Life's a Gamble
I guess I must really read the Straits Times because I am bored. The Straits Times has just published an extremely badly written letter by Angela Lee Soon Lee (Mdm).
At the risk of sounding elitist, I will say that Mdm Lee's grammar leaves alot to be desired. It is probably just my (very) personal point of view that when one decides to write a formal letter to a newspaper, one should write in proper English. It makes me wonder if she even thought about what she wanted to say thoroughly before sending the letter; seems much like a first draft or random rantings to me.
"THE media attention given to the recent poker tournament held here and glamorising of poker playing as a profession are total unnecessary." If it is truly 'unnecessary', would that not mean that Mdm Lee actually agrees that a profession in poker playing is glamorous, and that people already know that? "It gave many, especially the young, the false impression and hope that they could make money by playing poker well." Well. Obviously she doesn't. I guess the word she was looking for was 'unwarranted', not 'unnecessary'.
Enough about her English. The reason why I was spurred on to write this post was because of this: "To say that playing poker is a skill and not a gamble is definitely not the whole truth. As the players have no control over what cards they get, it is still a game of chance." This caught my eye because I play (contract) bridge. As long as dice or cards are used in a game, it will always be a game of chance. Would Mdm Lee then consider playing Monopoly gambling? Cluedo? I wonder what she has to say about JC students playing bridge for a CCA.
As for the rest of her letter?
- "Skill, if any, comes with practice"
- "Let it be said that for every 'successful' poker player, there are thousands of unsuccessful ones"
Tell us something we don't already know. >.<
ST Forum Nov 24, 2006
Play poker as a career? Fat chance
THE media attention given to the recent poker tournament held here and glamorising of poker playing as a profession are total unnecessary.
It gave many, especially the young, the false impression and hope that they could make money by playing poker well.
To say that playing poker is a skill and not a gamble is definitely not the whole truth. As the players have no control over what cards they get, it is still a game of chance. Skill, if any, comes with practice and, not surprisingly, at a heavy price.
Let it be said that for every 'successful' poker player, there are thousands of unsuccessful ones, adding to our social burden of broken families and bankruptcies. The media should have pointed out the fallacy of poker playing as a career - for most people.
Angela Lee Soon Lee (Mdm)
At the risk of sounding elitist, I will say that Mdm Lee's grammar leaves alot to be desired. It is probably just my (very) personal point of view that when one decides to write a formal letter to a newspaper, one should write in proper English. It makes me wonder if she even thought about what she wanted to say thoroughly before sending the letter; seems much like a first draft or random rantings to me.
"THE media attention given to the recent poker tournament held here and glamorising of poker playing as a profession are total unnecessary." If it is truly 'unnecessary', would that not mean that Mdm Lee actually agrees that a profession in poker playing is glamorous, and that people already know that? "It gave many, especially the young, the false impression and hope that they could make money by playing poker well." Well. Obviously she doesn't. I guess the word she was looking for was 'unwarranted', not 'unnecessary'.
Enough about her English. The reason why I was spurred on to write this post was because of this: "To say that playing poker is a skill and not a gamble is definitely not the whole truth. As the players have no control over what cards they get, it is still a game of chance." This caught my eye because I play (contract) bridge. As long as dice or cards are used in a game, it will always be a game of chance. Would Mdm Lee then consider playing Monopoly gambling? Cluedo? I wonder what she has to say about JC students playing bridge for a CCA.
As for the rest of her letter?
- "Skill, if any, comes with practice"
- "Let it be said that for every 'successful' poker player, there are thousands of unsuccessful ones"
Tell us something we don't already know. >.<
posted by Shelly at 1:44 PM
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