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There are few things that are so unpardonably neglected in our country as poker... Why, I have known clergymen, good men, kindhearted, liberal, sincere, and all that, who did not know the meaning of a 'flush'. It is enough to make one ashamed of one's species. — Mark Twain
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What is the Game of Poker Really About?
Lots of motivations exist for playing poker. When I write about poker sites, I always write from the perspective of making decisions that make the most money possible. But really, your goal in poker, as in everything else in life, is to maximize your utility. Utility is a term from economics referring to overall satisfaction; think of it as a variable that somehow combines money and happiness (because money and happiness are not the same thing).
When I play poker at poker sites for US players, it just so happens that I maximize my utility by maximizing my expected profits. I'm a competitive son-of-a-gun who's addicted to the thrill of victory, and I like making as much money as possible. Competitive players like myself have a tough time understanding those without the same killer instincts.
This is a huge step from simply saying I'll let my opponents make however many mistakes they want. For example, perhaps some player loves getting drunk and watching opponents' reactions to bad beats that he puts on them. The amount of money this player loses is more than compensated by the joy this person experiences from playing the way he does. And in this player's worldview, he's playing optimally by playing drunk and repeatedly getting his chips in with the worst of it, because the best online poker play is being measured in terms of utility instead of dollars and cents. This is why it's important to play and various online poker sites at the right time.
It's amazing how people sitting down playing the same game can actually be playing different games. Pokerstars is wonderful in so many ways, and this is just another one. On the surface, it appears to be a zero-sum game (well, before accounting for the rake). But actually, it's possible for the overall utility of the table to increase (or decrease). Maybe you're a pure money player looking for a PartyPoker bonus code who gets in a huge pot as a favorite against an action junkie who loves the ride regardless of the outcome. You get your positive monetary expectation, and the action junkie gets his adrenaline rush. Meanwhile, two skilled players get involved in a huge pot. The underdog wins, but is pissed off about making a mistake, and his opponent is mad about having lost the huge pot when he was way ahead.
I know this article on holdem poker tips seems to be a huge departure from my usual make the most money possible material, but I think it was an important one. Understanding what online poker can be to different players can only serve to help us in our quests to maximize our individual poker-playing utilities. And through this filter, maybe we can begin to think of holdem poker as a game played by people, and give all players the respect and dignity they deserve“regardless of whether they play profitably. Or you can just go play some online casino games and have some fun.
Take a break from playing online poker and play Immortal Romance Slot for a change of pace.
