
Ober, I wish you luck in everything you do. I'm sure that this wasnt a rushed decision and that you're making it for the right reasons.
-'rilla
hello,
first time poster after reading and enjoying the site for the last few months. i 'quit' two months ago after getting five consecutive suck outs against me on the $50NL tables one evening. i withdrew my $600 (i started with $50) in disgust at the idiots but that was my heart speaking, not my head. i know these people pay you off over time and i've made money every month i've been online, but the anger you feel towards these people can easily manifest itself in a desire to give up. i'm back now but i had to take a couple of days off.
the problem with some players (i might be one of them) is that the money means too much to them. this is where i disagree with fnord who said that you should move up as quickly as you can. for some players it's best to move up as slowly as you can. almost to the point where it's getting boring at your current level and you feel you have to move up because tou are beating the game easily and your bankroll is too big in relation to your current buy-in levels.
What is the definition of crushing a game?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
that's a serious post soupie, and I totally agree. I played in a home cash game last night and a guy talked about how he lost $10,000 online and hid it from his wife.
Everyone at the table just got kind of quiet.
Soundly beating a game for a healthy win rate, not just some nominal amount via tight play. The best 1 or 2 players at a given table sometimes fit this description.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatlin Dan
No Aokrongly on that list? He's impressed me quite a bit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
BTW, Ober, I never really knew you, but best wishes. I hope this leads where it needs to for you.
Wow, did someone leave a window open? -- I feel a chilling wind.
I am having so much fun making a little money with poker, like I made a little money with eBay or book sales. The idea of losing money while chasing the brass ring, hiding losses from family, devaluing money, having an addiction to winning -- all of that is sobering :shock: . I don't want to think that the people I take money from have a problem. Or that my poker-talking enthusiasm (at home or on-line) could cause a neighbor to stumble into an addiction. That my speaking positively about poker could give others the unrealistic idea that poker is somehow a reasonable investment of money. It is really heart-wrenching.
I sincerely appreciate the honesty in this thread.
I have been starting to internalize the idea that low-limit poker is a poor investment of time-in-exchange-for-dollars. But should that cause me toSeveral unpalatable ideas there. Whatever the decision, I need to first choose to be responsible to my family and neighbors.
- quit and do something that makes ZERO dollars?
go up in limits so I can make some REAL money?
focus on the fun-and-possibly-addictive 'win' rather than the money?
try and be happy with the balance of small money plus minor diversion?
I don't think real danger to self, the sin, is in the risk, I think it is in the idea of "easy money." There is no easy money. Easy money is just variance that will catch up some day, and relies on someone else's variance. Easy money doesn't make things -- gaming is essentially entertainment. Soupie's talk about ego-maniacs fits in here, because those folks think the downswing won't touch them, that, someone else won't out play them, out read them, out smart them, or out luck them. Too many ways to lose. Note to self: first things first, and poker is 87th -- oh, and change your sig, e.
Bye Obertray -- I wish you better luck in better directions.
Late April Fools?
[/crazy idea]
eeeee, you need to work your way up and get out of the micro/real low limits if you are any sort of winning/break even player.
Sincerely, jmontis, thanks for the encouragement -- that's why I'm at FTR. And I just moved up a micro-level last week :D , but that's not the tone of the conversation :cry: . When someone just says 'bye' and takes off, and other folks start wispering GA, maybe it's time to contemplate a little, do some self examination. Did you catch Fnord getting all nekkid and stuff? And Soupie calling out bad-ego-loser people? I don't want to be one of them bad-ego people, and I wanted to get nekkid too.Quote:
Originally Posted by jmontis
I'll take all the encouragement you're dishing out, just not at the funeral. :wink:
Oh, and BTW, Aok writes rockin' posts.
I'm sorry to see you go, Ober. Take care man
[nekkid]
I've had to balance my talk about Poker around certain members of my family, for exactly the reasons you mention. My sister's husband used to have a gambling problem the likes of which few would believe - he's lost entire paychecks in one night of bad luck. As a result, any time any asks or says anything poker related around she or he, I end up dodging the question or spinning it off in some non-committal way. I'd be frightened to see what would happen if he heard I've had even the measely success I've enjoyed.
[/nekkid]
Got this PM from Obertray:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Obertray
Wish he would provide a little explanation.
Concern for your fellow man = Good!Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyGB
wow i hate to see ober go he was a very nice guy, wierd the way he left though, without providing some explenation. Like many have said before me he probably had a very good reason to quit, I can say that quitting something you play 2-3 hours a day isnt easy and most of the time you wont make such a decision rashly. For me quitting wasnt easy but I think it was the right decisiion at the time, and I just hope ober also made the rigght decision
good luck man..hope everything is ok...
-anto
Did elanto just post?Quote:
Originally Posted by elanto
Did dwarfman?Quote:
Originally Posted by dwarfman
-'rilla
No, it was an illusion.Quote:
Originally Posted by a500lbgorilla
an ILLUUUUSION.
Firstly, good luck Ober (even though you'll probably never read this nor did we know each other).
Secondly, like others, I'm pleased to read the honesty in this thread. I sometimes get the impression from posts on FTR that everyone is doing great and crushing their particular games.
I'm pleased to see that in reality people are not always having things their own way. I certainly don't mean this in a nasty way. On the contrary, I am glad that my "break-even" poker game is probably more the norm than my complete lack of any "game" whatsoever. This gives me hope to apply the many skills I've learned from this site and books over the last 5 or 6 months and not to quit.
It also highlights that even though I do think I'm addicted (playing almost every evening even when I know I shouldn't because of how tired I feel; spending a lot of time during work going over hands and tourneys to assess what I could have done better), it is not in a destructive way - my wife and kids come first no matter what and I'll continue to play low stake games until I have built up my bankroll and sustained a winning formula at my chosen stake.
Sorry to ramble but I do want to thank everyone who contributes to FTR for providing, not just tips on playing poker but also insights into personal issues to try and keep your head and life on track.
gl obertray...
I wish we could get an explanation...
guess tilt did it in or the wife made u?
i dont know im speculating...
Your reasons are your own....we may all be curious but I would encourage you to keep the reasons to yourself. You are a good/successful poker player so I know that this decision was not an easy one for you. It is your decision to make and I will accept it without question or try to talk you out of it because I know you are an excellent decision maker. Good luck on you future endeavors.....but stop by from time to time to let us know how your life is going, many of us have grown quite fond of you, and you will be missed. -Dave
I crush my game all the time, then try to move up from the .01/.02 games and get crushed !! :shock: :shock:Quote:
I sometimes get the impression from posts on FTR that everyone is doing great and crushing their particular games.
:P
First off, good luck, Ober. I didn't know you but I do understand that a decision to quit something that you enjoy is never an easy one.
This thread has definitely made me think about things. First off, we are all in this community because of one common pasttime that we love. That being said, it has been an amazing year for me being a part of this community. I have grown accustomed to making reading FTR part of my daily routine. The advice and camaraderie I've experienced here is phenominal. There has been no place like this on the net that I have felt so welcome and able to freely express my ideas about this pasttime that we all enjoy so much. As well as just being able to come here and talk about unrelated things with people who seem genuinely interested in conversing about other topics.
This game, however, is an addiction. We are all addicted to it on some level. For some (and I like to believe that I am included in this group), it is an outlet which has taken the form of a "hobby" of sorts. I make some money at it which is all the better. However, it is not my be-all and end-all. If I lose, I lose. If I win then that's fantastic. But, I am definitely addicted to this game on some level. I am not consumed by the game and the need to play it or prove anything about myself by playing it. Many people on the site, and I would venture a guess and say that the overwhelming majority of people on this site fall in this category. That being said, I do believe that someone who chooses to make their living by playing this game can also fall into this category. Someone like Fnord, for example, who uses the game as his sole source of income seems to fall here. He views it as not only a game that he loves, but as his job. I think this is important in maintaining balance. I firmly believe that if ever there came a time where Fnord simply lost it and came to the realization that he couldn't sustain his level of satisfaction in life by having poker be his job he could walk away from it without issue.
All that being said, it is far too easy to let the level of addiction that you have for the game take over your life. It can ruin you in the blink of an eye and you won't even know that you have been ruined by it until it is too late. I do not even have the slightest idea how many (if any) people here fall into this category. However, if you do, it is of paramount importance that you seek the help that you need in order to restore order and control to your life.
For everything great that this game has to offer it is still gambling. It can be unhealthy and it can ruin you. Some people are just predisposed with the ability to control this type of thing in their life. Others are far less fortunate. It is those people that need support and guidance. I for one, have seen nothing but support and guidance from most everyone here at FTR and it makes me glad to be a member of this community. Sorry for the sappiness but I call it like I see it and this place is a cut above.
Peace, love and groovieness!
I thought these lyrics were appropriate.
I'm not saying
I feel sad aboout
The way you broke my heart
But the last time that I lost this bet
I had to sell my car
Chorus:
Somebody call me a doctor
Somebody call me a nurse
Losing a game is a cryin' shame
But losing at loving is worse
I'm not saying
I'm depressed about
The way things didn't work out
But the last time that I lost this bet
I had to sell my house
Chorus:
Somebody call me a gypsie
Somebody take off this curse
Losing a game is a cryin' shame
But losing at loving is worse
Bridge:
It's like
Drawing a two when ya need a three
It's like
Drawing a three when ya need a four
It's like
Drawing a four when ya need a five
It's like
Being dead when you're still alive
I'm not saying
I've gone mad since you left
I'm not bored enough
But the last time that I lost this bet
I had to sell my little brother
Chorus:
Come on
Somebody call me a preacher
Somebody call me a herse
Losing a game is a cryin' shame
But losing at loving is worse
Somebody call up Saint Peter
You better hurry
Or I might get there first
Losing a game is a cryin' shame
But losing at loving is worseOh
Losing at loving is worse
-Blue County
I'd say losing at life while winning at poker would qualify as bad. I can't really say that I knew you, buddy, but I'm sure you made the best decision for all involved. Good luck in your future endeavors, man.
Live long and Prosper!
Wow I cant believe he is gone. I have his phone # you think it would be rude to call him?
I'd give it a little while first, but that's just me.Quote:
Originally Posted by ilikeaces86
Did Rill..oh, of course he did.Quote:
Originally Posted by a500lbgorilla
I'm among the marginal winners. If I stuck solely to ring games I'd be making a decent amount, but there's some stubborn part of me that insists upon trying to learn to beat MTT's.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fnord
Don't forget your tilt issues too. :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by TylerK
Really, really disturbing. Wow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Xianti
I'm only a marginal winner. About 3 BB/100 on Party NL since I got PT 10,000 hands ago. But I'm very proud of the fact that I'm on the plus side after 1 year of playing. Thanks to everyone FTR for the help.
I concur with Fnord's "short list", just based on the little snippets of earnings info that get posted from time to time and also the quality and tone of posts from those players. But it may be there are several FTRers who belong on the list and just have never posted much earnings info.
...Quote:
Originally Posted by FyrFytr998
Well, yeah. That might be one of the "gaping holes" Fnord referred to.
Ober, sorry to hear you're quitting... I always thought you were a really nice guy and you'll be missed, but you gotta do what's best for you. Best wishes.
By the way, the sobering and honest talk in this thread about the realities of poker is nice and I hope everyone reads it.
The last thing Ober said in IRC:
15:00 *** Obertray has joined #flopturnriver
15:01 <Obertray> hey all ... I am checking out ... gl with ur lives
15:01 *** Obertray has quit IRC (Quit)
It's a shame to see him go. Although he wasn't a prolific poster he was definitely one of the best MTT players on FTR.
I wish he still played.
:cut:
Worst Bump EverQuote:
Originally Posted by Triptan3s
hahahah i fuckint love you jon v... <3
I dont know if I am a winner or loser havent played enough to know this. I am pretty sure I can make money by clearing bonuses while I play tho. I am happy doing that, If I can make some money having fun then thats a great thing.
Hopefully when I get pokertracker I can start examining my self as a player more and bettering my game to start making more money.
I wish Obertray success in what ever he does and hope he can be happy doing what ever he wants/needs to do.
Great post, prozach
hmm, I rember that, my game sure has changed :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Laeelin
He did not that long ago. Over christmas break I think he won like 40 gs or something playin all the overlays and got 1st in one and took another break.Quote:
Originally Posted by Triptan3s
boon this post is over a year old. April Fools!
(Well done, actually. I'm sure it got some people. Got me.)
I didnt know you
And I never will
But I hope you are happy
And I hope you existed
Or I will look like a fool
Who replied to a post
By a fake person
--Pelion--
Ober is real. He's real as the streets, yo!
Ober still owns noobs daily and harrasses me in vent.
He owns noobs in draw, nl holdem, limit, sng's, tourneys.
and he can own you too.