any poker players out there?

lemur option

Hey guys,
I'm looking, on behalf of gamesoc, to see what interest there is in a poker tournament/ poker nights in the students centre in the next few weeks. We have at least two experienced players/dealers and are looking to see if anyone is interested in either learning the game (most probably texas hold'em though if requested we could play five card or omaha) or if anyone is interested in playing with other similarly experienced players.

Due to college policy we can't run the games/tournaments as gambling events so they would have to be freerolls but since our first attempt at the coffee morning yesterday was such a success I thought I'd advertise it to the college at large.

Please reply if you're interested with your experience level and whether you would be interested in playing weekly or tournament events.

in the case of a tournament we'd look into the college policy and probably arrange a suitable non-cash prize or something for the winner(s).

Theresalwaysone

Blah, no poker player who is arsed wants to play for anything other than cash. It is what the game is ALL about.

Good luck with this, I tried to keep PokerSoc going but Butler was having none of it.

I would be interested in helping with something anyway if needed. I play pretty much daily.

Stepherunie

I know there's a group who play in the student centre every Friday evening I think.

You should ask them too.

elmyra

I'd play and I know how to play.... but freeroll is kinda boring.

stereoroid

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

Blah, no poker player who is arsed wants to play for anything other than cash. It is what the game is ALL about.

And this is why I got turned off from poker in the last few years: the emphasis on making money. You can see this when players go in heavy (or even all-in) before the flop, which is basically saying "I'm out to attack the other players, who cares about the cards?" :rolleyes:

It wasn't always like that. You can always treat a social game as practice for money games. If you're already making money in casinos, good for you, but we are talking about students here, with limited money. I might be interested if it remains social, and the sharks stay out.

Grimebox

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

Blah, no poker player who is arsed wants to play for anything other than cash. It is what the game is ALL about.

That's opinion not fact

stereoroid wrote:

And this is why I got turned off from poker in the last few years: the emphasis on making money. You can see this when players go in heavy (or even all-in) before the flop, which is basically saying "I'm out to attack the other players, who cares about the cards?"

It wasn't always like that. You can always treat a social game as practice for money games. If you're already making money in casinos, good for you, but we are talking about students here, with limited money. I might be interested if it remains social, and the sharks stay out.

Thats like asking good football players not to play a game because theyre way better than you. People play to win!

lemur option

wow there is actually interest.

Yeah I know what you guys mean about the money thing but hey I don't make the rules, phil (gamesoc auditor) keeps drilling into me that playing for money is just not an option. "theresalwaysone" what exactly was butler's reason for stopping the society? was it just the gambling issues? and are there actual rules or is it just discouraged?

while this isn't enough interest for a tournament I may set up a night in the next two weeks for holdem it'd just be a social practice session no money (as I said not my rule) probably with two/ three tables and a few hands at the beginning to determine what standard everyone is at so as to even out the experience at the tables. most probably won't be this week what with vaticon so soon. Prob tuesday 8th or thursday 10th.


PS.
I'd say either myself or Darwin will be take a complete beginners- beginners table to explain the game or whatever so if you want to learn or are hazy about the rules don't worry help will be at hand.

SuperHans

We used to play tournaments for cash weekly in the student centre when I was back in 1st and 2nd year(now 4th year). Has the policy changed? I thought that the whole thing fell apart because no one was arsed to run it.

mac123

must be the only college in the country that doesnt allow poker..for money that is. it is a game that is designed to be played for money!

the evil lime

Well, I'll ask again, but I'm pretty sure I'll get the same answer.

gerry87

There's no legal issue as long as chips themselves aren't worth money, i.e a cash game. A tournament is fine. Pubs have tournaments all the time. Perfectly legal.

Slash/ED

stereoroid wrote: »

And this is why I got turned off from poker in the last few years: the emphasis on making money. You can see this when players go in heavy (or even all-in) before the flop, which is basically saying "I'm out to attack the other players, who cares about the cards?" :rolleyes:

Even aside from money...That's the whole point of the game! Do you not approve of bluffing!? In poker!?

tribulus

While I'd prefer cash games anyway, not being able to play for money would turn poker players off and I'd imagine even some beginners would like the opportunity to win 50E or whatever for a good night out or help with rent etc. I don't want to win a load of book tokens!

So yeah I'd be interested in playing but only for cash prizes and if bluffing and "aggressive" play is allowed, lol.

Slash/ED

Besides anything, money, no matter how small, will have more people trying to win instead of it degenerating into a farce not worth playing. It's not about the money per sé, nobody made a living playing the fiver weekly tournaments of last year, but if it was free in and no prizes nobody would bother putting any thought into their play and the thing would last around twenty minutes.

Theresalwaysone

Its all about money. Fact.

Theresalwaysone

stereoroid wrote: »

And this is why I got turned off from poker in the last few years: the emphasis on making money. You can see this when players go in heavy (or even all-in) before the flop, which is basically saying "I'm out to attack the other players, who cares about the cards?" :rolleyes:

It wasn't always like that. You can always treat a social game as practice for money games. If you're already making money in casinos, good for you, but we are talking about students here, with limited money. I might be interested if it remains social, and the sharks stay out.

Listen Grandfather 5 card stud, , its all about money.

Ah no, I jest, I am a student too and I can see why you'd think the game isnt all about money, but fundamentally, it is.

Theresalwaysone

gerry87 wrote: »

There's no legal issue as long as chips themselves aren't worth money, i.e a cash game. A tournament is fine. Pubs have tournaments all the time. Perfectly legal.

Nope. Not in UCD. Prizes cant be cash. Must be vouchers, tokens or whatever but not cash.

tribulus

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

Nope. Not in UCD. Prizes cant be cash. Must be vouchers, tokens or whatever but not cash.

Why exactly is that? Is it just the Societies Officers ruling or is their a legal issue? And if so why UCD/universities and not pubs etc. as Gerry87 said.

Slash/ED

tribulus wrote: »

Why exactly is that? Is it just the Societies Officers ruling or is their a legal issue? And if so why UCD/universities and not pubs etc. as Gerry87 said.

I wasn't aware you played poker

tribulus

Lol, not recently, I actually intend on finishing college without repeating multiple times... //off topic

So is there no chance of this rule being changed?

Slash/ED

You're an awful ****

the evil lime

As I said, I'll ask, but I doubt it. We shall see.

lemur option

Since this thread seems to be gathering a lot of poker players I told carfax I'd put this up

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055265256

this is a link to a thread about the irish student poker championships this weekend.

This weekend is also vaticon our gaming convention so myself and theevillime are out, but for the rest of you who are interested meet carfax in the student bar opposite the eng block at 7. If I can I'll get someone (probably darwin) to be there with a pack of cards and some chips.

all details for the tournament can be found via the thread above.
sorry about short notice. I only found out about this last night myself.

Dave!

lemur option wrote: »

wow there is actually interest.

Yeah I know what you guys mean about the money thing but hey I don't make the rules, phil (gamesoc auditor) keeps drilling into me that playing for money is just not an option. "theresalwaysone" what exactly was butler's reason for stopping the society? was it just the gambling issues? and are there actual rules or is it just discouraged?

while this isn't enough interest for a tournament I may set up a night in the next two weeks for holdem it'd just be a social practice session no money (as I said not my rule) probably with two/ three tables and a few hands at the beginning to determine what standard everyone is at so as to even out the experience at the tables. most probably won't be this week what with vaticon so soon. Prob tuesday 8th or thursday 10th.


PS.
I'd say either myself or Darwin will be take a complete beginners- beginners table to explain the game or whatever so if you want to learn or are hazy about the rules don't worry help will be at hand.

Sounds good! Aim for Thursday if ya can and I'll probs be able to go! Could probs bring a mate too

FWIW, I agree that people are more inclined to take it seriously if it's for money -- even a small amount. I don't mind either way though, cos I'm a relative n00b and don't like losing my money!!!

Bubs101

I'd be up for playing but it's kind of pointless with no money. Everybody would just be playing too loose as they'd have literally nothing too lose. Does the no money rule apply to friendly games as well as organised ones by societies?

the evil lime

I have no idea I'm afraid.

lemur option

Right myself and phil have agreed to take this to the authority and ask butler himself. We may be shouted out of the office or we may just argue into the night, either way we're gonna find out exactly what the college's policies are, what we're allowed to oranise and what we're not.

and bubs, while I imagine the policy is meant to extend to private friendly on-campus games I doubt there's much they can do in that situation.

stereoroid

Slash/ED wrote: »

Even aside from money...That's the whole point of the game! Do you not approve of bluffing!? In poker!?

Is that what I said? Try again.

There's bluffing, and then there's bulldozing your way in to a hand with a near-total disregard for the cards. Of course it happens sometimes, but if it happens every other hand, you're not fooling anyone - yet that is what I saw last time I played. Killed the game stone dead for me - most of the time I never even saw the flop. The balance shifted too far towards bluffing, and away from - remember them? - the cards. If you think that's "the way it is", fine - if it's that way in Irish casinos, I won't bother with those either. I don't need this.

OK, let me put it another way: what about thinking in terms of a "poker university"? Somewhere students (i.e. financially-challenged) can learn more about the game before hitting the casinos? It takes a lot of hands before you get a feel for the cards, and you can't do that if you get treated like a "cash cow" for the more-experienced players.

That's why social games - even pub games - are for chips, not hard cash on every hand: it lets you stay in control of what you spend, not get badgered in to spending your rent on "one more hand". (No, I was not suggesting freeroll only - just keep cash off the tables & limit rebuys.)

breadmonkey

stereoroid wrote: »

Is that what I said? Try again.

There's bluffing, and then there's bulldozing your way in to a hand with a near-total disregard for the cards. Of course it happens sometimes, but if it happens every other hand, you're not fooling anyone - yet that is what I saw last time I played. Killed the game stone dead for me - most of the time I never even saw the flop. The balance shifted too far towards bluffing, and away from - remember them? - the cards. If you think that's "the way it is", fine - if it's that way in Irish casinos, I won't bother with those either. I don't need this.

OK, let me put it another way: what about thinking in terms of a "poker university"? Somewhere students (i.e. financially-challenged) can learn more about the game before hitting the casinos? It takes a lot of hands before you get a feel for the cards, and you can't do that if you get treated like a "cash cow" for the more-experienced players.

That's why social games - even pub games - are for chips, not hard cash on every hand: it lets you stay in control of what you spend, not get badgered in to spending your rent on "one more hand". (No, I was not suggesting freeroll only - just keep cash off the tables & limit rebuys.)

No offence stereoroid but it's obvious from this post that you don't really know what you're talking about. Playing for no money is totally pointless. If you can't take people "going all in pre flop" or whatever I can assure you that a game not involving money will be even worse. You can play online for free and for tiny stakes with real money if you want to get a feel for the game before playing live.

And you can "control" what you spend (as you should) through good bankroll management. (i.e. don't ever play with more than say 5% of the total amount of money you have to play poker). If this total amount for you is of the order of €50, then you have two choices:

1) Grind out 1c/2c cash games online or play $2 tournaments.
2) Accept that this isn't the game for you.

As theresalwaysone said, "it's all about money".

stereoroid

breadmonkey wrote: »

No offence stereoroid but it's obvious from this post that you don't really know what you're talking about.

Fine - have fun, people. If you think the only difference between online and offline Poker is the amount of money involved, then there's no point discussing this further. If your post - offensive comments and all - represents Poker today, in Ireland, I have better ways to spend my time and money.

tribulus

But the thing is, that's the way poker has always been, everywhere.

Edit: I thought you meant the playing for money part.

Tbh it's quite easy to counter the over the top aggressiveness anyway.

If there was actually a big enough demand for tournaments with non-cash prizes then great for those who want to play that but I honestly can't see that happening.

Also fair play lads for getting the confirmation, best of luck with it.