Poker pro Rich Alati attempting to survive in a completely dark room with no electronic devices for 30 days -- as a $100k prop bet

[Dan Druff]

This has been a hot topic in poker circles for the past week, but hasn't been discussed out here yet.

Poker pro Rory Young has bet fellow pro Rich Alati $100k that Alati won't be able to survive 30 days in a completely dark room with no light and no electronics.

Here's the details: https://www.cardschat.com/news/poker...prop-bet-74781

There will be ample toiletries, as well as a bed, shower, refrigerator (with no light), and bathtub in the room.

He gets ample food, but is not allowed to consume any drugs or alcohol. He cannot interact with any other human beings in any way, and does not have a clock, so he will have no idea how long he's been in the room, and how much longer he has until it's over.

If he can complete the 30 days without bailing out, he will get $100k from Young. Otherwise, he owes Young $100k.

This is a lot tougher than it might appear at first. Living in complete darkness can take a serious psychological toll, as can the complete lack of human interaction. If he had electronics (to where he could spend the 30 days just on the web), then this would be an easy bet to win. Even I could pull that off (well, maybe once my anxiety and depression got better). But 30 days in complete darkness WITHOUT electronics, light, or human interaction? GTFO

There also won't be any kind of intellectual stimulation. He can't read or do anything else to keep his mind active, aside from thinking and talking to himself.

The lack of clock is also huge. The bet would become considerably easier if you had a clock and got to the 20 day mark or so, and could then look forward to the end and count down the time left, reassuring yourself that it will soon be over.

Here he will have no idea if he's on Day 20 or Day 8. Brutal.

The bet came to be when they had a discussion at Bellagio while playing heads up, regarding how long one could survive in complete darkness and isolation.

The bet has been going on since something like November 23.

Someone on 2+2 claims they saw Rich Alati on the list for 25/50 PLO at Bellagio today, which if true, would mean he already quit. However, it's possible that guy was mistaken.

[Dan Druff]

Here is Rory Young:







Here is Rich Alati:

[VaughnP]

If he has a bathtub available, one could have researched and tested estimating water flow from a near trickle to fill up a tub as a somewhat accurate, potentially reasonably accurate, clock. But yeah, no light = going crazy soon.

[limitles]

If he has a bathtub available, one could have researched and tested estimating water flow from a near trickle to fill up a tub as a somewhat accurate, potentially reasonably accurate, clock. But yeah, no light = going crazy soon.

I think the idea of having a clock or some facsimile would be no benefit and perhaps a negative.
The no light factor will make it hard to tell how much rice pudding is left and when to change underwear.

All jokes aside this guy better have some history with meditation or he'll be banging at the door in under a week

[VaughnP]

I don't think most people could handle no light and no mental stimulation for more than a few days when they are doing so completely voluntarily. I doubt anyone has thought of my clock idea, and I can't come up with another way of doing so, so I'm saying the money as a motivator probably does put the over under on this right at a week.

Thinking of how to make a clock with a bathtub = practice with either one's own cup or something like a large Coke from McDonald's which you know you would be allowed to request. Large McDonald's cup = 32ozs. Practice setting the water flow to a mental count of 60 seconds to fill until perfected without a stopwatch, this would = 1 gallon every 4 minutes, standard tub = 80 gallons volume. Tub is full in roughly 5 hours and 20 minutes. It may be possible to get a steady measurable flow even slower to prevent from having to monitor it as often obviously - just an example.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

don't know if im not understanding the water fill thing, which is a great idea in theory but what are you supposed to do when you are sleeping?

the whole in the dark thing sucks, but honestly for $100K I think if you knew how long you had to go in this bet you might be able to mindfuck yourself well enough that you wouldn't go nuts...