subject: The poker phenomenon [print this page] The poker phenomenon The poker phenomenon
The poker phenomenon instantly kicked into gear after the 2003 World Series of Poker. Late Night Poker showcased British talent, while the World Poker Tour emerged as the 'seasonal' version of the World Series, offering legitimate tournaments with a high cash buy-in to entice players into chasing that elusive big win. Opportunities for playing poker at every level suddenly became accessible to everyone.
As a natural continuation, professional players started to cash in on peoples thirst for knowledge of poker and created many strategy books teaching players the skills for them to 'make a living' online. Many people are now quitting their jobs to become a full-time online poker player. The BBC in the UK, have profiled more than one person who does just that, including young university students and even some single parents.
Both the good and bad thing about online poker is that there are so many players. Entering a tournament with twenty entrants is tricky enough, how about one of the $100 + $9 entries which are run daily in various poker rooms that have in excess of 1,500 entries? Even the best players struggle to continually cash in these events, but of course there is big money to the winners which keeps everyone coming back for more. The next tournament just may be the one that changes your life.
The big question is, can a new player make a living in online casino? The answer is yes, but certain factors must be taken into account. Firstly there is the strategy part of the game which links to the players overall emotional make-up. Professionals talk about making good decisions. When the rent money is being staked does the player always make these good decisions? Will you call the all-in if you are on a marginal hand but have what you think is a good read?
There is the factor that a professional poker player does not contribute a great deal to society whilst they earn their living. Some people get terribly effected by this. There is also the social aspect, anyone who thrives on conversation may get pretty lonely playing in front of a computer all day at home. Winning poker means folding a lot of hands, are you patient enough to keep folding, day after day? To win you simply have to have this patience. The standard of online poker also improves everyday. You will notice good play everyday in your poker contests. It has never been more important to practise and study the basics, and advanced strategy. You always need to be working out pot odds, chip stacks, implied odds and looking for tells, because you can bet that your opponent is doing just that to you.
