I recently visited one of my favorite card rooms and as I ambled through the place, I came across several poker magazines. I placed my name on the list for a seat opening, picked up the magazines, and started reading them.
The magazines were packed with articles about upcoming poker tournaments.
The tournaments seemed to be everywhere. While I was familiar with most of the card rooms and casinos and had even played in many of them, some of the others were strangers to me. But one thing I did notice: their prize money for winners was big.
Poker has become international. This could be just the tip of the iceberg. Most people in America are within a relatively short drive of a poker room. There are sacks of money there waiting for the taking. The question is, are you good enough to win?
I mentioned this to one of the Floormen at a poker room in Florida and told him I was impressed with the amount of money casinos are offering in their tournaments. He smiled.
'The player interest is there and the players are paying for it,' he said. 'They are willing to pay an entry fee ranging from $100 to $1,000 or more for a chance to win a cash prize that could change their life. Depending on the number of players in the tournament, first prize could range from $25,000 to $250,000 or even in the millions.
'There doesn't seem to be any limit as to how high it could go.'
Yes, the money is out there. Old timers like myself are well aware of that. But -- and this is a mighty big but -- the competition is fierce.
My brother, Legs, who is a slot player, came up with an answer as to why the competition is so stiff. 'It's the Internet and the power of computers,' he said.
'Players with your age and experience are good, but you are running into kids who gained their skills on the Internet,' he pointed out. 'It took you many years to learn what you have learned. These kids are learning that knowledge a lot faster. Practically overnight. That's why they are so tough to beat.'
What my brother says is absolutely true. As an example, we old timers learned to go for the good cards -- the high pairs, high connectors and the like, and these young players are attacking the game from a different connection. They play offbeat hands, poor cards where they hope to make a magical flop. While they don't often get it, they get it enough to deliver stunning bad beats on people who have played poker for a long time.
It's frustrating, I admit, to compete against these players. They can turn the game in a complete circle and there is little an old timer can do except go along for the ride and try to outdraw them.
Veteran players are striking back. They are trying to adjust their games to match these offbeat strategies. They are improving their range of hands and attempting to keep up with the opposition and a growing number of them are succeeding.
Yes, a casino or card room can be a gold mine to a poker player. But most gold mines contain fool's gold that can be mistaken for the real thing by a person who is not prepared for the danger that a mine poses.
A gold prospector from Arizona once told me, 'A gold mine is a hole in the ground owned by a liar.' Truer words were never spoken.
The next time your poker room sponsors a tournament that offers big payoffs for a relatively small entry fee, be sure you are ready to play before you pay that fee. Yes, the gold is there -- but so are the pitfalls and the fool's gold.
When I first began playing poker tournaments, I remember how tough it was for me to crack the winner's circle and break the bubble. Many times I ended up just a sea or two short of making that final table. It got so bad that after a while, I actually felt like crying.
But poker players are tough and they have a lot of fight in them. They are like a quarterback with a football, on the 17-yard line, trying to make it into the end zone through hulking tackles and a formidable front line. The opposition will make every effort to stop them, seize the ball, and make their own score.
A good poker player needs a bag of tricks to outwit his foes. You need knowledge, skill, bravery and courage to win at this game. While some people have it, a lot of others don't. I had it at one time and think I will have it again, but only time will tell. But the gold is there, waiting for someone who is bold enough to try to claim 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 ).
