When a person finds meaning in phrases like "all in," "rockets," or
"I got the nuts," it's probably a sign that person has fallen victim
to one of the fastest growing forms of real-life and online gaming
-- the world of Texas Holdem poker.
Of course it doesn't help that TV is bombarded with poker
shows like Bravo's "Celebrity Poker," the Travel Channel's "World
Poker Tour," ESPN's extensive coverage of "The World Series of
Poker," and its new hit drama, "Tilt" -- a show about high-stakes
players trying to make it big before The World Series of Poker.
Jacqueline Clegg, a Western Michigan University sophomore
majoring in mechanical engineering, likes the constant coverage of
her favorite game -- most of the time.
"I like it," she said. "I'm really surprised by how quickly it
blew up. It happened around the same time I was getting into it and
some of the shows are dumb because of the commentators, but I like
things like the 'World Poker Tour.'"
In a typically male-dominated sport, Clegg considers herself
just as much of a challenge as the next guy.
"I think girls don't have as much experience but that doesn't
mean they don't play well," she said. "I see it as an advantage --
the guy's thinking 'she doesn't know what she's doing,' when the
girl can actually know a lot about it."
Poker in some form has been around since 1834, although its
true origin is somewhat unclear and is likely a combination of many
different games, according to pokerpages.com.
For those who may have missed the Texas Holdem bandwagon, the
game begins with each player being dealt two cards. The two players
to the left of the dealer put out forced bets called "blinds," a
rule designed to build money in the pot and drive betting. The
players then bet based on how strong they think their hand is.
The dealer then lays down three "community cards" for all
players to use. Another round of betting takes place, the fourth
card or the "turn" is laid down, followed by another round of
betting and the fifth card or the "river."
The final round of betting takes place and the person with the
best five-card combination wins the "pot" or collection of all money
bet in previous rounds.
WMU Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Blaine Kalafut
said WMU hasn't experienced the same issues as other universities
associated with large-scale gambling problems.
"I've been here 27 years and we've never, since I can recall,
had any criminal complaint involving gambling," he said.
The Student Code of Conduct doesn't explicitly prohibit
student gambling, according to Suzanne Nagel-Bennett, associate dean
of students. However, she said it does prohibit the "violation of
federal, state or local law on university premises or at university
sponsored or supervised activities," which could include
gambling.Kraft, Laura 2/8/05 Sarah, does this make sense? like, the
university uphold federal laws on campus?
Student athletes have their own set of rules and are
specifically prohibited from engaging in any type of gambling or
bribery, Nagel-Bennett said.
Not only are people playing in real life for money but some
have moved their game online to play with other enthusiasts or to
use play money to practice and hone their poker skills. A software
program called Poker Tracker allows you to track other players'
habits, how many times you see the flop, raise and win money.
Online sites make an average of $2 million to $2.5 million per
day, according to poker.net.
Pokerpulse.com keeps a record of online poker statistics and
estimated the number of active real money players online at
1,784,000 in January alone.
Clegg thinks the popularity of the TV shows will eventually
die down but poker's entertainment value will keep people playing
for a long time.
"You spend about the same amount of money going to the movies
and in the end, you get paid for it," she said. "You have control
over how much you win or how much you lose. I think I'll be playing
for a while."
