On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 16:34:45 -0500, you wrote: >At 07:39 04/03/2004 -0500, Ike Porter wrote: > >>Brother Ike's first rule of poker states that all bills shall be paid, >>food shall be in the cupboards, and money must be in savings before thall >>shall sit at the table. Ignore this rule to your own folly and >>consequence. >> >>Brother Ike's second rule of poker states that poker can be played with >>friends but is NOT a friendly game. Ignore this rule to your own folly and >>consequence. > >I agree. Poker, like the commodities market, is properly played with money >that you would otherwise throw in the ocean. That's the trick. Back when I could afford to go to one of the four casinos within 15 minutes of me (have I mentioned how much I love San Diego lately?) my rule was, I bought chips with money I could afford to spend and lose. That way, you're playing the cards, not your stack. Playing your stack is a bad way to play. Of course, if you're having a bad night, there's no shame in just picking up a half rack, cashing out, and going home, either. I did that one night when I lost over a rack to that bastard who had the ace flush over my king flush. Just picked up my other two racks and walked, because there's no way I was in mental shape to win that money back after that hand.