I See Steem As An Online Poker Tournament - A Freewrite Comparing Steem Tokens To Poker Chips (Look Closely At The Pic)

Ready to think??

As a once avid online poker player, I view my Steem tokens as poker chips that don't have monetary value at this time. They're simply what keep me in the game with hope that I'll win big in the long run (while trying to earn more in the field.)

I also see the Steem blockchain as an online poker tournament, which I want to win by surviving for the real payout.

As for Steemians at large, we're all sitting in the same game that's just starting up. It's a long game and rebuys are still available for the foreseeable future. We're exceptionally lucky.

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No matter how many chips we accumulate in the short-term, we all have the same chance to win big if we keep them to the end by playing well.

It's not about the cards or chips in the game. It's about staying in it.

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General Thoughts/Analogies:

Online poker tournaments are much different than in-person. They're fast and most people play them differently than if they were sitting at a real table in a casino.

I think this is because the pace is generally quicker and people can play several at the same time to stay busy/play patient on each respective table. On the other hand, online poker doesn't feel as real as an in-person game, so people may have other distractions pop up that could throw their game off and confuse others. Ex: "The kids are late for soccer practice!!" - go All-In.

Either way, there's a lot of info that can be conveyed and/or misunderstood during the game. Experienced players will know know the difference, but amateurs often won't. Practice and time in the game make all of the difference. Patience and awareness are key disciplines.

Despite the semi-chaotic pace online, one can still get a generally good read on who they're dealing with, and others can read us just the same. The goal is to constantly be paying attention, know how to read situations, stay collected, and to always be learning.

Online poker tournaments have a little chat box where people can comment to give out information on their personalities, style or emotional fortitude. It's not much, but as people who grew up with the Internet, we can project to a certain range. It can hurt or help you depending on how you use it, and you can't erase what you type. Sound familiar?

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Game Play:

As for game play, mistakes and bad luck will always happen, but you can mitigate most of this over time by being consistent and evolving. Sticking to your game, while being open to self-analyze and improve weaknesses, wins in the long run. One bad run or hard loss won't set you back unless you let it change your strategy for the worse. You have to grind it out if you believe that your system is profitable more often than not.

Speaking of strategy, you need to have one that you're comfortable with, and know how to play your game under pressure, while adapting to the landscape. You can't think about the money or prize. You have to think about your plan and the end goal. You have to stay in the game mentally with as many chips as possible towards the end to claim the prize.

In Steem's case, the prize may be being a recognizable and respected force/influencer on the blockchain with tokens you can use for your financial security down the line.

As for tactics, some people like to be loose and aggressive early, while others sit back to let the others duke it out.

Some only play the best hands because they're timid and afraid to lose (a mouse), while some can play any two hole cards like they're aces.

Others love to shove their stack in the middle for intimidation, while their counterparts may be terrified of putting their blinds in the middle.

Some are slow and steady builders who avoid conflict and just hang around.

Sound familiar?

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Tells:

There are endless parallels one can draw here, but the main point I'd like to convey is that every action or inaction conveys information about yourself to those you're playing with.

Those that aren't taking the game seriously won't catch these tells, but those who do (that you need to be most aware of) will see them and apply their observations for or against you.

You'll develop a reputation which can help or hurt you.

Sometimes people will act one way and shapeshift to another gear later to throw people off. Just like on Steemit, you can be whoever you want to be. However, those that are really alert and keen will pick up on it, and they'll trap you later to gain position...

It's important to be aware that everything you do has a ripple effect for those who matter in the game.

If you let people push you around, they will keep pushing you around.

If you push people around, they'll try to defend their position or avoid you.

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Closing Thoughts:

So in this game called the Steem blockchain, every post, comment, upvote, downvote, relationship, contribution and/or tendency creates ripples of information people will notice.

We may not realize it now, but these ripples may be very important in the long term, far down the line, in ways we can't project yet.

In this case, protect your hands and your position in the game. Take risks when the situation calls for it, but don't forget that it's a process of elimination.

If you lose control, make a bad decision or battle a bad matchup, you lose your position, equity, reputation, and lower your odds of surviving to place for a payout.

Again, my Steem tokens are simply skin in the game. They're my influence tokens.

If you had 5 million dollars of Steem in front of you, you'd better not think of it that way because it'll influence you in ways that may not be beneficial. If you see them as influence and a means to accomplish your goal, then you're going to think more clearly. In the real world, you'll want to protect your fiat, but we're in the blockchain space with tokens now. They're not fiat anymore.

Side bar for the devil's advocates - One key difference poker chips have with Steem Power is that poker chips don't recharge. You can't really lose Steem Power unless you power down.

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Whether you could relate to any of this or not, this is all of our starting hands right now by being a Steemian while the rest of the world is sleeping.

Just try to play them right!

Good luck,
@steemmatt