Separating Poker From Social Life

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Separating Poker From Social Life

Poker is a game of socialization. Whether you play online or live or even both, you are socializing and having fun. The game is far from boring, its something which entertains us all. This is what makes playing poker for a living an awesome job! The job has its ups and downs like any, mostly to do with bad swings and long hours. When using the word job in the previous sentence it is important to remember that those that play poker for a living or to supplement income must remember that this is far from a party, far from socialization. Playing poker is real work and must be separated from normal every day social life.

When we all first start playing poker we all do it for entertainment. I can not think of one person who walked into their first game of poker thinking “What a great job I have, shuffle up and deal and lets get this wage earned!” Simply it doesn’t seem to work like this. Every persons story I have heard on how they started playing poker starts differently but never that way. This means even the best and richest poker players in the world that have succumb poker as a hobby or fun time started the same as all of us. They played for fun and entertainment originally.

It isn’t always the case that any player should stop making poker a social game. Doing that is impossible regardless. Any poker player who is planning on making poker their main source of income or supplementary income needs to consider this article. They need to somewhat separate this new part time or full time job from their social life as much as possible.

How does one do this? How do we separate poker from our social life? I myself am only beginning to find out! In studying a lot of poker players lifestyles though it really is simple and something I must take my own advice on.

• Set your times that you plan on playing and make sure they are uninterrupted alike you were working an office job. Make your part time hours or full time hours 100% dedicated to your game and nothing else.
• Don't take social habits such as drinking and smoking to your live or online table. Don't take chit chat with friends unless it is about the game to your “job” with you.
• Manage your poker bankroll completely separately. This includes the separation of “partying funds” at live tournaments. In saying that, there is always the case that a man may find a fling night at a strip club (lol) a way to ease tensions before a big game.
• If you are to play a game of poker socially with friends and or family, make it that way. Don't make it serious - have your drinks and your snack food all sorted for the time of your life. Make it as if it were a day at the pool.
• Turn off ALL social networks! No facebooking, yahooing, orkuting, msning or anything UNLESS it is in regard to the game at the time – in saying that unless you are whining about a bad beat or your current status rank wise, I can not think WHY you would have them on. (says she who always does – again I must follow my own advice.)

All in all unless poker is a social aspect of your life these things need considering and not for one second am I saying there is not more things to do such as open specific bank accounts, keep running tally’s and associated expenses etc separate. Again, I am just separating myself!