2007 August 6

Located high above the Las Vegas Valley in the shadows of the Red Rock Mountains the Suncoast Hotel and Casino is another example of a plush local resort finding favor with the tourist crowd. Las Vegas visitors wanting an alternative to the hustle of the strip can head to the west side Suncoast for a relaxing stay and a place to play in a luxurious environment.

On a recent trip to Atlantic City, a friend of mine used a nice showing at a cash game to fuel his buy-in for a tournament. I was at an adjacent table and was able to check his progress from time to time.

Only about five tables were in play. The structure had a slow blind ascension and provided adequate starting chips. I plodded along and played some rather tight poker, as did many of the folks at my table.

If you play tournament poker then you're very familiar with "The Decision." It's the decision that may send you to the rail, knocked out of the tournament.

During the 1980s, writer and poker aficionado Tony Holden took a year off from civilized life to travel the professional poker circuit. The chronicle of his campaign, Big Deal, became an instant classic in poker circles. It was both a rare glimpse into the little-known realm of the professional poker player and an epic adventure through which amateur players could vicariously live. Given the recent popularity of poker, it seems only natural that the author would give life on the road another go.

Carol, I want to talk to you and the folks today about the Red Games of Poker, about cheating in poker.

I know this is a controversial subject- so I don't want to accuse anyone or make reference to any specific casino or card room! In this first column on the Red Games of Poker, I will preface my remarks with a few comments.

I would rather trust a poker player than members of any other profession-be they banker, lawyer, preacher, politician, doctor, accountant, policeman, car dealer, professor, plumber, contractor, stock broker, Indian chief or any other of the professions.

I waited until the WSOP ended to begin this series on what is wrong with the WSOP, and what needs correction. I didn't want anyone to think we might impact the participation in this year's events. In my 35 + years of publishing in this field, I have studiously avoided criticizing the industry, with a few exceptions. On the other hand, as the founder of the modern day gambling press, I feel obligated to take the lead in protecting players from a tournament that has become dominated by greed, instead of what is best for the game we all love so well.

My World Series of Poker ended with a thud, and it took two days to climb out of my suicidal phase. I hate losing. What's worse is the walk of shame out of the tournament area, where I feel like every eye is on me, watching me leave in silence, shame, and despair.

In reality, no one looks at me. Consumed with their own hands, the remaining players think only of what their opponents' have, and what they think their opponents think they have-a never-ending cycle of analysis, of wheels within wheels.

I just got back from my annual trip to Las Vegas for the World Series of poker. I'm thinking about whether the trip was worth it and whether I'll go out again next year. .

True, I care about poker and the people who play it. It's not an act. But it's not a noble trait, either. It's just some sort of neurosis I've developed while straying from life's freeways and hacking my own silly path. Something deep, deep in the core of my conscience compels me to exaggerate the importance of poker and to empathize too deeply with its practitioners. So, I care. But there are things I don't care about. And that's what I want to address today.

A compliment

Poker is compelling; this we know. It's especially compelling when you're new to the game and your learning curve is steep. The brave new world of position raises and isolation bluffs can leave you dizzy with contemplation, and eager to find a game right now where you can put your new chops to the test. Left unchecked, poker, like gas, will expand to fill the available space in your life. I'm sure you're not opposed to that-you'd hardly be reading these words right now if you were averse to the advice, "Play more poker!"