The Show Was Worth Seeing, but Not Worth Going to See

Dr. Samuel Johnson was a famous 18th Century literary figure. He created one of the first dictionaries, and Boswell’s story of his life is considered to be the best known biography in the English language. Dr. Johnson once described a play as “worth seeing, but not worth going to see.” Of course, I frequently think of things in terms of poker, and this clever quote is no exception, and therefore a fitting starting point for this column.

Unless you are a poker superstar with lucrative endorsements, you are basically a worker. Most specifically, you are a day laborer, being paid by the hour. You don’t get benefits like medical insurance or paid vacations. You can maximize your hourly earnings by playing in the most lucrative situations you can find, and avoiding those where your hourly win rate may be minimal or even non-existent.

As I noted above, there are no paid vacations. You can, however, decide to travel to tournaments in interesting venues. My favorites include London, Paris, Barcelona, Melbourne, and the Caribbean. I haven’t played in Macau or South America, but I would like to at some point. If possible, I try to combine a week of poker with a week of touring. These tournaments are often a little easier than those in Vegas, where I live. Which brings me to the quote which inspired this article. I find a lot of these tournaments are worth playing in, but they are not worth going to play in.

If my typical weekly earnings average $2,000, but I can average $4,000 a week at a foreign tournament, it is certainly worth playing there. Even if I attempt to be frugal (no first class air fare or five star hotels,) my expenses are high. They exceed the extra $2,000 a week that I expect to earn abroad. On a dollars-per-hour basis, it is even worse. There are wasted travel days, with no earnings. Jet lag may make me less effective. How can I resist doing some touristy, but expensive stuff? Not to mention my girlfriend. She manifests very little enthusiasm for a trip to Tunica, Mississippi or Commerce, California, but trips to Paris or London are quite appealing. Not only does this create additional expenses, but also she is a distraction. I do more touring and less playing. When I play, I may be a little less focused, since I have to keep in mind outings we plan to do together.

This doesn’t mean I’ll never play in these wonderful venues. It just means that I can’t really rationalize these events as above average earning opportunities. In fact, I am often hoping to break even for 10 days of combined poker and touring. We became players, rather than doctors or lawyers, for the freedom it gives us. Part of this freedom is the opportunity to travel and experience the excitement of some wonderful cities. I certainly encourage everyone to go to any tournament in any venue that interests them. Just don’t try to convince yourself that these ventures are big money-makers. These foreign events are worth playing in, but not worth going specifically to play in. ♠

Steve ‘Zee’ Zolotow, aka The Bald Eagle, is a successful gamesplayer. He has been a full-time gambler for over 35 years. With two WSOP bracelets and few million in tournament cashes, he is easing into retirement. He currently devotes most of his time to poker. He can be found at some major tournaments and playing in cash games in Vegas. When escaping from poker, he hangs out in his bars on Avenue A in New York City -The Library near Houston and Doc Holliday’s on 9th St. are his favorites.