The folly of Sharkscope.com
September 3rd, 2008A few weeks ago, I sat at a (virtual) table with Keith Sexton in a HORSE tournament.
I won.
I didn’t just beat him. I took control of the table and bluffed him out of at least three pots. I also beat everyone else at that table. I wasn’t prepared for the fame/notoriety I got.
From that point on, I’ve had stalkers in the online poker world. People I don’t know telling me that they “know me.” But not just that, they also know that I’m a donkey (a poker term for a fool – you just keep carrying money to the table) and an “idiot.” It took me a while to figure it out, but there is a new generation of poker player that thinks they can use SharkScope to measure a person.
That “idiot” comment came from someone just before I busted him in heads up play. He said he “knew” I was an idiot because of my “ROI.” (That’s from sharkscope.) Those were the last words he typed as all his chips were shipped to me.
That’s a fool’s errand and I welcome it. If you think you can size up a player by reading dubiously collected stats of their performance over the last two or three years, PLEASE sit at my table. Did it ever occur to any of you math geniuses that I’m working on a table image and you’re gullible? When I want to win, I usually do.
I just beat Keith Sexton again as well as everyone else at the sit-n-go table where I played him. This time I chatted with him a bit. He’s a very nice guy.
I’m not overly impressed anymore with beating Keith. He plays every day for a lot more than the $55 buy-in at that (online) table. He’s also there to build interest and dump money so that others will. No matter what it looks like, I’m not stupid.
But there were 7 other people there that also lost all their chips to me. Again.
I came away thinking that, though this is another win for me, it also puts the target on me again.
I may have to lay low and play low for a while because every stupid teenager with access to his mother’s computer and credit card will be gunning for me – checking sharkscope and concluding I’m an “idiot” or “donkey” or “river-chaser.”
In that respect, I’ve learned what it’s like to be a “pro.”
Oh come on! Poker is just luck and you got lucky. There’s no skill involved. The “GOOD” players are just luckier than everyone else. You know that! You’re just like those people that think that stuff like the stock market and forex are more than just luck. IDIOT!
Spoken like someone who knows.
Although I see your point of view, you are cmpletely wrong. Sharkscope is a great way to seek those who you should play. Poker is indeed a skill and math game, stats don’t lie. They are usually trends; and mathematically, your a fool. If a player calls you a donkey, it’s probably because you have dumped 10k in the last year. Just because you get lucky and win a few single-table sng’s, does not mean you are a good player. Ill play you any day sir
Hey johnny! I was wondering when the astroturfers would find this post on my humble, little ol’ blog. Does “SharkScope” run from the place where you sleep? Or do you have to call somebody to let them know when you’re awake and turfin’?
I’m now 3-0 with Keith Sexton and everyone that he drew. Meaning that I’ve now been in three HORSE sng tournaments with Keith and finished first in all three.
It’s a damn shame that my SharkScope™ stats are so bad. Obviously, I’m a donkey.
Whenever you’re ready, holler.
I agree. Sharkscope is not only an intrusion on privacy but feeds the figure junkies their daily dose of nonsense. In actual fact, I’m quite happy that I have a little goldfish flipping around in its bowl next to my name. Simply because the figures were all accumulated whilst I was learning poker – now I am, at worst, a break-even player and rather than people thinking I’m easy to catch I find they are. So, in a way, thank you Sharkfish for filling my net.
LOL @ previous :)
My ROI and profit should be higher too when u dont take the learning phase into account. As well as the drunken games and the occasional letstrysomemoves-ones. But above 10K games or very negative ROI i take the stats into play.
OPR is better in that way, since they show dates and results combined, which shows the progress (or not) of one player more clearly.