I have heard a lot of people say that poker is a fad, almost as if it is the card game equivalent of Beanie Babies and Pogs. I could not disagree with this opinion more. Poker is not a simplistic game that people are going to get sick of quickly. While it is easy to learn the basics, it also takes years and years of practice to become truly great at it.
It’s an exciting game, one that you can play with friends and family. You can play online, both for play or real money. There are also numerous local tournaments that you can sign up to compete at.
And so many people are playing.
Last year’s World Series of Poker Main Event saw 5,619 competing for the grand prize of $7.5 million. The year before ‘only’ 2,576 people competed in the Main Event. Back in 1998, when Scotty Nguyen was crowned champion, there was just 350 entrants. They are expecting such a big crowd at the 2006 Main Event that a cap of 8,000 players has been established.
Online poker is also booming. Recently, Research and Markets reported that the amount gambled on poker websites around the world is estimated to be more than USD 60 billion in 2005. The website Paradise Poker was recently purchased by Sportingbet for about USD 300 million.
Do the naysayers honestly think all these people are just going to stop playing poker one day?
The great thing about poker is that anyone can play. You can be 21, 36 or 67 and start playing. You can be male, female, tall, skinny or fat and still excel at this game.
I honestly do not see myself ever getting tired of playing poker. It’s such a great game, if you play responsibly. I have been playing for about three years now and I am constantly getting better and learning as I go along. I enjoying reading about it, practicing it, and asking others for advice on how to improve my game, as I am sure many of you do.
Shuffle up and deal!
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