Poker News

John Carlisle

Imagine the following circumstances coming true: You started an online tournament just after getting home from work. A couple of hours later you are excitedly sitting at the final table with a big payday possibility. The one problem that you have is time, as your young daughter’s dance recital is scheduled to begin in only a few minutes. You nervously check your watch between each hand, wishing the flow of play would get faster. Really, you never dreamed the tourney would last this long. You now sit and ponder two images within your mind … yourself celebrating a sizable cash win or yourself swelling with pride as your little girl turns a perfect pirouette.

I recently spoke with perhaps the ultimate poker parent, Annie Duke. As a mother of four and one of the best poker players on the circuit today, she understands the heavy demands of juggling any career with parenting. “Whether you are a secretary, working at McDonalds, or a CEO, I think we all face the same issues.” She has faced these decisions time and again. She missed many high payout tournaments after the birth of one of her daughters, and has skipped high potential games to be at birthday parties and special events. “You do what you have to do,” she explained. Her current schedule is as crazy as ever, as she raises her kids while playing poker and plans a pilot called “All-In” for NBC loosely based on her life, prepares for her book release in September, and continues to consult with Ultimate Bet.net.

Like many sports and hobbies, poker can engross a lot of time, energy, and money. Finding a way to balance family life and poker life is a unique challenge due to the encompassingnature of poker. Families have been destroyed by a parent’s inability to properly find that balance. On the opposite side, many families have been strengthened and unified by experiencing and learning poker together.

One of the ways to prevent and combat difficult decisions such as the above scenario is to be especially mindful of your playing time. When you have a busy family schedule, you must carefully budget your time as much as you budget your bankroll. I’ve known parents who’ve had poker time scheduled on a calendar along with the kids soccer practice and Boy Scout meetings. Always expect the poker game to take longer than imagined, and have a “just in case” scenario worked out with your kids and spouse. Likewise, try to involve your family members as much as possible. Locking yourself in the basement for hours each night as you play will only isolate you. Your family does not want a parent who is emotionally distant. Instead, invite your wife and children to celebrate your wins, console your loses, and allow them to watch over your shoulder. Making them feel involved and invested will bring everyone closer. Hold a poker night around the kitchen table each month to laugh and play, together. Ultimately, try to find a way for poker to be a benefit to your family structure rather than a deterrent.

Now go make it happen.

Filed under: Poker News