Poker has long been established as the most played game in the world. Almost everyone has played the game at some point to various extents. However, in 2003 poker reached a whole new level of popularity and became somewhat of an international phenomenon. Poker has found a remarkable audience and its mainstream appeal has brought it to the forefront of the gambling community. The media has created a buzz around “professional poker players” and a once frowned upon “profession” has taken on celebrated status. The mystique and celebrity status associated with these established pros has created a new wave of players attempting to take their game to the next level. Everyone wants a piece of the action and why not? What could be better than playing a card game for a living? Flexible hours, huge paydays, and beautiful women, right?
So a few months ago you saw a poker tournament on television. You were hooked. You spent an afternoon at Barnes & Noble reading a strategy book and familiarizing yourself with the game. Sure enough, at next week’s poker night you took $50 off your friends and co-workers all thanks to your newly acquired knowledge. You saw the movie “Rounders” on sale at Target for $14.99 and scooped it up. You made all your friends watch it and they haven’t stopped doing the John Malkovich accent since. You and a few buddies planned a casino trip for the summer because it sounded like a world of fun. You managed to win a several hundred dollars off the tourists in just a few hours. It really made you think about how much you hate that $6/hour part-time job working the register. Sure you squandered most of it on some foolish bets at the horse track, got reamed by the dealer at the blackjack table, and ate one too many $24 buffet dinners… but poker… you were unbelievable! Suddenly you had no time for Calculus, American History, or crappy day jobs. You were on your way to a life of luxury…
