As an active poker player himself, iafrica.com's Barend Prins delves a bit deeper; trying to explain just why this sport is taking the world — and South Africa — by storm...

Generally, the images associated with poker are variations on dark hotel backrooms, cigar-smoking high-rollers and inexpressive 'pokerfaces' hiding behind a variety of strange-looking goggles with no function other than to put your opponents off their game.

What the general public arguably is not aware of is the very competitive, legitimate tournament scene that has developed all over the world over the last 40 years, and the ensuing sub-culture that goes with it.

The game we know as poker today had its roots in countless different games from ancient China to Egypt, Persia and France.

It wasn't until the Mississippi riverboats of the 18th and 19th century that 'poker' (from the French game 'poque'), as it had become known, started to show its face. As the United States began its westward expansion, poker expanded with it. For this reason, the history of poker is commonly associated with the history of America's 'Wild West'.

A number of different versions of the game exist, and during this early period and for almost a century, 'five-card draw' was the most popular. This was largely due to the California Attorney General declaring that draw poker was based on skill and not chance (as the running of a betting game was a felony).

Poker run by faculties of organised crime

In 1931, the Nevada gambling laws were amended, however, opening the door for the thriving Las Vegas casino industry with 'seven-card stud' as its centre-piece for the next forty years!

By the 1960s, however, although the game had grown substantially, poker was not a socially accepted career path, with most games being run by faculties of organised crime.

But it all changed in 1970 when Las Vegas casino owner and poker enthusiast Benny Binion held the first World Series of Poker (WSOP) at his casino, with Texas Hold'em the format for the showpiece event (although numerous side events featuring other formats took place).

With WSOP's inception, poker suddenly had a marketable product and its popularity soared, instantly and almost exponentially! In 2003, the $10 000 buy-in main event had 839 entrants. In 2006, 8773 players entered...

But why is the game so popular?

Firstly, there is obviously a lot of money involved. A helluva lot of money, in fact. The inaugural WSOP event had a first prize of $30 000. By 1991 it had reached $1-million and by 2008 just over $9-million.

To give it some context, by 1996 already, the total prize money awarded at WSOP was more than the total prize money involved at all four golfing Majors — combined!

But WSOP is not the only big-money poker event around and over the last decade, numerous other multi-million dollar events have shot up all over the world.

Southern Africa has not been left behind and since 2005, in association with Piggs Peak Casino in Swaziland, has hosted the All Africa Poker Championship with a first prize of R1-million.

Secondly, and arguably more important, is the notion that anybody can become a champion or a celebrity, irrespective of age, appearance or athletic ability.

Online poker spreads it to the masses

If WSOP was responsible for establishing poker an esteemed occupation, then moving online was responsible for spreading it to the masses.

Thousands of legitimate poker rooms are now available online, each with thousands of members — including two based in Southern Africa.

I spoke to a representative from Piggs Peak Casino (host of Piggs Peak Poker Online Poker Room) about membership totals, but understandably she was unable to comment as such information would be privileged.

I can testify, however, in my capacity as a member of Piggs Peak Poker, that there has been a rapid growth since I have started playing there in 2006 — simply based on the amount of entries to their regular tournaments.

What makes poker different from casino games like Roulette, Blackjack or Craps, is the fact that you do not play against the house, but against other players. This is the main reason why poker generally isn't played in your average casino, as there isn't an easy way for the casino to make money off it.

Online poker rooms and casinos that do indeed host poker, use a 'rake' system, where the house takes a small percentage of the pot, which is usually around 5%. This means the winner of any given hand still wins — albeit slightly less than he or she would have won — and the losers still lose.

Ultimately, the lasting appeal to poker lies in the fact that it really takes just 'five minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master', as the cliché goes.

It is possible to spend a lifetime improving your game and fine-tuning your skills without getting bored of it. No two hands are ever the same.

And it is this innate unpredictability that sets it apart from other games of skill, because in the end, that is what it is.

If you don't believe me, why not give it a go yourself?

  • Are you a poker player yourself? What attracts you to this fast-growing sport? Leave a comment below...


    RSS
    Digg
    de.li.cious
    facebook


    Print this page
    Send this article to a friend