DeucesCracked Blog Comments

Comment on Economics is Fun by nawhead

nawhead — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:16:28 +0000

thanks for the recos. i've already read both How an Economy Grows books (by father and son), and i've started on Hazlitt right now. also, i'm watching this old documentary with Milton Friedman (Free to Choose) debating other thinkers, so i'm getting totally immersed in the Austrian/free market school of thought right now, and it's pretty solid.

Comment on Economics is Fun by Mullanimal

Mullanimal — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:26:04 +0000

I highly recommend two books: How an economy grows and why it crashes - Peter Schiff Economics in One Lesson - Henry Hazlitt Schiff explains economics in such an easy to understand fashion. The second is a fantastic exercise in shooting down fallacious economic propaganda that encourages you to think for yourself. Here is a quote: "The bad economist sees only what immediately strikes the eye; the good economist also looks beyond. The bad economist sees only the direct consequences of a proposed course; the good economist looks also at the longer and indirect consequences. The bad economist sees only what the effect of a given policy has been or will be on one particular group; the good economist inquires also what the effect of the policy will be on all groups." Hazlitt tries to encourage you to put yourself in the position of the good economist described.

Comment on Holding Pattern (Virtual Linsanity) by nawhead

nawhead — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 05:03:03 +0000

i'm even buying special mechanic's gloves. chicks dig guys in gloves.

Comment on Holding Pattern (Virtual Linsanity) by mitch

mitch — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:35:48 +0000

You're so manly.

Comment on Skate or Something by nawhead

nawhead — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:42:02 +0000

works better than coffee!

Comment on Skate or Something by mitch

mitch — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:27:29 +0000

Ya cold showers are the nuts. Not sure why more people aren't aware of the benefits.

Comment on Best tilt on film ever? by snarble5

snarble5 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:55:53 +0000

One of the best blogs on DC. :)

Comment on Best tilt on film ever? by AshThePro

AshThePro — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:51:53 +0000

Yurp. Like giving the fish your stack over and over again is going to prove your point that you're better than him? "An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field. " - Niels Bohr I like that one. Theres nowhere to go but up if this is true for you or anyone else who takes on a learners mindset

Comment on Balla Constitution by kerwinty

kerwinty — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:32:47 +0000

awesome. like it.

Comment on Microsessions by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:58:33 +0000

thanks! and well, i used the word microsession, but it could just as well be micropractice also, like some drills. i was going to add an addendum (guess this comment will serve) that 2-minute is just an idea. if actually trying to play a session, it would be more realistic to make it longer than 2 minutes. the point is to get momentum to start a session and use the 2-minute concept as a lure. that if the idea of putting in a 2-minute session is daunting, something is very wrong with our motivation.

Comment on Microsessions by Ass Get to Jigglin

Ass Get to Jigglin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:54:00 +0000

One of the best blogs on DC, lots of really interesting stuff. Keep blogging. Any ideas for what to target in your 2 minutes for poker?

Comment on SNAP (out of it!) by mitch

mitch — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:48:21 +0000

I'm a man so just efficient.

Comment on SNAP (out of it!) by Zialum

Zialum — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:09:22 +0000

You a multitasker or are you just efficient mitch?

Comment on SNAP (out of it!) by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:35:57 +0000

mission accomplished. aww yea.

Comment on SNAP (out of it!) by mitch

mitch — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:14:44 +0000

I didn't have time to play today, but this made me play video games, get drunk and whack off for 15 minutes.

Comment on SNAP (out of it!) by Zialum

Zialum — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:48:49 +0000

I didn't have time to play today, but this made me play for 15 minutes.

Comment on A Talebful Tweetmas by nawhead

nawhead — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:27:29 +0000

lol good one.

Comment on A Talebful Tweetmas by Zialum

Zialum — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:11:10 +0000

"I trust those who earn their living lying on their back more than those who do so sitting on a chair (hint: I read in bed)" Why I always lie on the floor when firing 3 barrels at my home game. Enjoyed the quotes amigo.

Comment on Be Like Gravity by Ass Get to Jigglin

Ass Get to Jigglin — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:54:40 +0000

hahah ^^

Comment on Be Like Gravity by mitch

mitch — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:18:51 +0000

Didn't read the first line so was thinking WTF NAWHEAD IS A PRO TENNIS PLAYER??? for a few paragraphs.

Comment on Be Like Gravity by Ass Get to Jigglin

Ass Get to Jigglin — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:56:58 +0000

cool excerpt

Comment on Why are we here? by snarble5

snarble5 — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:34:16 +0000

Was Stu Ungar really as good as he makes himself out to be?

Comment on Good Horse, Bad Horse by nawhead

nawhead — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 06:04:51 +0000

legend.

Comment on Good Horse, Bad Horse by mitch

mitch — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:12:13 +0000

Bad Horse http://youtu.be/7X1VjGsZeyw

Comment on What will keep us here? by Ass Get to Jigglin

Ass Get to Jigglin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:38:14 +0000

love that commercial

Comment on Why are we here? by gaojie

gaojie — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:35:27 +0000

cool video man!

Comment on Why are we here? by nawhead

nawhead — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 01:08:41 +0000

no sandwiches for me. no chicken sandwiches either. actually, on second thought, i'd like a chicken sandwich. XD

Comment on Why are we here? by HJD

HJD — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:42:54 +0000

pretty epic video, i think thats the reason most people play poker, to try to become that good!

Comment on Why are we here? by huntse

huntse — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:49:22 +0000

Joking aside, that moment from high stakes poker where Durrr bluffs into Barry Greenstein's aces and Peter Eastgate's trip deuces, then says to Barry after they both fold "You didn't have the best hand, *he* had the best hand" just blows my mind every time.

Comment on Why are we here? by huntse

huntse — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:01:28 +0000

I'm here because someone said you get free sandwiches. We do get free sandwiches, right?

Comment on Why are we here? by mitch

mitch — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:14:20 +0000

I'm here for the chicks.

Comment on A Quoter's Guide to Optimism by Estist

Estist — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:27:11 +0000

I feel much more optimistic already! Thanks for posting! :)

Comment on A Quoter's Guide to Optimism by hansgeertsma

hansgeertsma — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 07:37:36 +0000

nice summary of quotes, thx for sharing

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by Acombfosho

Acombfosho — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:20:34 +0000

"hot shit" - nelly

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:31:53 +0000

true. but we have to start somewhere. and being aware is a good start i think. it would be impossible, and a waste of time really, to be a completely original thinker in every single aspect of one's life. i'm fond of the concept of satisficing: making a sub-optimal decision that's merely good enough due to the prohibitive cost of analyzing the problem fully. poker players should be very familiar with this feeling.

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by TecmoSuperBowl

TecmoSuperBowl — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:00:24 +0000

Nice! There's some irony in posting Crichton's quotation :)

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by nawhead

nawhead — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:01:17 +0000

as many as you have time to read.

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by AshThePro

AshThePro — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:05:21 +0000

Wow! Nice work! What books would you suggest?

Comment on A Quoter's Guide To Thinking by tychoon

tychoon — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:10:09 +0000

Me like.

Comment on Brand New by orestto

orestto — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:27:34 +0000

Great Tyson video, GL sir!

Comment on Brand New by dayoldhater

dayoldhater — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 18:45:37 +0000

Wow that trailer is crazy, Work Week and Body combo pack arrived yesterday, gogogo!

Comment on Smooth in Spring (March goal 2) by nawhead

nawhead — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:30:30 +0000

i meant not chatting during play, in the chatbox (huge leak of mine), but that works too! :)

Comment on Smooth in Spring (March goal 2) by SnappieVouz

SnappieVouz — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 08:41:52 +0000

no chatting in between is a pretty smart idea! When chatting you are still behind your screen, while taking a break should also mean getting away from the screen Very good point man

Comment on Get up. by Omnipotentme

Omnipotentme — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 07:13:49 +0000

That vid is awesome. Made me want to boot up pokerstars and grind nonstop till the nosebleeds even though I'd most likely end up broke. I may have to watch this during all my breaks and when I don't feel motivated to play.

Comment on Get up. by nawhead

nawhead — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:13:14 +0000

i am this man.

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by nawhead

nawhead — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:34:08 +0000

the "broadband installers" is myelin. you're right, this section is weak out of context without evidence for the alternative theory. it's really my fault since i purposely cut that part out for conciseness. kiddie version: http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/features/early1/early1.shtml more from the book: http://books.google.com/books?id=gIHSN-ht0xQC&lpg=PA68&ots=KXgXGJQphn&dq=talent%20code%20the%20traditional%20way%20of%20thinking%20about%20talent%20has%20gone&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q&f=false

Comment on Get up. by Azurehaze

Azurehaze — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:54:07 +0000

is this the asian nawhead?

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by BaseMetal

BaseMetal — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:54:25 +0000

Maybe there is a lot more to it and I haven't really got enough context butI just think the whole extract doesn't provide any incite. At the top he seems to criticise the "trad view" of talent, nature and nurture, as being vague almost useless. He then brings in a very dubious extreme, clearly unbelieveable section to say how evolution obviously does not work this way. Then brings in a closer view of brain development where small blocks form networks using some sort of feedback - using an analogy of broadband - I am happy with this although I don't think it is well explained. Then postulates that with these blocks it is better if they are more adaptive in youth - fine but no proof. But another part of it that I don't understand is that this sounds to me like a model of nature and nurture, the thing he said was vague and quite useless. I don't see any incite in this section just some vague babble.

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by nawhead

nawhead — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:34:09 +0000

it's obviously not a academic book on evolution, it's a popular science book. you're right, it's quite a bunch of baloney if you're expecting a rigorous argument. but i take it as more a thought experiment in trying to look at talent in some rational light rather than the default line of "i am talented because i was chosen by destiny." the default view of talent is not based on anything at all other than belief in magical randomness, God, destiny, . nobody's ever propsed a scientific model of what this means. anything, at least anything based on what crude empirical evidence we have today, even if it's in its infancy, is better than that. is your argument simply that the straw man he proposes for the traditional talent myth not solid enough? well, yes, it is pretty flimsy, because the idea itself can't very well be proposed as a scientific theory! that's the problem! it's just this mushy, meaningless belief in some unknown process. it's like heaven. or unicorns. or ghosts. it belongs in the realm of fantasy. and i think we have to excuse Coyle, he's a journalist, not a scientist or a debate geek. he could go into the finer points of what he's actually trying to do, but then i'm sure he'd lose most of the audience in trying to be so rigorous. i think just beginning this discussion is more important at this point.

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by BaseMetal

BaseMetal — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:56:41 +0000

Maybe the book is very good but this extract about evolution appears to be complete baloney and is then used to imply proof of a point. I am not an expert in genetics but this approach to evolution or arguments appears mad. "One obvious design strategy would be for the genes to prewire for the skill" I don't think anybody in their right mind would think that early brain programming for future complex tasks in advance would be good design path or even possible in any way. This extract seems to start with a terrible plan and then move on to say that a 2nd approach is better than this and hence the correct or good path. " Now let's consider a different design strategy. Instead of prewiring for specific skills, what if the genes dealt with the skill issue by building millions of tiny broadband installers and distributing them throughout the circuits of the brain? The broadband installers wouldn't be particularly complicated--in fact, they'd all be identical, wrapping wires with insulation to make the circuits work faster and smoother." This is almost as sensless as the earlier statement. Almost but not quite, so I have to agree the second is better but still it has no bearing on reality. This being slightly better than some earlier mad statement is not a proof that "the traditional way of thinking about talent" is wrong. The rest of the book may be very useful but none of the section you quoted makes sense to me.

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:49:12 +0000

I rate it best of all 4 of those books. it's pretty much perfect. Outliers 2nd. Bounce 3rd. Talent Is Overrated last.

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by watch3r

watch3r — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:23:23 +0000

How would you rate The Talent Code alongside presumably similar books like Outliers, Talent is Overrated & Bounce?

Comment on You Are Not Talented at Cards by DntWryUllWin

DntWryUllWin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:45:21 +0000

Great read.

Comment on Reset Button by ZyPhReX

ZyPhReX — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:28:42 +0000

Great advice. It really does work o_O

Comment on Generally Cocky (and Feb goal 1) by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:08:57 +0000

thanks 2four! I'm watching the Coaching Kristy series now, and it's great when Baluga explains that the value in bluffing is not by putting someone on a strong hand and getting them to fold it. and that the goal is to minimize creating aggressive dead money vs good players while maximizing creating passive dead money from bad players. my idea of bluffing right now is too much of the former. not looking at the cashier isn't so much tilt (tho it's part of it), it's to focus my mind on the things that matter and to smooth out the noise. daily variance of some situations doesn't tell me anything meaningful about how i played. knowing whether i'm up or down everyday is statistical noise, and i expend emotional energy needlessly trying to figure out where my money "should be," and what i "need to" happen next session to get me back on track, etc. when a million hands might not be enough to figure out one's true winrate (thanks Tolerance), then what the hell am i doing looking at daily results? and ultimately it's a concession that it's not a battle worth fighting right now. and i'm playing with a big enough roll (and willing to reload) that it shouldn't be a problem at all.

Comment on Generally Cocky (and Feb goal 1) by 2fouroffsuit

2fouroffsuit — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:06:47 +0000

With the big play thing, I like that you are looking back to revisit your reasoning when your big play doesn't work, but make sure that you are also looking back to revisit them when it does. Remember that you are always up against a range, and you should focus on what parts of that range you are trying to fold out when you are bluffing. I think that Baluga summed it up pretty well when he said (and I am paraphrasing): You don't make money in poker trying to bluff people off of strong hands, you make money by making them fold weak hands, but ones that are stronger than ours. The cashier thing is funny for me. I am really good at not checking it while I'm playing, but the deeper thing is why does it tilt you in the first place? I think that I actually need to check it more than I do now (for a stop loss when I take shots). Best of luck :)

Comment on Generally Cocky (and Feb goal 1) by eskojones

eskojones — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 23:50:03 +0000

+1 on the hourly breaks, I usually grab a drink, stretch, get some air (balcony) and soak up a few minutes of sun. Also a light weight session before sitting back down seems to make me feel great heading into the next hour of poker.

Comment on Never ask a man if he is from Sparta (Jan goal 2) by GingerViking

GingerViking — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:11:06 +0000

Really interesting, this is something I need to stop doing. Cashier tilt has to be one of the most common leaks among good players.

Comment on The Money Isn't Enough by DntWryUllWin

DntWryUllWin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:36:13 +0000

Very cool

Comment on The Money Isn't Enough by GingerViking

GingerViking — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:30:07 +0000

Very interesting

Comment on On Finally Getting A Tetris Dream by dayoldhater

dayoldhater — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:22:52 +0000

In mine I couldn't cut or count my chips, and I had no clue what the denominations were. It was actually a really annoying dream.

Comment on Orphans Rule The World by Acombfosho

Acombfosho — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:53:49 +0000

nice post!

Comment on The Final Piece of the Mental Game by AshThePro

AshThePro — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:17:43 +0000

Ah I gotcha. Yeah that makes sense. And yeah, the black swan is pretty dry overall, although it is getting better. Its taking me a long time to get through. Not like a Malcolm Gladwell book. Doesn't flow as well and I really have a hard time understanding it sometimes. I have to re-read paragraphs constantly.

Comment on The Final Piece of the Mental Game by nawhead

nawhead — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 21:51:36 +0000

i've read Fooled By Randomness many times, but only just a few pages of The Black Swan. it starts off a bit less dramatically and much more scholarly (dry) than Fooled i think. Taleb actually says Fooled is "not very deep" compared to Black Swan since he wrote the first in his spare time. but i think that's why i like it. but he says both books are essentially the same, so i can't be missing too much. as for the final piece, you're right. there never should be an end to mental growth. i'm merely referring to a key component that i think i was missing from pushing me further in my game, namely motivation. i can't be motivated to do something if i think i'm lying to myself or i'm being misled by others (either consciously or out of ignorance). it was Taleb that put that doubt in my head. and he also put it back. and i think i'm stronger for it!

Comment on The Final Piece of the Mental Game by AshThePro

AshThePro — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:41:31 +0000

You've read the black swan? I'm making my way through it right now. Its kind of dense, not like something I have read in a long time. BTW, There is never a final piece. Thats counter productive to your mental game. Its similar finding "the one" it doesn't exist and never will in this universe