Go kevin Go!

[Mike]

Gentlemen, our friend Kevin (GM HON) has made a name for himself in poker. He is talking about 'going pro'. I am disturbed at the idea that someone can make a living off of gambling. True, it shows a quick mind, but it doesn't produce something for society. Kevin showed me an online article that argued that he should think about quitting his job and playing poker for a living. I didn't like it, so Kevin challenged me to rebut. Here's my response:

Kevin's from a fine family. Althought they play Bingo now and then, or go to the casino now and then, Kevin's fam has served in the public service of Canada for a long time. His father in particular helped to manage the buildings that protect other Canadian public servants from the harsh winters. Although some say government should have a lower role in society, I think government should give clear criteria for society (i.e. clinical trials) and set standards (ie.. safety equipment). Who knows? Maybe Kevin's dad helped to manage a building where someone made an effective decision on pharmaceutical drug regulations, or antiterrorism regulations that don't go overboard in violating individual rights, or analyzed competing bids to serve our armed forces in the dangerous south Afghanistan, or who made decisions in support of a key diplomatic agreement that influenced world affairs for the better, or made a key move that prevented Quebec from separating from Canada.

I could probably go on with 20 more examples.

However, this is the standard by which I will hold my friend, Kevin to. A career that serves the public. A career that builds the company and makes things happen. Sure, people can talk about his competitive nature and his dedication to showing he's the man. Talk about his football aspirations being harmed by an injury. But those arguments are weak in supporting a career in poker. "I am good at poker" "I can't making a living playing football" "I am a competitive person" are interesting arguments, but they are insufficient to bring one to conclude that a professional career is a good move. Not even "I can earn more money if I spent more time at poker" is enough.

No one is more aware of the risks of gambling than a player. I don't play, so I can't really talk about the chance of losing one's money. I do respect it, and it shows balls, but it's all relative. I can clearly state that by going pro one would want to earn a lot more money. That means going to win more money. Kevin now wins from silly people...poor players that are called 'fish'...for some reason easy marks are called 'fish'. Kevin has made an impressive amount by playing against overconfident university students whose parents give them too much money, and playing against people on weekend trips to casinos looking for excitement. Occasionally he has won against tougher opponents. And occasionally lost. He's won more than lost, so I respect that. I have no problem with him playing in 1-2 tournaments a month.

However, once one goes 'pro', suddenly the competition will get higher. More card sharks will be swimming, more money will be on the table. Kevin won't be able to play against the fish anymore...they don't risk enough money on the table. Kevin has beaten some tough opponents, but he also has mostly played against fish. The stress of going up against sharks over and over again would be tough. Sometimes a physical stress causes an injury that prevents a football career. Kevin now gets to choose his stress level: fish this weekend or shark? While he dominates the fish right now, and it's fun for him, well, going pro means he would face sharks all the time. It would be fun, but more stressful than fun.

Sometimes a man realizes that he's good at something. More than competitive, but really good. but, does that mean a man should do something? If you're a marksman, it's not necessarily good to go around shooting. If you're an investment banker, you have the power and opportunity to go into a company and rip it up to sell off its parts for profit, but it's not necessarily the right thing to do. If you're an allstar linebacker it's important to win the game, but it is right to use a helmet-to-helmet attack to give the quarterback a career-ending-injury? The point I'm trying to make is this: if you have the potential to do something, you need to have a better reason(s) to do it than to show how great, powerful, smart or competitive your are.

Showing that you're the man can be antisocial. Stealing a guy's wife shows you're the man, but it is antisocial. Distributing narcotics shows bravery, but it is antisocial. Preying on another's weakness in poker can be fun competition, but if the loser is a compulsive gambler it is antisocial. And, the more competitive it gets, the more antisocial things will become. Kevin will be subject to dirty tricks from his competition. Not as bad as in the James Bond movie, but enough to make him lose a key hand. Sugar in the gas tank? cutting of tubes in his engine?

At the same time, Kevin has an awesome opportunity to serve society, just like his dad. That's important, as the economy in Canada helps to support our socialized medical system which Kevin and I use. Kevin not only pays taxes, but his job provides key support to the economy. Specifically, Kevin

-Kevin has worked for the department of defence, keeping key data safe which enables our economy to grow.
-Kevin works for a computer service company that enables banks to operate. if the banks can't operate, well, canada's fucked.
-Kevin's company serves gas distributors. Without gas in this huge country, we couldn't drive. Canada would be fucked.
-Kevin operates a side company that provides service to private employers. For example, he built computer systems for dentists. Many canadian health care providers don't invest in computer systems. Kevin makes it affordable and comes in on weekends to get the job done. He and others like him ensures productivity in health and dental care. When kevin sets up a computer system, it enables easy sharing of the data of patients. This enables doctors and dentists to communicate more, reducing the costs of our socialized health care system. That's heroic. Someone won't realize it, but Kevin's knowhow will enable better service and better health.
-Kevin builds computers for university students. They will supposedly serve society in their own way, and the system Kevin builds for them will enable them to succeed...as long as they don't lose their tuition to Kevin in a poker game first!!!!

Kevin goes beyond benefitting the economy. For example, I did a masters
in Biochemistry studying a protein related to breast cancer, gene regulation and muscle development. I demonstrated that the protein was key to muscle development. Hopefully someone else will use this discovery and others and make a drug out of it someday. However, I also eliminated wasteful research directions. How did I do that? I went on the Internet. I found out what an expert's opinion was in Germany, in the U.S., or in Malaysia in a very specialized area of research. How did I prevent wasting time using the internet? Using a computer that I bought from Kevin, who custom-made it for me.

Kevin's work clearly made me more productive. Compared to that, poker is merely mental masturbation.

Finally, I did another Masters in Immunology, studying new antibiotics, hoping to find a new antibiotic that would combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In my acknowledgements for my Masters, I put Kevin Fillman.
If you google Kevin Fillman (with 'pages from canada' setting) you could find his poker accomplishments. But what is FIRST? His support of my thesis research is first. Strange that a computer program called google would randomly rank his support of scientific research with health skills above poker...one must wonder at the chances of that....

...but I take it as a sign that Kevin's Destiny is tied to things much more important and significant than poker.

[exit322]

And if he wants to do something with his life that you don't approve of, then he's a big boy and he can do that. Heck, if I could have a career from playing a card game, I'd do it in a heartbeat, too.

And if I somehow ever won the lottery (I don't play very often at all, so I don't see that happening), I probably wouldn't ever work again. Sadly, I wasn't raised in a family full of hard work and "get ahead by helping everyone," though there are a few ideas I'd have if I had the money to do it.

Alas, I don't, and I probably never will. Oh well. I'll always have this masters in accounting I'm working on. And maybe even a job someday.

[KevinGMHON]

thanks for you advice mike but im still just thinking about it im at least a year away if i try it.

Here is the article that he was talking about

http://blog.eurolinx.com/

From The Gridiron to The Green Felt
by: Bill Sparks



Kevin "coach-1973" Fillman, an avid poker hobbyist from Ottawa, Canada, stunned the local poker community by winning the first ever JackSeven TLB Championship in April of 2007. A co-production of the JackSeven.ca poker forums and Eurolinx Poker, the JackSeven TLB consisted of a 10 week season that culminated in a final table featuring the top 10 point earners from the season. Kevin was 9th overall going into the final table, but when the cards settled he was the last man standing and managed to win it all.


As a young man Kevin dreamed of becoming a professional football player and as he grew up his dream matured into wanting to be a world-class football coach and follow in the footsteps of his hero, Vince Lombardi. Unfortunately an injury in his youth would prevent that dream from becoming a reality. Nevertheless the competitive fire that burned deep within him and made him a great athlete never subsided.



In fact, I remember just a few years ago, Kevin and I went bowling together. It was my first time playing the sport and I somehow managed to beat him. A week later we went out again and he gave me a sound thrashing. He played like a man possessed and, scoring strike after strike. I later found out that he had gone bowling every night since our first match just to be sure he could beat me. He is without a doubt the most competitive human being I know.


Despite his fervent desire to always be the best, he manages to stay humble about his proficiency at poker. "I don't think I'm anywhere near the greatest yet; I have a lot to learn" he admits. I for one can attest to the fact that he has learned quite a bit since his humble beginnings in No Limit Texas Hold'em. You see, it was on vacation in the Dominican Republic, during a rain storm, that I taught Kevin how to play. We didn't have any chips, so we borrowed every box of "Connect Four" and "Scrabble" from the resort's recreation center and used the pieces for betting. I never could have imagined back then that I would be writing about his accomplishments just a few short years later.


When asked about his style of play Kevin says "I play defensively; I just bide my time, protect my stack and wait for my opponents to make a mistake". When asked if that style relies too heavily on getting cards to win, Kevin says "The key is to really capitalize on your opponent's mistake and always maximize your profits". Often seen as a tight player, Kevin admits "I do bluff; you have to in order to be successful, but I'm just very careful about when and who I bluff. I like to really pick my spots".


Kevin says he would like to one day take a shot at turning pro and having watched his progress and witnessed his unquenchable thirst to be the very best at anything he undertakes, I truly believe he has a shot. When asked about his chances of repeating his success in the second season of the TLB, Kevin says "I think my chances are very good. Besides, what's the point of competing if you don't believe you can win?". Time will tell, but for now, I can't think of a more determined, passionate player who could wear the JackSeven belt more proudly than my friend and worthy competitor, Kevin Fillman.

[pjohns]

Didnt read the full post but good luck to him. I dont mind gambling at all, if hes that good at it i hope he does well and doesnt go silly and knows when to quit, sure he does.