Why do you play the game?

October 30, 2009 by Curtom
Filed under Poker Resources

What do you play the game of poker? Is it fame? Is it fortune? Perhaps it is a combination of the two? Before the poker boom of 2003 there was this idea that poker was about great players and a whole lot of tradition. Players had reputations and respected each other even if they didn’t particularly care for one another. Sure, everyone wants to win and take down a million dollar pay day. Nothing wrong with that but lately it seems as if the game has lost its luster.

TV and the advent of so many new players that either don’t care or know very little about the history of the game seems to have changed the objective. Now it seems like some players are more interested in face time on TV than actually winning the poker tournament. No limit poker is practically a market unto itself these days with so many endorsement opportunities for players both online and live. We all play the game for different reasons I suppose. The least of which is to run good and win the title. It’s good for us and good for the game. I just wish that more players young and old continue to learn about and pass on the legacy of great players like Stu Ungar and Chip Reese and a few of the hands they played along the way.

We all should be so lucky.