[Talking Poker]

You're absolutely right. The most fair way to handle this is to play by the rules. Black and white. So let's do that.

According to the rules, this thread is the winner:


I know I said (in this thread, on July 19th) that I wouldn't count my WSOP threads, but the RULES don't say anything about my own threads not counting, so it wouldn't be fair for me to exclude them. It wouldn't be fair for me to "make an excuse" just so I don't end up being the winner. The rules do say all contest related threads won't be counted, so they won't be, but the thread I linked to above has to count. It was the longest thread (with 39 non-thread starter posts), so it's the winner. The person who started it was "Talking Poker," so he wins the $25.

There, done. Exactly according to the rules.

As for your suggestion that I'm just trying to get out of paying the $25, let me tell you a story. This was long before you showed up, but way back when, I ran a TPF Invitational tournament and decided to put a bounty on my head. I said I'd give a copy of Super System 2 to the person who knocked me out. You were supposed to make 20 posts that month in order to be able to play, but just before the tourney started, a "New Guy" PM'd me, begging me to let him play. He said he just found the forum and promised he'd stick around afterwards, so I decided to bend the rules (again, trying to be nice) and let him play. Well, he ended up knocking me out. I didn't feel right giving the book to a "New Guy" instead of one of the regulars, but I didn't want to screw him over either, so what did I do? I threw another book into the prizepool for the winner. And of course the "New Guy" disappeared not long after he got his book, but so be it. It was my own fault for being nice and letting him play. The moral of the story is I think I'm a very fair guy (somewhat generous too), and I find your accusations very offensive.

So, in summary: We're playing by the rules. Your thread wasn't the winner. If you're going to cry about it and threaten to leave if I don't pay you to stay, well, try not to let the the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

And Aeq is absolutely right... why should I bother with "fun" contests like this in the future if they are going to be such a pain in my ass? I try to be generous and then I have to deal with crap like this. No thanks.