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Analogy: Poker & Highway Driving

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SpoR   United States. Aug 11 2008 04:40. Posts 1254
So the other day I was driving to work like I normally do down PCH (Highway 1, it runs down the west coast of USA). Its somewhat of a scenic drive from Huntington Beach to Seal Beach. There are wetlands, nice beach views, oil rigs out at sea, and there is even the occasional naval gunship docked at the military base. Anyways this gives me time to think or reflect (if I'm not listening to music).

Usually I am running late or even if I'm not I hate the fact that people drive like 10-15 mph slower than the speed limit (because I usually drive at -5 to +5). So I got to thinking, Poker is a lot like freeway/highway driving.
There are a lot of shitty drivers out there and most of them you can get past. You can use your skills and judgement and slip into a 3 second passing window and take a lead position on the freeway (at least until the next intersection).
You can calculate when to start coasting to conserve gas when you see a red light a quarter mile ahead, or likewise you can calculate that it'll be green by the time you get there so you don't need to break.
You can dodge and weave in traffic all the way from the back and be at the front of the pack at the next red light.
You can keep your eyes scanning way ahead for cops as you break the speed limit meanwhile keeping focus on driving.
Usually you can always pick out a top contender in the pack of cars to try and stay ahead of.
You can make a luck based decision to get into the right hand lane at a red light even if there are more cars if you take into account that 40-50% of the that lane will turn and give you an edge in the 'race'.
You can make similar decisions based on what kind of car a person is driving; Generally the bigger the vehicle the slower the driver who likes to cruise, and its best to get behind sports cars because they obviously like to go fast. You can even think 3-5 cars ahead and add them all up +1, -1, and take which lane will move fastest. Its not fool proof, but it is a +EV strat just like counting cards in Blackjack.

Its almost as good a feeling as winning a big hand as it is rolling up to a 20 car stop light and making it to the front of that pack after 4-5 miles.

But just like poker, you can't always make it there. No matter how good you are. Sometimes the shitty drivers form a slow moving road block and just don't let you pass, sometimes you hit every red light and can't get an edge, sometimes the right lane stays full and lose you 3 positions, sometimes the sports cars drive slow and throw you off- sometimes the vans haul ass (like me ;P ).

But just like Poker you keep at it, keep driving the way you do and it pays off in the long run. Don't give up just because you're having a bad streak of luck with the old men Ferrari drivers or the cellphone girl doing her makeup and blocking your opportunity to slip in today.
You can't win them all but you will win more often then not, and that's the only way to win.


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ZERG!Last edit: 12/08/2008 18:08

Baalim   Mexico. Aug 11 2008 05:08. Posts 34246

worst blog post ever

Ex-PokerStars Team Pro Online 

Syntax   United States. Aug 11 2008 08:18. Posts 4415

lol i liked it

btw, didnt know u were charliemurphy. we met at that lan in garden grove for a little :D

wut wut wutLast edit: 11/08/2008 08:39

Deamon615   United States. Dec 03 2008 01:50. Posts 63

You changed my life with this entry. I'm dropping out of school and pursuing driving on highway 1 as a full time career now


 



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