Hi guys,
I put a post up about a poker programme about cash games in New York recently and asked if anyone knew of any poker documentaries. Bearlythere was kind enough to suggest 2 million 2 months on YT.
Now, the new York poker doc was castigated by members of the forum, quite rightly so. This other documentary had 4 great cash players set up home in Las Vegas in order to win the above. It included Jay Rosenkrantz who it seems set up Deuces Cracked. I watched every one of ten episodes i found myself shaking my head in disbelief so many times. Yea they ran some silly charity event but overall i couldn't believe the complete disregard that they had for the value of money an example of which was Rosenkrantz going from $200,000 down to $150,000 up in one session with Viffer Peet by seeing that he would always pot bet bluff(for the cameras methinks as i suspect that's just too obvious).
They spent over $17000 on a meal and played some silly game for who paid. To my mind it wasn't going to let people admire poker players at all. I did find it distasteful, a bit disturbing and ended up wanting them to lose. Yes, it was their money and they've taken a punt by learning a skill set to exploit others who are trying to exploit them but what do they feel proud about in their lives? We all know that you can play well and lose just as much as play well and win. Where was that balance in their lives and where are the documentaries of losing players who are in the gutter? Nowhere because they aren't on the radar anymore
I wonder if there are statistics out there showing average losses of the average player. Probably not as cash games aren't recorded to show what a gambling addiction can do. That glamour needs to be balanced imo with a smattering of the hard side of poker. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy playing and watching poker but when you see a disrespect for cash similar to when the whole table all went all-in for £$100,000 each in one episode of High Stakes Poker. It sends out the wrong vibes to hard working people.
Anyone else seen it or have an opinion on how poker can improve it's image?
Maybe its just me as i'm not really a gambler and certainly don't see my entry fees as ivestments(more as payment to have some entertainment). It didn't make me envious. In a way, i just felt that these young guys were heading for a fall in their lives. ....and that fall may be over a cliff at some stage....
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Me sticking £10 in a RR just for a gamble (not that I ever would lol) will feel the same to me as for others to stick £100 in a RR for a gamble.
I lose £50 in a night and it's a bad night, style loses £50 in a night and it's a quarter of a buy-in. It's all relative, most people would love to have the kinda money the people on High Stakes Poker. I can say for sure that if I had a £20million bankroll and was playing £1k/£2k and sitting down with 200k at a time, then playing 20NL would feel meaningless to me.
Also you make it seem like its easy to become a high stakes poker player. Like people who are successful at poker arent really earning their money. Its not easy money and once you are successful at it then who is to say where and how you should spend that money? They definitely dont spend it like i would but i don't feel disgusted if someone decides to spend 17k on a meal. They can do what they want. Also you make assumptions about balance in their lives based on a tv show set over two months. From what i remember Ansky went back to school to train to be a chef and Krantz is working on a poker documentary called Boom! and writing 'The Micros' which a lot of people enjoy. I'm sure the others also do things which aren't play poker as well. In fact i'm not even sure if any of them still play poker regularly. It doesnt seem like theyre heading for that cliff after all...
No it wasn't a documentary just as you say and i found it entertaining in parts too. I don't think its easy to become a high stakes poker player btw at all. It takes a lot of skill, learning and above all a particular personality to deal with the ups and downs of it all. I'm glad they're doing well in their respective careers.
I was only putting forward my opinion after watching the episodes and saying that they seemed to have lost sight of the value of what they were playing for. Its probably understandable when these massive wins and losses interchange from day to day.
The coffee shop analogy was out there but i wasn't saying why didn't THIS programme research losers in poker. I was asking why the majority of poker shows are there to show the winners and the glamour and that poker isn't doing itself many favours to the general population when its shown in this way and doesn't consder the big losers in any way. Fine you, as an avid player and lover of poker, may not care one jot.
I never said poker players aren't earning their money either. TBH, its a difficult way to do it with all the pressures involved, i suspect. And one which i'm 100% certain i'd never consider.
I was just surprised at the lack of concern when hundreds of thousands of dollars were involved, thats all.
It was only an opinion and if its created a friendly exchange then fine.
What does this mean? Do you have an opinion Bolly instead of sideswiping someone who's retired after 20+ years teaching and is divorced with two cash hungry teenagers because he can't afford to play £110 entry T's or £55 dym's as his skill/confidence levels couldn't deal with the likely losses. A lot of people play low stakes but they can still love playing and have opinions.
This is a forum and people are disagreeing with my opinion and i accept that. TBH some of my original points have lost some relevance because of what others have said here. Surely thats the aim of a forum for people interested in a particular shared hobby.
BTW you'd lose your BET concerning the £1.10 dyms ....its £3.30 and £5.50 actually.