Professional Poker Player - Is it bad karma?

[becomethepath]

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Edited September 8, 2013 by becomethepath

[Jetsun]

If you aren't hurting anyone then the only bad karma you will suffer will be from your own beliefs, if you have been conditioned your whole life to think gambling is sinful you subconsciously might set yourself up to be punished, but if you haven't I don't see any problem.

[baiqi]

Are you planning to become a professional poker player?

 

I don't think gambling is a good thing in general, but if it is to earn a living, well there are many other jobs that are much more harmful to others and yourself than this one... So it's seems ok to me.

[C T]

If you learn how thoughts are spontaneously liberated as they arise, make it part of your awareness, then no new karma will accrue, but you will still have to gradually ride out the old ones, no exceptions.

[ralis]

I was wondering is being a professional poker player, doing it for a living as a way to put food on the table (not a gambling addiction btw), does this profession generate negative karma?

 

Let's say I win a lot of money in tournaments and then donate some money to buddhist temples and homeless people.

 

But on the other hand, in these tournaments, you take money (chips) away from other players, but everyone agreed indirectly that it's a $100 buy-in or whatever, they know their stake is at risk and they agreed to it, so is this neutral then if I do win their money (chips) from them?

 

Poker requires skills and strategy, and I wouldn't view it as a form of gambling but a hobby.

 

Have you played the game? HoldEm poker is extremely complicated and will never be completely mastered. Forget about karma. Karma is used to make you make you feel guilty by the ruling religious elite. Nothing more than crowd control.

[Marblehead]

Have you played the game? HoldEm poker is extremely complicated and will never be completely mastered. Forget about karma. Karma is used to make you make you feel guilty by the ruling religious elite. Nothing more than crowd control.

I just knew I would see you in this thread. Hehehe.

 

I don't gamble but I see nothing wrong with it as long as there is no cheating going on.

[ralis]

I just knew I would see you in this thread. Hehehe.

 

I don't gamble but I see nothing wrong with it as long as there is no cheating going on.

 

I just had to say something given that the OP seems to dealing with guilt and fear. Donating to Buddhist temples is just another way of attempting to deal with so called negative emotions, where none should exist in the first place.

[Marblehead]

I just had to say something given that the OP seems to dealing with guilt and fear. Donating to Buddhist temples is just another way of attempting to deal with so called negative emotions, where none should exist in the first place.

Yes, I did notice where you were coming from in that post. Good job!

[becomethepath]

I just had to say something given that the OP seems to dealing with guilt and fear. Donating to Buddhist temples is just another way of attempting to deal with so called negative emotions, where none should exist in the first place.

 

Well whenever I do have money, I always donate to homeless people even before playing "poker". Not out of fear, but because of compassion I have for them.

 

I'm just trying to find a way to earn a living by doing something I actually don't mind doing. I feel miserable in the job I currently have.

Edited June 21, 2013 by becomethepath

[ralis]

 

Well whenever I do have money, I always donate to homeless people even before playing "poker". Not out of fear, but because of compassion I have for them.

 

I'm just trying to find a way to earn a living by doing something I actually don't mind doing. I feel miserable in the job I currently have.

Send me a PM.

[becomethepath]

I want your opinion on this. What is your view on gambling, poker in relation to buddhism?

Edited July 22, 2013 by becomethepath

[silent thunder]

If everyone is at the table of their own free will, I don't see a problem.

[becomethepath]

If everyone is at the table of their own free will, I don't see a problem.

One of the problems I've come across is, bluffing, you bluff in order to have the opponent bet more money, knowing already you have the winning hand. Everyone plays with their own money, and if I win, I'm "winning" money from other players? And it's a hard to know if a person is betting his whole life savings or gambling with his retirement savings money or about to lose his house and needs to win.

[becomethepath]

I also read about the six evils of gambling on buddhism, squandering wealth, losers moans loss and etc.

Edited July 22, 2013 by becomethepath

[ralis]

One of the problems I've come across is, bluffing, you bluff in order to have the opponent bet more money, knowing already you have the winning hand. Everyone plays with their own money, and if I win, I'm "winning" money from other players? And it's a hard to know if a person is betting his whole life savings or gambling with his retirement savings money or about to lose his house and needs to win.

 

If you feel this way, then don't play the game. Just as simple as that. I guarantee that if you have such an attitude playing the game, you will be a loser!

 

Most people don't have the emotional stability, knowledge of math, or the patience to sit in a game for 50 hours a week for years. Bankroll variance with the unexpected bad beats, can take an emotional toll in holdem poker.

 

Having a fantasy of being a big time player is quickly eroded by the daily variance. Poker is a grind!

 

As far as bluffing is concerned, the one bluffing may not have the best hand but is wanting the opponent to fold. From what you are writing, you seem to have very little knowledge of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2013 by ralis

[silent thunder]

One of the problems I've come across is, bluffing, you bluff in order to have the opponent bet more money, knowing already you have the winning hand. Everyone plays with their own money, and if I win, I'm "winning" money from other players? And it's a hard to know if a person is betting his whole life savings or gambling with his retirement savings money or about to lose his house and needs to win.

I don't gamble but if I did...

 

Play the game to win.

Gamble only what I can afford to lose.

Don't become attached to any hand or game.

Let my opponents take care of their motivations and life situation.

[ralis]

Becomethepath,

 

Have you played much poker? Or is this just a fantasy?

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx-rwkSvIDE

Edited July 22, 2013 by ralis

[becomethepath]

I've played poker before at the casino. It is a grind.

[thelerner]

Hmnn, there is a way to win consistently.

Be the house not the player.

that is the trick.

Edited July 22, 2013 by thelerner

[ralis]

I've played poker before at the casino. It is a grind.

 

 

For weeks or months?

[becomethepath]

For weeks or months?

for like two weeks haha

[ralis]

for like two weeks haha

 

That is a small sample of playing time. Hardly enough to see the variance. Were you playing limit or no limit? 8 hours a day or more?

Edited July 22, 2013 by ralis

[becomethepath]

I was playing limit, i played a lot of online poker on yahoo games for practice, it was more like 1 hour days, right now, I just need to know if its against the precepts or if buddha prohibit "gambling", i've been researching on this topic, there hasn't been a clear cut answer, people say its okay, people say its not okay to gamble or play poker

Edited July 22, 2013 by becomethepath

[ralis]

I was playing limit, i played a lot of online poker on yahoo games for practice, it was more like 1 hour days, right now, I just need to know if its against the precepts or if buddha prohibit "gambling", i've been researching on this topic, there hasn't been a clear cut answer, people say its okay, people say its not okay to gamble or play poker

 

 

Instead of following some ancient religion, why not make up your own mind.

[Esteam'd Punk]

I'd suppose it would be okay as long as there isn't any suffering on the Buddhist's behalf, LOL.