SHIPS

[The Cougar]

Hi

[David]

Cougar,

Out of the 700 people (or there abouts) who qualify for state finals, 50 are from the leaderboard. That's 650 people who can qualify by playing at a venue once a week (of which most of them do).

Also, the NPLSA.com forum and the NPL are two separate entities. You have to remember that.

[Brett Kay]

Cougar i spent half an hour replying to that post.

The questions i wanted to know is what are you playing for?

In the first part of the deleted post you said you started playing purely for social reasons. What are you playing for now?

When i started playing freeroll poker. I placed in my first game. I was excited, it emphasised that i knew a bit about the game. And i was counting the days down to my first win. It took just over a year and a bit from my first game to my first win.

Throughout this time, i got frustrated. Mainly because i had the mindset that i was a good player and that i could out play everybody. I was Wrong

I took the line one night, that i was going to have fun, talk to people at the table. And just in general, enjoy myself, and not worry about points or position. I made it to the final table. Tossing a coin for my last 500 in chips. I made it to the final table, busted out in 8th still tossing the two schilling piece. (I still have it).

I had to stop playing. Mainly because i was playing too much poker. I had lost my love of the game. I will tell anyone i am not a poker player. I enjoy playing cards.

I can play spades, hearts, Euchre, gin, and Crib. They each have a unique strategy, there is only the thrill of being able to outmanouver a player. However there is always the next hand to get more points. Losing a point in euchre, gaining points in hearts. Losing a bid in spades. Chucking a 5 into a crib. Can always be made up later

In Poker, a different strategy is required because if you make a mistake, you have to work out how to get back into the game. Your not on level footing the best you can hope for is to get lucky so to speak. But there are players that won't let u get back, they will chip away, make you commit when you don't want to. In this case, its how you handle it that makes you a player.

I am not trying to be harsh here. But i think you need to re-evaluate why you play the game. And then decide on a course from there.

If i am wrong, PM me as i said i haven't met you and set me straight or you can respond in kind.

Brett.

That was the rest of my response.

[bennymacca]

cougar, is it possible to rephrase your comments such that they are a little more diplomatic?

Also, the NPLSA.com forum and the NPL are two separate entities. You have to remember that.

if cougar was critical of the NPL, then why should NPLSA remove posts, if in fact they are two seperate entities? shouldnt he be allowed to say anything that isnt offensive to anyone personally? i did not see the post, and for all i know it might have been rambling, irrational and wrong, but thats his right to post something like that isnt it?

i think that some of the people on this site are very thin skinned. i would like to know your thoughts cougar, me being a humble 1 or 2 game a week player.

[Garth Kay]

The Cougar's original post, it has been edited to remove just the mention of gambling:

A man is not a camel- don't know who first said it but we have all heard it.... well I'm afraid I've had enough. I am a camel to life, not to NPL. I started playing because I enjoy the company, something to do instead of watching repeats on TV but I'm done. My workload and other commitments prevent me from playing even the basic number of games to even qualify for anything. And the trouble is even when I play there is no equity- when I bet everyone folds because The Cougar only plays premium hands or I get squeeze played because some donkey wants bragging rights to say he put The Cougar out. I've been pissed on more times recently than the toilet lollies in the urinals.

I would like however to say say thankyou to all those people I've come to know and to the venues that have made me so welcome.

I would also like to stick my finger up NPL's bum for letting the "bigger is better" marketing practice put hundreds of small time players, single parents with limited childcare, shiftworkers and the self employed, out of the competition by no longer offering them anything. But you will still have a minority of players who role up eight times a week to boast about their 40+ average when in the real world they average 18. Long live the "Spirit of the Game"
This paragraph was removed by Garth because of the mention of gambling and the premise of promoting gambling.
My record at Poker stands on its own two feet

The Cougar- I love the thrill of the hunt
or I used to. I'm leaving one zoo to go to another.

[Nathan Butler]

I play the games soley for its social benefits.

Being staff i cannot make any points or win anything at all. Whether i play one night week or three nights a week. I don't need a peace of cheese dangled in front of my to make NPL worth being a part of. I play for the fun.

We also really don't need another debate on the fairness of the current system. It works.

One thing i am sure of is i am speaking from my own expreinces and my own opinion. One thing i have noticed about MOST negitive posts on the forum is that the contritutor always seems to prosent his/her perspective as if it is coming from a group of people.

Regards,

Nathan Butler

[bennymacca]

cougar, that sounds like a bit of "i'm too good for everyone" attitude.

if thats the case, then i am not sure the NPL would need you - go pro.
as as been mentioned many times before, and i agree with garth on this, the top 50 is only 50 out of hundreds.

if u want to make the state finals and not play much poker, then stay at 1 venue and make top 5 there. if you are as good as you say you are, then this should be easy. i say this because i only play 1 or 2 venues, and in S1, i WAS good enough to make the finals but the last two seasons, i am not good enough. after sulking i realised 4 things

1. i probably wasnt as good as i thought
2. other people are getting better all the time
3. reputation at a venue is good, but it soon goes away when u are not venue champion anymore.
4. NPL is a really really fun night out - if 8-ball or darts were as fun, then i would play them once a week also, but they arent.

so now i am looking forward to making my next state final, but its gonna be pretty tough.

[Garth Kay]

Hi Everyone,
I would just like to add that everyone is entitled to their opinion and thoughts and in most instances are free to express these opinions on this forum. As long as these opinions do not insult or attack any players or staff these are fine to post on these sites.
What the moderators and myself are becoming upset about is the lack of constructive criticism been offered by the small minority when they do post their obviously negative comments.
Whilst I respect the Cougar's view on the above matters something like this will not change the current system. To give you an idea of how well this system has invigorated multi game playing I will throw some figures out at you.
1.) We are now doing more players per week than at any other time in this state and are on par with Victoria for ppw. Not bad for a State with a lower population, and a definite lower metro population.
2.) The majority of states see almost 75% of their players play one game per week. In South Australia only about 53% of our players play one game per week. That's a huge difference.

Now in regards to your post Cougar; as stated above I respect your views and opinion and you are more than entitled to them. We are sorry to see you leave as you are one of the true characters of the game. We have over 700 qualifiers for our state finals, of that 700 only 50 from the State Leaderboard progress to the State Final. That equates to 7% of our qualifiers. The rest qualify by performing consistently at the one venue throughout the season. And not all players can play the same ten games at the one venue but may only play 6 to 8 games and still qualify.
A player of your self proclaimed ability should be able to qualify in 6 games at the one venue if selected correctly.
I thank you for your time playing with NPL and wish you all the best in your future poker endeavors.

[Des]

700 people in state finals (or there abouts)
50 people qualify from state leaderboard

7.2% of people who make statefinals are from state leaderboard. Not many at all.

To qualify through state leaderboard is a bonus. The main way to go through is to be the top 5 at a venue. If you play consistant good poker, and also show a venue some loyalty, then it should be easy. I know of some players who play 1 time a week and they will qualify.

The NPL isnt trying to weed out the "hundreds of small time players, single parents with limited childcare, shiftworkers and the self employed". They can still qualify very easily from the top 5. Theres approx 650 of those spots available.

As for the NPL not giving back to the players... i guess you dont want a piece of the 20k prize pool each season. Thats fine, one less player for me to worry about... theres only a 698 or so left now

Really I think you are just annoyed that this season people are beating you because they are either 1) improving their game, or 2) targeting you.

I'm finding the exact same thing myself, you have to improve all the time, adjust you game to the situation, change gears etc...

Take some time off, play some waterpolo or checkers, and then come back better than ever.

[Luke05(Jamo)]

i am starting to wonder why i play so much. but i love poker. all the staff and players have made me fell wellcome. the prizers npl offer are sick(great) for all the over heads the npl have and It's free to us players. i see no reasom why people want more than they are getting now for nothing. i am very happy how the npl is being ran. Garth and all the team are doing a great job in South Australia promonting poker to bigger and better levels every day of the year. getting back on topic the reason i play is 1. i fell wellcome 2.friends 3.make my self best player i can be 4. fun 5. some thing to do. My goal for my self over the next 4 years playing poker is to 1. make every state finals over the next four season for SA Npl 2. make heps more m8's 3. have a fuck load of fun 4. Make my self the best player i can be 5. win state finals. Long term Goal play In AUSSIE MILLIONS.