~ P O K E R A R T I C L E S ~
Playing to When
"Time is money" goes the modern businessman cliche, a phrase so devoid of logic that it's likely to make anyone feel simultaneously intelligent and dimwitted just for saying it. The fact of the matter is time can be lots of things. It can be the reason for all the dollar signs on your paycheck, it can be a nice weekend getaway with family or friends, and it can be the difference between a gold and silver medal at the Olympics. Most prevalently today though, time seems to be what runs our lives. It's two direction arrows rotating around a circle telling us when to go, when to stop, and at what pace, frequently bringing about tons of unneeded stress and pressure. In many respects, time is not on our side.
When it comes to poker (did you notice I wrote an entire paragraph without using the word "poker?"), time is an invaluable asset to have at the table with you. And I'm not just talking about when you're shortstacked in a tourney and the impending blinds have just gone up another level, when even your chips start sweating. I'm talking more so about having the time to begin with to sit down at a table, live or online, and play some hands.
When I was in college last year, I would habitually go back to my oh-so luxurious on-campus housing partition, plop down on my bed, and partake in the usual 3 o' clock multi-table tournament on my favorite online poker room. It was always a pleasant break from the daily grind, even if the cursed pocket Kings appeared early on and led to my ultimate demise... again.
But before I knew it, I had to put on a robe and funny-shaped hat with something that entertained me for hours, walk across a stage to pick up a blank sheet of paper, and pass into a transcendental dimension known only as "the real world." And for those of you that may be wondering, the answer is no – it's nothing like the sexed-up nimrod-fest broadcast on MTV, although there are quite a bit of nimrods... but that's not the problem here.
The problem is that time seems to become scarcer and scarcer, and many of you reading this have probably already found that out years ago. When you have a hobby such as poker, that often demands certain allotments of significant time, how do you squeeze it in with all sorts of jobs, relationships, housework, and other miscellaneous grownup stuff? Well there are two obvious solutions: (1) Make it your job! Go pro! And (2), Play on the job! I've heard accounts of both taking place, and for most people, I wouldn't recommend either one of these. Sure it would be nice to live the life of Johnny Chan, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Phil Ivey, and the likes, but chances are you ain't got the skills or the intimidating looks (not to mention the bankroll) to make it to that level. Sorry kid, that's just the odds talking.
It'd also be nice to think, "hey, I have a computer at work... why not just play while I'm working to make a few extra bucks?" Well look at it this way – if your boss catches you playing at work, you just might have to follow those WSOP champion dreams of yours.
So that leaves you with playing poker in your free time, possibly even considering it a part-time job, as it can be a source of income. Keyword: "can." My primary thinking though, is that if you really like poker, then you should be able to see it more so as a little R&R and less as just another hassle in your day. If you're worried about entering an MTT when you have somewhere else to be in a few hours, or if you're getting impatient just waiting for the big blind to start you off at a cash table, then you might need to just back away and wait for when your schedule is a bit more flexible. The last thing you want is to tilt at the tables because you're mentally juggling all the crap you need to do. The only clock you're running on at the table should be a tournament clock.
The reality is that sometimes you'll have to accept the fact that there's less time in your life for poker or other hobbies. This has been the case for me, as I've had to cut down on MTT's and even SNG's as my free time becomes more sporadic. When I do play, however, I make sure that my schedule is open and my mind is clear, as the last thing I want is to put my play under unnecessary pressure. Doing so would likely make playing poker neither fun nor profitable, and would only add to the stressful events of the day. And I think anyone would agree that that's not a good strategy to have for poker, or for life in general.
Best of luck at the tables.
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