True in Poker and Law
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
If you've been reading along these last few weeks, you know that I've been in the middle of a trial. Yesterday, we did our closing statements and the jury began deliberating at around 1pm. By 4:30, just as they would have to wrap up their discussions for the day and return for another day of deliberations, they returned a verdict...for the defense.
After spending weeks on trial and years getting to trial, the defense verdict was like a mental sucker punch. On a daily basis, the Big Bossman and I would reflect on how well the case was going. In fact, even after the verdict, Bossman told me that he did not think the verdict was a reflection on my work. He was not 100% sure what the reason for the verdict was. One possibility is simple prejudice, both for a physician (defendant) and against a religious Muslim wearing a full burkah (plaintiff), but I don't 100% buy it. Regardless, as disappointing the results were, I was a bit surprised at my reaction...mostly, I just accept it.
It's poker. That's why I am taking this so well. We took a legal bad beat, but playing poker has trained me for such occassions.
I am a huge advocate for self-reflection in poker. I am not, however, a huge fan of dwelling on bad fortune or things out of my control. For instance, if I end up taking a bad beat in the late stages of a tournament against a donkey who should've known better than to play those cards, I will not bitch and moan about that donkey fucktard who called my all-in with A2o, because I cannot control him. Instead, I'll look back and figure out what I can control, and usually the answer has something to do with an earlier hand where I allowed myself to lose enough chips to bring my stack to a vulnerable level when the A2 hand came. Or sometimes, it's as simple as the preflop raise or the table image that setup the A2 call that took me down. Regardless, that individual hand and even the outcome of the entire tournament may be entirely due to things outside of my control, but it does not serve me to dwell on those things. The only thing I can do is learn for next time and change the things that are changeable.
Since the verdict, people are slowly learning about the results and each time, they ask what happened. It's a fair enough question, but I don't have all the answers they seek. Sometimes, you do everything right and you get a bad result.
It's true in poker and law.
(Oh yeah, and I went to AC last weekend for a bachelor party and won a small sum of $65 playing 1/2 NLHE at the Showboat for a couple of hours.)
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 9:35 AM,
4 Comments:
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At 12:49 PM,
My final out said...
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I am no lawyer, but I am sure it really feels like shit to know how much work you put into something and it turns out so poorly. Keep your head up and try to be content with the knowledge that you did everything in your power to get it done.
-Grouse14 -
At 1:42 PM,
Astin said...
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You should recover by going BACK to AC THIS weekend. Since, you know, I'll be there, and my money is easy pickings.
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At 3:56 PM,
1Queens Up1 said...
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if only i had enough discipline and self-control to make your words true...
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At 4:33 PM,
BWoP said...
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Sorry to hear about the trial outcome, but I know you did your best. REMON :-(
