Dealing with Negative Stereotypes associated with being a professional poker player

[Zybomb]

Discuss

[JDMcNugent7]

dont tell ppl till u really know them.
prob best decision i couldve done - also never say how much $.
my gf still has pretty much no clue she just knows i dont need a job.

[Wes]

Once you figure it out, tell me.

[Zybomb]

Easier for someone your age (in college) harder for someone like me who when meeting new ppl one of the first questions is what do u do??

[Invigilator]

As a teacher, I know there are always people who crap all over a certain profession. Pro-Poker players are bound to get this more than pretty much any other legitimate job. (read that carefully, I am NOT saying it isn't a legitimate job).

The problem is, that is not likely to ever change. Surrounding yourself with those who are supportive of your life is always a good idea. Others, kick to the curb. When you invariably are put off by people who look at you side-ways, return to the good people.

[Fildy]

"but how much did you lose?"

[Talking Poker]

If you'd play online more, you could get away with telling people you "work on the internet" without even lying.

I dunno. It's definitely weird. Most people just don't understand, since they think poker = gambling = you can't make money = you are a degenerate loser.

Then there are the people who think it's cool and say stuff like, "Oh cool. My uncle is a professional craps player" or some shit like that.

*sigh*

"He won $40,000 playing slots once." Ugh, just shoot me now.

[Talking Poker]

Exactly.

Seriously, it's just easier to lie. Depends on who the person is, of course, but if it's like your parents friends or something, just come up with a cover story and stick to it. You're a manager at an Italian Restaurant. Piece of cake.

[melioris]

internet consultant = online poker professional.

consultant specializing in risk assessment = live poker professional.

saying you are a consultant guarantees no questions about your job.

[melioris]

or, open a college biochemistry textbook to a random page, memorize the third paragraph and tell folks you are a research technician at Albert Einstein Med School. We asked what you work on, start reciting your memorized paragraph. You will never make it past the second sentence with anyone listening or caring.

[Daomonk]

this tickled the hell out on me and i needed it

ty sir

[Invigilator]

Just don't memorize the index at the back of the book. That would sound dumb

[Robbie Robb]

FYP

[PShabi]

Fuck 'em????

[Kurn]

Now, this would work for me, since I don't give a rat's ass what people think. In fact, at my friend's daughter's wedding earlier this month, that's exactly how he introduced me to people - as a poker pro.

However, you need a really strong self image to have this kind of attitutde. Not everybody does.

[Zybomb]

I agree with a lot of the responses (fuck em) but In some situations its not the most practical... like for example u meet a girl and first speak to her parents -- u cant really have the fuck em attitude lol

[Kurn]

Indeed, then you can just say "I arbitrage currencies on the internet."

[Fildy]

I almost think you can still have a fuck em attitude. I mean, you have been playing poker for a living without any other income for (insert months/years here) and you haven't had a problem supporting yourself yet. On top of that, and I'm sure that this is true with most of the members here, if for ANY reason poker ever heads south, and you need a new career, you have a skill set that will allow you to get a good job and still keep the lifestyle you have, if they don't understand or support that, then indeed fuck 'em.

If you go through life seeking or waiting on the support of people in everything you do, you are going to spend a lot of time waiting, or even changing. You are who you are, you do what you do, fuck what others think, seriously.

[MAYHEM45]

I can still get away with being a professional "student".

[juiCe[3x]]

I agree here, who cares what other people think about you...Be what you wanna be.

[Zybomb]

Ok you're both missing the point of my example here.

In the example I gave (meet a girl then her parents and inevitably what u do comes up) theres going to be a lot of uneasy moments with a girls father who hears the guy his daughter is seeing has no steady income and appears to be a degenerate loser (father kows nothing about poker lets say). ... so it's not a "who cares what ppl think do you" thing, it's just whats a good way of dealing/explaining out with the situation to make it smooth/better

this isn't an actual situation for me here, but i think its a very good example of what i was tryin to ask.

[Fildy]

Fuck it, you are an investor.

Why is life so complicated.

[Talking Poker]

Agreed.

The "fuck em - I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude sounds nice in theory, but there are a lot of times when it would be completely stupid in practice.

[juiCe[3x]]

I think the best way to deal with this is to explain (or try to atleast) everything with him. Explain how the game isn't just gambling and maybe even bring up your past and how you are a consistent winner and its more like a job than they think. You can also bring up the skills you have as a back-up just in case.

It probably would be a good idea to explain to him how you have money set aside specifically for poker and how you mange your bankroll and how much you take out when you win and how you have discipline when knowing when to quit and/or moving down if you really need too.

[Fildy]

Challenge him HU in a cash game, after a while he will agree that you are financially sound, and perhaps will ask for his money back.