Quote from Rearden Metal:
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---> Of course trading is a better lifestyle. It's also a better game. Poker=checkers/Trading=chess.
Though I respect a lot of what you write, I couldnt disagree more with this statement. Poker, beyond the superficial understanding that most losing novices have, is extremely complex.
I do not know what your depth of experience has been, but from what I have read, I understand that you mostly played mid-limit (30-60) games. The strategy there is night and day compared to the strategy needed to play high no limit (10-25 upto 200-400). I do not play these limits, but have several friends that do.
In no-limit the cards become less important, and position and stck size increase in value. There is a reason that 'kids" (19-25yrs) make 300k-500k/month consisitantly. It is not luck. They are able to read an opponent, not so much as to whether they are bluffing or not, but to how much of a bet they will fold to. Obviously it is a little more complicated than that, but this skill lets say gives them a 60-65% edge going into a game, if one were to have that edge when entering a trade...
If you want to see something sick, when in Vegas check out the high stakes no-limit tables. Stacks of cranberry colored chips ($25k) infront of guys who have to show proof of age to play. No, I dont understand it either. Or, you can just as easily go to FullTIlt.com or Ultimatebet.com and watch some of these insane games, 100-200 or 200-400 NO LIMIT. It is not a rare occurnce to se 200-300k pots.
In the 80's, an intelligent, motivated 21 year old became a millionaire in investment banking. In the 90's the same 21yr old became a millionaire as a stockbroker. Late 90's to 01' it was daytrading. Now it is online poker.
