--- In [email protected], obbajeeba <no_reply@...> wrote: > > Ah, this is true! What about the "poker face?" The one > who says nothing because of fear on what others may see?
Can't speak to poker. I was never much of a player, and failed to find a mentor in the art as I did with playing pool. Pool was a little different. Poker is mainly a mental game, whereas pool is both a mental and a physical game. You need the basic skillset just to play, and at a certain level of mastery. With poker you just need to be able to sit down and ante up. But it's a good question about the concept of "poker face." Would an enlightened being have a good one, or would he be easy pickin's around the poker table on Friday nights, all the saints and enlightened beings kicking back in their undershirts, a bottle of Guru brand beer (there really IS a brand of Indian beer called "Guru") in their hands, playin' cards? Would an enlightened being draw to an inside straight, or not? Would one be able to pull off a bluff? These are all weighty philosophical questions, and I commend you for bringing them up. Like the AI bomb in "Dark Star" says, I must think on this further. Playin' pool, having a good poker face is not nearly as important as it is in poker. Whatever front you put on for the mark, you still have to be able to back it up on the table. You've gotta make the shot. For getting the mark to bet that you can't *make* the shot...well then you've got a point. There having a good poker face counts, and I would guess that in those days I had one. These days, I have no idea. Haven't played pool in years, and when I last did I wasn't very good at it any more. My mind could still size up the table and, when playing straight pool, plan 5 to 10 shots in advance. The trouble was that my body didn't remember how to play pool as well as my mind did; I'd flub the first shot in my imagined run of 10 shots and have to sit down on the sidelines. Sigh. > --- In [email protected], turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], obbajeeba <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > Turq, I really enjoy your honesty. You are a very loving > > > being who champions the wit of > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus > > > One day, I hope Raja Hagelin will give you a crown to lead > > Aleksa Palladinothe aspect of creating a blend of reality to > > Aleksa Palladinothe movement, Raja Turq. > > > > I'll pass on the crown, thanks. > > > > As you've obviously figured out, this was just > > a troll post, to tweak a few people here and > > see how they react. > > > > It's based on a bit of spiritual wisdom taught > > to me before I turned 20 by the guy who taught > > me how to play pool for money. I had spent my > > first year in college developing and honing my > > skills as a pool player, but before I met him > > I didn't know squat about playing for money. > > After I met him, and after I started to pay > > attention to what he taught me, I managed to > > pay for much of the rest of my education by > > paying pool, so I still put some stock in his > > advice. > > > > One of the best pieces of advice he ever gave > > me had to do with how to spot the "mark" in a > > room full of pool players. He taught me to > > "watch the banter." In his view, it was *not* > > just idle chatter people exchanged between shots. > > It was invaluable information that could be used > > to determine which players around the table were > > the most likely "marks" and who were just fellow > > hustlers like myself. > > > > His basic advice was this: "Look for flattery, > > and who uses it. Who compliments the other players > > on their shots, or on other aspects of the way > > they carry themselves? Those are the other hustlers; > > you don't want to waste your time playing them. Who > > you want to identify are the people who *fall* for > > the flattery, and can't seem to get enough of it. > > Those are the marks. Once you've identified them, > > the only challenge left is to figure out how much > > money they have on them, so you can take almost > > all of it. Everything except for cab fare home. > > If you leave them that, they'll be back the next > > night, ready to be fleeced again." > > > > Truer words have never been spoken by any spiritual > > teacher I've subsequently met in this life. They > > always *were* back the next night, ready to be > > taken to the cleaners again, and of course that > > is what happened. > > > > I submit that my mentor's advice can be equally > > applied to Internet forums like Fairfield Life. > > > > > Judy already knows I appreciate her, so no need to suck up. : ) > > > > > > Denise is fun. > > > > > > Bob Price is well, uh, trying his best. > > > > > > Ravi is the ancient's wisdom. > > > > > > Curtis is the blue sapphire on consistency. > > > > > > Robin..I am still learning to understand, which one is he? > > > > > > Nabby, his gracious cornfed soy jerky. > > > > > > Whynotknow, to place where it belongs. > > > > > > Archer, the bow. > > > > > > Cardmaister, seventhray1, merlin and Vag and anyone else in this category > > > who I may have missed, a golden ray of hope. > > > > > > Bharitu, wisdom. > > > > > > Raunchydog, a challenge. > > > > > > Mark Landau, much deeper than appears. > > > > > > FFLpostcount, all those who fit into the numbers game. > > > > > > I love you all. OXO > > > > Who will respond to all of this, and who not? If my > > mentor's theory is true, that should tell you a lot. :-) > > > > > --- In [email protected], turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Remember, this week marks the end of the recent contest > > > > in which FFL denizens were expected to reverse themselves > > > > and flatter the hell out of others here in an attempt to > > > > suck up to them. > > > > > > > > The contest has been a smashing success so far. As its > > > > sponsors figured, there has been such a lack of obvious > > > > sucking up here in the past that many were desperate for > > > > it. As a result, many recipients of recent suck-up posts > > > > have gone out of their way with their "Gosh...oh shucks... > > > > I don't deserve it" replies. In some cases it was almost > > > > as if they believed what was said. > > > > > > > > Great theater all around. I applaud everyone's efforts, > > > > and remind you that you've got a few more days to get > > > > your own suck-up entry posted. Awards will be given out > > > > for both the best apology/suck-up post and the best > > > > mock-humble acceptance speech post next Saturday. > > > > > > > > :-) > > > > > > > > For the record, I'm not playing. If I said it about you > > > > in the past, I meant it. *Someone* on this forum should > > > > at least be consistent. :-) > > > > > > > > > >
