The Future of Poker

I've Seen the Future of Poker (and I like what I see)

It has been slow in coming, I admit. Nobody likes to 'fix' things that don't need fixing. But there are a growing number of people in poker management who actually care about the game and its future and they are doing something to make sure poker exists 20 or 50 or even 100 years from now.

Here is how I came across the future of poker. I had driven down to Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, AZ. to play. The casino was full and there were Texas Hold'em and Omaha High-low games underway. I signed up for one of the Omaha games and waited for about an hour until the Floor person called my name.

The game went well for about two hours. Then one by one players began dropping out. Suddenly the table was empty. We had lost our game.

The dealer was a friendly Oriental who had been born near Anaheim, CA. We began chatting about California, life, poker, politics, school riots and such things. Suddenly he said, 'Why don't you sign up for the mixed game?'

'Pardon?'

'It's something new we're trying at the casino. The players get to choose what game they want to play,' he said. 'It's a mixed game that ranges from seven-card stud, high-low to Crazy Pineapple, Big O, and some other games. I think you'll like it.'

And so, somewhat against my will, I joined the dealer's choice mixed poker game.

And I loved it!

While we were watching the final table of the World Series of Poker, with four players left tossing millions of dollars in chips on their hands of 6-4, 5-7 and ace-king into the pot, we played stimulating mixed poker for fun and profit.

I have said this before and will say it again. Texas Hold'em can become a b-o-r-i-n-g game. You only get two cards. You either win by having the best hand or by bluffing. That is all the game includes. Using such tactics fortunes are made or lost. Big deal!

With mixed poker, your brain becomes challenged. You have more to think about and talk about. The game becomes fun again. It's animated and keeps the action going for hours.

After about four hours, I was ready to head for home. The WSOP was still being shown on the big screen, but I had lost interest in Texas Hold'em. I was thinking about mixed poker and I loved the concept.

As I filled a couple of racks with my chips, I asked the dealer if they offered mixed poker every day.

'We're starting to,' he said. 'The players seem to like it and the dealers enjoy dealing it.'

'That's because it's the game of the future,' I said. And I meant it.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).