COVID and live poker, again (1 Viewer)

People becoming blasé about health issues does not mean those health issues have gone away.

I try not to base health decisions on vibes. If anything, other people taking things more casually just increases my risk.

I'm not going off of vibes, either. I'm going off of real-life observations. COVID isn't a big deal anymore. Not where I live, anyway. People aren't afraid anymore. In fact, people feel stupid for being so afraid in the first place. We prefer to live our lives. If that means I'm "taking things more casually" than you would like, well, that's on you. Not me. I will continue to go out in public places and not be afraid.
 
Newborn baby on the way. Probably gonna take a 3-6 month card hiatus. Pumped he/she is coming during football season but that’s also flu szn.

Otherwise it’s common sense. If ur sick stay home, when you send the invite remind players don’t come if your feeling sick or have a cough. If someone shows up or if im playing w someone and they appear sick I’ll cash out or at minimal speak up if its bothering me.

Covid was rampant during wsop. And so was cigarette smoking lol I actually would mask up during all breaks bc hundreds of people in the hallways and bathrooms is disgusting. Mostly to limit the smell. A good n95 masked fitted tight will work short term, but certainly not going to do the job for 6-8 hours during poker unless you have some serious discipline.

If your health is a concern, it’s going to take away from your poker time. Just like poker, you have to weigh your risks.

If your game is as good as it sounds (because we know it LOOKS GREAT!!!), you probably can stop going to other people’s games…and maybe just lower your limits a bit to help keep your game strong. Less bomb pots, button straddles, different ways to tighten the game up without it being obvious.

We don’t start bomb pots until 3 hours of play. Then every 45 min. No button straddles. Etc…

Obviously take ur Vit D and Vit C.
 
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My parents are in their mid-70s. My wife's parents are in their mid-70s. They have zero concerns about COVID anymore. If people want to mask up and shelter in place, go right ahead. But like I said, most people seem like they are ready to move on.
Shelter in place like Covid is an active shooter, or shelter in place like I have a 2lb bag of Cape Cod chips and a 16oz jar of ranch jalepeno dressing and leave me alone type shelter in place?
 
Shelter in place like Covid is an active shooter, or shelter in place like I have a 2lb bag of Cape Cod chips and a 16oz jar of ranch jalepeno dressing and leave me alone type shelter in place?
The latter is way more fun … let’s go with that one
 
Shelter in place like Covid is an active shooter, or shelter in place like I have a 2lb bag of Cape Cod chips and a 16oz jar of ranch jalepeno dressing and leave me alone type shelter in place?
Cape Cod chips are out, Fox Family chips are in. End PSA.

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This is classic cost benefit equation. You can lock youself in a bubble and probably achieve close to zero risk. But at what cost? Personally, I was willing to stop licking escalators and also stopped putting poker chips in my body holes. It was a sacrifice I could live with.

Nothing is sure fire. Every game is a dice roll. If you play a lot and only get Covid once a year, that’s probably pretty good. Will cutting the the games by 20% get you to zero? Nope. You might get unlucky and have it more. Only thing guaranteed to protect fully is locking up in the proverbial bubble.

No sense arguing about the other methods. Mask if you want, open the window, obtain and test body fluids from those you play with, whatever you want. I’d say away from off label bleach applications, but off label horse medicine might be okay. I don’t really know. Check with your doctor and vet.

Pestilence is a fact of human existence and has been forever. We just forgot that for a brief window of time.
 
I stated earlier in this thread, if you're sick, stay home. If you're hosting and you're sick, cancel. That's just common sense both pre-COVID and post-COVID.

Zero concerns and ready to move on, means that I don't worry about any virus, COVID or otherwise. If people are worried, they can mask up and shelter in place.

And again: You’re most likely to be highly contagious before you know you are sick. Which is why I am thinking about playing less, being even more selective about where I play, and using the highest-quality mask available.

Getting sick sucks. No matter what it is. It is hard not to feel that for some ideological reasons people want to not count COVID as really sick.
 
This is classic cost benefit equation. You can lock youself in a bubble and probably achieve close to zero risk. But at what cost? Personally, I was willing to stop licking escalators and also stopped putting poker chips in my body holes. It was a sacrifice I could live with.

Nothing is sure fire. Every game is a dice roll. If you play a lot and only get Covid once a year, that’s probably pretty good. Will cutting the the games by 20% get you to zero? Nope. You might get unlucky and have it more. Only thing guaranteed to protect fully is locking up in the proverbial bubble.

No sense arguing about the other methods. Mask if you want, open the window, obtain and test body fluids from those you play with, whatever you want. I’d say away from off label bleach applications, but off label horse medicine might be okay. I don’t really know. Check with your doctor and vet.

Pestilence is a fact of human existence and has been forever. We just forgot that for a brief window of time.

Part of why this bugs me is because I have almost never been sick for the past 25 years (since I left a big city where germs were everywhere).

My doctor sees me once a year for a checkup. Never broke a bone or been hospitalized. If I didn’t work outside managing a large property, I’d have few aches and pains. I get a lot of bruises and cuts and soreness. I accept those risks.

Being out of commission for a week every year because of an airborn virus that many want to shrug off… Well it’s something I would like to avoid or at least minimize. Not sure why that is unreasonable.
 
It’s true that germs prefer the city because of public transportation.

Germs can’t legally operate a motor vehicle (much like @Josh Kifer).
Hahahah. You fool. Idaho doesn't believe in public transportation. That's socialism!
 
And again: You’re most likely to be highly contagious before you know you are sick. Which is why I am thinking about playing less, being even more selective about where I play, and using the highest-quality mask available.

Getting sick sucks. No matter what it is. It is hard not to feel that for some ideological reasons people want to not count COVID as really sick.
And again: if you’re afraid to get sick, just play less or stop playing live entirely. Everyone knows that you can be sick and not show symptoms of being sick. That was the case pre-COVID as well. I’m not bringing ideology into this at all. Even though you clearly want me to. I’m not falling for it.
 
Part of why this bugs me is because I have almost never been sick for the past 25 years (since I left a big city where germs were everywhere).

My doctor sees me once a year for a checkup. Never broke a bone or been hospitalized. If I didn’t work outside managing a large property, I’d have few aches and pains. I get a lot of bruises and cuts and soreness. I accept those risks.

Being out of commission for a week every year because of an airborn virus that many want to shrug off… Well it’s something I would like to avoid or at least minimize. Not sure why that is unreasonable.
I didn’t say it was unreasonable to not want to be sick a week a year, but I did indicate it was unrealistic unless you take drastic actions. That’s all. A slight change in expectations might be better than a major change in behavior. Or not. That’s something you have to decide.

I hate losing with aces. But it happens. Last night I lost a big pot with aces against 5 7. Sometimes they get there. I guess I could prevent that by folding aces pre. Or change my expectations to align with equity that is not 100% preflop. But ultimately everyone is free to play their cards however they like.

Most people agree it’s bad EV to raise aces and fold 72. Just like most people agree it’s best not to lick escalators and put poker chips in body holes.

But move down the charts and lots of different opinions arise. And poker is way simpler game than infectious disease avoidance, so the game tree is a tad more complicated.

I guess you try the jab?
 
There is some medical research suggesting that the more times you get it, the more likely you are to have other cascading long-term health problems as a result.

Blame it on that damn gain of function (which is, but isn’t there) - lol.
 
The only options I see are:

Get immunized. Everybody.

Sure, you can also do any of the other things you mentioned. But don't discount the most effective and widely available and long-lasting option.

It's like playing AA. Yes, you will get cracked occasionally. But your pre-flop odds of winning are so good that you have to play them. Have to have to have to.
 

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