Why Poker?

El Stuntman

well, why?

I've been thinking about why I spend hours of my precious time slinging money and cards (either real or pixelated) around, reading about poker, thinking about poker, talking about poker....you get the picture....I think we're all in the same boat here!

Why not running marathons, collecting stamps, playing golf, learning about the pottery of late Tang dynasty, watching soap operas (just to mention 5 things I have zero interest in)? So here are the main reasons I play poker...just random thoughts/observations but would be interested to hear people's reactions and own motivations.

1. Challenge/competition
I'm a highly competitive person and would imagine anyone who wishes to be successful at poker would need this attribute. It fulfills some sort of need (childish maybe) to go out and beat my fellow man (or woman!) in a sporting contest. Maybe this is why lots of former sports stars are successful at poker once their sporting lives are over (TJ Cloutier, Steve Davis,Teddy Sheringham etc come to mind). Doesn't seem to have done Wayne Rooney much good though!

On some kind of deep-down level I suppose this is some kind of self-validation thing going on (probably at the heart of most competitive endeavours - winning makes us feel better about ourselves). Hey I'm not proud of this but it's better than invading neighbouring countries right?

The other challenge aspect of poker that I enjoy is the constant striving to learn and improve your game, I have a hell of long way to go but it's still enjoyable to analyse a particular poker situation and realise that your thinking has moved onwards and upwards since the last time.

2. Money
I make more than enough money from my day job not to 'have' to win at poker but having finally become 'a winning player' this year (yes it's hard to believe but it's true!), it is very nice to be able to look at things or remember experiences that 'poker bought me'. Not a very poker pro attitude to have but there you go...

3. Social interaction
I enjoy the social aspect of poker quite a bit; obviously this takes quite a few forms ranging from drunken home games where you buy-in for a tenner and roundly abuse your mates when they lay down their AK to your re-raise with the Hammer to striking up random conversations with the various wierd (and there are plenty of wierdos!) and wonderful characters that you tend to meet at poker table, be it in Vegas or in the Sporting Emporium/Fitz.
This social aspect of Live play really adds to the game for me and explains why I far prefer it over online play (even though I make 90% of my winnings online).

Well there you go - hopefully something thought-provoking for my 500th post...would love to know other's thoughts

eoghan104

I often wonder this myself man and i have the same reasons as you but are we kidding ourselves saying that the rush of gambling is not one of the biggest reasons why we all love poker as much as we do?

If im being honest with myself i think its the gamble i love the most!

Rnger

Taking someones money when trying their hardest to keep it.

One of my favourite things in this game is taking down large-ish pots with middle/bottom pair or A-high. In other words calling big bluffs and being right. I made a call last night with A-high. My opponent took it down with 3rd/4th pair. He was bluffing but my hand just wasnt good enough Fairly big leak in my game is making these marginal call with less than marginal hands.

I like the thought that poker is giving my brain a good work out. Nothing else in my life at the moment is challenging me in the same way

BigDragon made one of these 500th/1000th post recap aswel... i dont have to do i?

ChipLdr

I'm on a self imposed break from poker due to a horrendous few weeks.However I now find myself with absolutely nothing to do!!!Its incredible how much poker plays a part in ones life.I'm playing football at 6 but it seems like days away.

I'm almost tempted to play poker to ease the boredom......

pok3rplaya

I like the challenge involved. The discipline needed. The way no matter how good you are there is always another level to beat. Also the money is incredible compared to your average student job.

pok3rplaya

ChipLdr wrote:

I'm on a self imposed break from poker due to a horrendous few weeks.However I now find myself with absolutely nothing to do!!!Its incredible how much poker plays a part in ones life.I'm playing football at 6 but it seems like days away.

I'm almost tempted to play poker to ease the boredom......

Fair play for lasting at all. I tried to take a break about a week ago and I lasted about 40mins!

BrokenArrows

I started out playing poker at 1c/2c and enjoying and happily stuck at that level for months just going online for a few hours and make/loose $10 or so. It was fun.

Then as i started taking it more seriously the 1c/2c was just not enough. it became 10c/20c 50c/$1. Then i just got sick of sitting infront of the computer for hours and descovered the joys of playing a live cash game. I just dont get the same enjoyment playing online as i do from live poker. When i get involved in a big all-in pot online generally its if you win your happy and if you loose you go on a cursing spree and freak out. But when its live the rush of waiting for the final cards(if necessary) to be laid on the board and seeing your outs hit or miss is what does it for me. The socal element during the game. Chatting about totally random stuff with people who you dont know. Or get to know as you become a regular in your casino.

PS. I had a moment of clarity that i have become a regular in the casino in sydney when the pitboss called me by my first name and asked what stakes i was playing today "the usual 200NL or you want to try out the 500NL today."

Also the irony that you will pay $5/$10 for blinds and fold your cards and when you go to a shop for a drink you are shocked that it costs $2.50

Scouser in Dub

All veritable honourable reasons which is to be expected from a poker forum and one that contains a large number of people that seem to know what they are talking about and I find it refreshing that people are as passionate about poker as many on here are.

One answer that is missing, understandably as well for fear of being decried, is the sheer bloody romance of the game. While many on here espew the scientific and pyschological challenges that poker provides I expect that many players have been drawn to poker because of the images associated with it.

Because of late night poker and rounders, because of millions won and lost because of the machismo many newer players associate with the game and because when a number of mates are round the house having a beer and you have actually learnt a little you can fleece your mates and look good doing it.

gerry87

I'm pretty much in the middle of building a bankroll at the moment from the 40c i had in my acc a while ago , so it's just a challenge to see how far i can take it... it's been going steadily up, which is always good. Just broke €70 today woo

And who doesn't love the challenge of a tournament.

BrokenArrows

gerry87 wrote:

I'm pretty much in the middle of building a bankroll at the moment from the 40c i had in my acc a while ago , so it's just a challenge to see how far i can take it... it's been going steadily up, which is always good. Just broke €70 today woo

And who doesn't love the challenge of a tournament.

.40c - $70 a nice 175 times what you started with. Now all you have to do is do the same with the 70 and you will have 12250. See its easy to be come rich.

Id love to have a big competition to see who could make the most money out of $1 or something. It would be fun.

It would be a cool promotion for poker stars to do or some poker network. Allow people who already have a real money account to sign up for the competition and they can be given a special account credited with $1 and unable to deposit any money into it. Then after a certain period 30 days 3 months whatever the person with the most money gets a prize.

MrPillowTalk

Its quite specific for me.

There are things I enfoy more than poker such as work and football amongst others, however poker is the only thing I can say I felt I was naturally good at from the first time I played I just knew this makes sense for me, and as I got better I realised that some day its plausible if you work hard enough at it to be one of the very best. Ive never had the chance to really excel at anything, dont get me wrong I dont think Im Phil Ivey or anything but the day I think Ive gone as far as I can as regards developing then thats the day I stop playing catds.

And the money obviously, earning a taxfree income is nothing to be snubbed but it isnt really what keeps me doing it.

At the moment I am working hard at completely changing my tournament game, when I take stock at the end of the year if I feel I havent been successful at changing it then I will think seriously about stoping playing anything but socially, its all about getting better for me when that stops I stop.

Also I have some really good freinds who I have made solely through poker so it represents a big part of my social life these days also.