Winning Hand
Lucky or not: I applaud Michael J. Mooney for a well-written article ("Royal Flushed," August 7). His complete description of amateur poker pros is right on!
Most of the advice from the players he spoke to is correct, in its own crude way, not as articulate as some people might like, but direct to the point. Swings are part of the game, and losses must be thought of as a "redistribution of funds."
We all must remember any two cards can win; that's why it's called gambling. So yes, even the donkeys who never should be in the hand walk away winners sometimes.
Luck, skill, or whatever you want to call it, is part of this wonderful game of Texas hold 'em.
DZ
Via web commentary
Know when to fold 'em: "Royal Flushed" points out some good facts but is way over the top in glamorizing playing poker for a living in South Florida. Anyone who claims to play poker for a living in this state is a wannabe, a jerk-off, and, furthermore, a degenerate. It is impossible to sustain a high standard of living on a game with a maximum buy-in of only $100.
The best players in this town are not the self-proclaimed pros. They are the doctors, lawyers, professors, CPAs, and businessmen who would never consider themselves "poker pros" out of sheer embarrassment.
Things are going to get very ugly when regulators raise the "buy-in" limits in Florida. That will separate the men from the boys. Donkeys willing to risk their short stack of $100 bills will have to think twice when the bet is $500, $1,000, or more. Self-proclaimed pros used to sleeping in their cars better get used to sleeping in streets and on park benches.
For the good, solid players, we can't wait for that day. It will be the day of retribution.
Dominic
Miami Beach
Poker problem: Very sloppy journalism regarding the legality of online poker. There is not a law on the books that says it is illegal in any capacity. Online poker has never been defined in any piece of legislation that has attempted to get rid of online gambling. Although a law passed in 2006 that attempted to do so, it applied only to those who facilitate the transfer of money. Playing poker online has always been, and still is, 100 percent legal.
Hunter
Charlotte, North Carolina
Veep Show
Good for a laugh, at least: Regarding "Man Up, Charlie!" (Thomas Francis, August 7): Ha ha ha ha! Crist probably isn't gonna become vice president, so at least we can have fun at his expense!
Laura
Via web commentary
Long Way from Gay
Learn from this: Regarding Elyse Wanshel's July 10 article, "Gaytastic!": Mixed martial arts is a modern combat sport that attempts to blend various types of unarmed combat into a sanctioned setting, while eliminating maneuvers generally regarded as "dirty fighting": e.g., biting, eye-gouging, and strikes to the groin. It is a sport of tremendous athleticism and skill. It is also a contact sport. There are many contact sports accepted in American culture that involve close bodily contact between males, most notably football, basketball, and hockey. So it puzzles me that you would construe mixed martial arts as "gay."
It suggests a lack of objectivity on your part, which is perhaps a defeating characteristic for a journalist. You are judging the sport with preconceived notions, rather than examining facts. I recommend that you revisit your evaluation of the sport. And in a general sense, you might want to revisit your approach to judgment, this time examining the facts.
Evan Peck
Houston, Texas
