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Adam my friend I wish you well and understand your predicament. You wish to socialise with your friends by gambling on poker hands for small stakes and you think you will ok with that.

For what's it's worth and it is merely my own opinion, I don't personnaly believe that would be very helpful to others on the challenge. It sends out the wrong message and gives a green right to selective gambling.

I also feel a little sad as you had broadened your horizons, you were having a good time in the gym, getting fit and exploring new pastimes and hobbies. There are numerous opportunities to socialise with friends, have fun and enjoy challenges without trying to win a few bob off your mates.

By reaching this stage, many compulsive gamblers are at the end of their tether. Bruised, battered and already confused they try to follow the example and advice given them by fellow compulsive gamblers and GamCare. It is generally acknowledged that we must avoid all forms of gambling as one thing can lead to another in the same way that an alcoholic must abstain completely.

The Guru Challenge is light hearted and fun but it is also a matter of life and death for some people. To go 300 days totally free from gambling is a monumental task which requires courage, self belief and a genuine desire to be free from the misery they associate with gambling.

We need to have a vision of a future free from gambling and we need to keep it nice and simple...stephen

Hey Adam

As an ex poker player who played live poker tournaments away from home at least every 8 week and locally once a week I get where you are coming from with the social aspect of the game. It’s great to meet up with people and have a beer and a game of poker I did it for years. This is my poison however and not knowing where the fine line between socialising and spending every spare minute playing the game nearly cost me my relationship/family. It’s only when I had a big win ( £40k ) and lost most of it within a month I realised I had a problem. I’m not saying you will do that but just be careful pal it’s an addictive beast that game.

With regards poker and the Guru challenge I agree with exactly what Stephen said.

Iain

CATCH-UP TIME!

Hello friends. I hope everything's Ok in your world; been very busy in mine. Still not gambling - I say 'still' because I have to keep my blocks in place, I'm still a 'dog on a leash' but it does mean a better life than the guaranteed miserable alternative that I've lived for far, far too long. I'm always 'one bet away' from disaster and I never forget it.

Let's see how we all are!

Godoicul - You are right in your friendly warning to Adam123 about the perils of social activities that include, by their nature, gambling, such as 'social' poker schools which, of course, are anything but. I recall belonging to a pub poker school, run by Redtooth, playing for chips. But all that does is tantalize the gambling taste buds and the pub landlord remarked to me that the poker night, although playing for 'chips', was the biggest night takings-wise for the pub slots, both before, during and after the poker session. No surprise. Great to read that you are firmly on the GF road, day by day, enjoying the World Cup, and life - superb.

Stephen67 - I have to say, that’s a truly terrific post you wrote for adam123 cautioning him about the pitfalls of him rejoining the pokey tourney. You're exactly right - we really must keep it simple and not make that first bet. Experts up and down the land all say the same thing - we simply must abstain. May I congratulate you for 32 days gambling free, by the way? Great stuff, my friend,

Slotfool – It is an utmost pleasure to see that you’re up to 243 days gamble free, heading, day by day, to the quarter-of-a-century! This is no mean feat and means, in simple terms, that you want a better life. And who can argue with that? Doing great Slotfool … No fool.

Adam123 – You have noticed you’ve mentioned you a couple of times already Adam, and, like Stephen and Godoicul, it’s with sadness. We so want you to do everything you can to get out of the dense fog of this addiction that’s been holding us back for so long. Whilst I fully understand that you need your mates – we all need our friends – poker nights are a sacrifice we have to make. You know the reasons why. It starts off with a quid in the fruity and BAM – skint again. It’s a fact we have more mates when we have cash in our pockets. We always stand our rounds and – even better –are the social animals we should be, without the shadow or dark cloud of gambling following us around. Do reconsider your decision, Adam – we know it’s not easy mate. Remember – we care.

Jeffutd – Thank you for checking in and delighted you’ve reset your exclusions. I must mark in my diary when the 1year exclusion comes up, too – a few months away but I will do it. (That’s the thing about being gambling-free – you’re more inclined to DO things rather than SAY you’re going to do them.) I’m glad you had a nice break; here’s to an enjoyable, less-stress free, gambling-free summer.

Tara2 – Hi Tara and enjoying your posts, as always. Your maxims are very true – “It’s a good time to be alive” is profoundly true on so many levels – after all, we’re “a long time dead!” And never let a decade of hurt get in the way of sharing with us any pearls of wisdom – we are best placed, having seen and lived the hurt and misery, in helping each other drag ourselves out of the fire and into the light.

DmPowell – Learning about this addiction is one of the best things we can do, in my opinion and can – ironically – turn out to be addictive in itself. The more we look into this addiction, the better chance of pennies dropping and moments of realization –realizing, in particular, that gambling is very bad for us and that we must stop. And that we can! 81 hard-fought GF days behind you and many more ahead – triffic!!!

Angel11x – Thank you for checking in and great to see you’ve hit a month gambling-free! 30 days says to me – I can handle a pay-day that’s not going to be gambled away. A great achievement that you can build on – marvelous, Angel!

Egdam – You’ve smashed through the 30-day gambling-free milestone and making great stride ahead. It’s great to see; and as a result things look as sunny as your disposition, which, when we’re not wasting our money, is smiles better than the unnecessary pain we otherwise put ourselves through. Good, good, good!

Christer1 – Thank you for your check-in and notice that you’re climbing towards a month gambling-free, a place you’ve been before but you’re wiser. The simple fact you keep sticking to the Gamcare forums shows how important it is to keep in touch. We all share a bond, here, an understanding. We’re a family, and like all families, unconditionally want the best for each other. Keep going Christer!!!

WhereIsMyMind – Thank you for checking in, and also your kind words. I cannot but notice that you’ve hit 32 days gambling free, another one of our merry band crossing off a meaningful period of time. One day at a day, nice and steady: you can do this.

Determined Dan – It’s great to see, like so many of us on here, in fact, your warm and encouraging support of others. It’s good karma – do a good deed, and do it sincerely, and the payback is immense. Helping others at times of needs is very fulfilling, and you can rest assured more people will look out for you, too. Good vibes spread! And 58 days – nearly two months - gambling-free makes clear you mean this.

Sars27 – Hey Sars! You’ve been here from the very beginning and look at the Giant Oak that started off as a nut (like all of us!). 400 days gambling free, over a year of living a life that’s meant to be lived. I wish you, and your lovely family, all the very best, as always!

Bigmug – It’s good to feel personal pride by not gambling. It’s not easy and we should celebrate this good news. Walking with our shoulders back – we can face anything now. It’s great to see you embracing your new life, and new you. 41 days gambling free: yep, you can look yourself in the eye. If you like ‘you’, other people will like you all the more too!

Somehow, I’ve manage to write all this without once mentioning the ‘C’ word, but now’s the time….

Croatia.

We’ve GOT to beat them!

Have a great week ahead – how will it end…?

Take care everyone.

Mixer

Part of my brain tries to make me feel like I want to sit at a slot machine. tara

Thanks again Mixer for the Catch up and the inspirational words that you’ve provided for both myself and the others on here who are fighting this long term battle.

The time and effort you put into this is incredible and I for one appreciate that.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Dan

Thankyou mixer for the brilliant round up.i look forward to hearing it every weekend

Thanks for the update Mixer, I'm checking in on day 33!

ITS COMING HOME!

Thanks for catch up mixer,my car needs 4 tyres and I got the cash to pay for them,no credit card no borrowing required,glad I've seen the light..

Cheers Mixer. I’m off to pub for the big match.

Come on England!!!!!

Checking in on day 215, glad to report in still gamble free and doing my upmost to remain that way ....

Checking in GF still 🙂

congrats on the tires bigmug!

Sorry for my absence been so busy lately ... I have now rocketed to 54 days GF for me xxx

61 days gf 🙂 checking in

Checking in on day 204 smashing the double century init.

Have a great weekend fellow Guru challengers.