Different, But Same

Online poker to me used to mean, max out the amount of hands I can play to earn X amount of bonus dollars. Granted, when I sit down now to play I usually have multiple tables/tournaments up but its for a different reason.

To play profitably.

Its not to refresh the "bonus account" button every 15 minutes to see if I've played through my 1000 hand requirement. Nor it is checking the "raked hand" section of Pokertracker (I'll have a comment about this program later) to see if my Crypto bonus is near completion. When I find time to play, its to play to the best of what little ability I may have at this game/sport/gambOOling outlet. I can't tell you how refreshing this is to not feel tied to HAVING TO CLEAR A BONUS NOW NOW NOW. It allows people to enjoy and LEARN the game more by actually paying attention to the games when your bankroll isn't spread around 15 different sites with pending bonuses.

Sure some sites offer great cash back incentives like Absolute, which offers a reload bonuses with the consistancy of Pamela Anderson showing her tits in a magazine. But, what if you don't like staring at her cleavage and prefer Lindsay Lohan (pre-crack addict diet, please get those curves back!!!)? Does it make sense to put good money into a site that doesn't appeal to you, yet offers the warm, fuzzy blanket of financial security? For the wimp I am, yeah it does make sense. I could play .50/1 LHE at Absolute and with its never ending bonuses, make a profit without becoming a profitable player. But to break the mold I've weened myself off the nipple of chasing bonuses and its made poker enjoyable again (I admit, its not an adequate subsitution for live poker). I hope that the enjoyablity will turn into moving up the ladder of limits and with a little luck, some pots will be pushed my way.

Start rant.

Pokertracker. I love it. Great tool for showing me when I acted like a tool on the virtual felt. Here's the rub. Paying for PT Omaha. I'm sure it took time to develop the patch to the existing application and maybe financial windfall should come come from that effort....

But.

Why should I pay an extra $50 for a variation of something I've already purchased? I plan on playing a lot of Omaha since its been a far more profitable game for me then Hold Em'. Without the use of PT Omaha it will make the decision to play Omaha only a little more difficult since I will not be able to analyze my mistakes with a program that I already paid for (I'm repeating myself, I know). I'm not sure how to catagorize this whole thing, is it like Microsoft charging you for Windows XP patches, or is it like Microsoft charging you for an upgrade from Windows 95 to Windows XP? Or is it like adding on Linux to a system that is already running Windows? In my mind, I've already purchased Pokertracker, the Omaha patch/addition should be included since its called POKERtracker, not HoldEmTracker. I'm sure there will be some disagreement and I'm not normally one to "rock-the-boat", but this subject to me feels like a mosquito bite that itches but don't want to itch it because it will make the itch worse.

End rant.

Thanks for dropping by, now go here to see the ball game I'm taking Little Drizz out to tonight. Stale 3/2 beer and brats will be consumed at a rapid pace :)