Your spouse doesn’t think you play too much poker

Filed Under POKER SELF

but you think she thinks you do. So maybe spend a little quality time with her. Pass! Got other work to do? Pass! Don’t feel sharp? Pass! Just had a big meal? Pass! Forcing a short session? Pass! Just don’t have the bucks? Pass! Can it be that you never pass? Do you go play poker no matter what physical, mental, or financial shape you’re in? Knowing when not to play poker is crucial. Everyone talks table selection, but sometimes the best table to choose is (d) none of the above. When your frame of body or frame of mind deny you the possibility of playing your best, you must not play!
But many players play anyway. They quash the little tiny voice inside that says pass, and therefore enter the card room under falsest of pretexts: “Even though 1 don’t reaIly feellike playing, 1 feellike 1 can still play weIl. Probably 1′11 just play for a short speIl and then go home.” Go home broke that is.
WeIl, what made them go play in the first place? What drive or desire overrode their own best interest? Why did they put themselves at risk? God knows there are plenty of excuses for playing poker. Ever used one of these?
• l’m a professional, l’ve got to put in my hours.
• l’ve been working hard at my job and now 1 deserve
a break.
• 1 need sorne extra cash.
• 1 think my luck is turning.
• l’m bored or l’ve got nothing better to do or both.
• It’s right on my way to wherever.
• My spouse is traveling, and while the cat’s away the mice will play.
• It’s a holiday (or payday or graveyard shift) and 1 can’t pass up aH the loose money 1 just know is out there.
What reasons do you give yourself? How does your ne-farious urge override your judgment? It’s not a crucial ques-tion or anything; it’s just a matter of how honest you’re willing to be with yourself, and how hard you work to reveal that honesty. Oh, oh, sorry you don’t want to work on your game? Then thanks; l’ll take your money now.
Anyway, the fact is you don’t fail to work on your game because you’re lazy, you fail to work on your game because you’re scared. Scared to confront yourself.
Confronting yourself; writing it down: That’s the real hard work. If you write it down, you own it. There’s no hiding from the truth in black and white, and sorne people would rather just pretend that that truth doesn’t exist. Okay, that’s okay. They don’t want to take responsibility for their poker, but you do, don’t you? So ask yourself: Why do you play in the first place?
• To make money.
• To have fun.
• For companionship.
• For competition.
• For the comps and coffee.
• To test myself.
• To kill time.
• For the buzz.
• It’s a place where 1 can relax.
• It’s a place where 1 can shine.
• It’s a place where 1 can hide.
Or what else? What else? If you’re going to play poker, the least you can do is know why. Really know why. Don’t tell me you’ve already thought about it, because you haven’t, not deeply and meaningfully, not until you’ve also
written it down.

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