Long associated with the Wild West, where cowboys gambled their ill gotten gains in a saloon while being served shots of whiskey by a nymph called Miss Mamie, the poker of today is virtually unrecognisable from those days and many new variations of the game have come into being over the years. Stud poker, straight poker and Texas hold ’em are just a few of the different kinds you will find being played around the world 24/7.
In the wee small hours when everyone should be tucked up in bed, there are programmes dedicated to poker playing away on cable channels. These show the professionals at work, the recreational players who have got so adept at the game that it is now their living. These are your hardcore players who have become so skilled at the game of poker that it is now their only source of income.
Of all the casino games, the ones involving cards are the most likely to be accused of involving some kind of cheating. We may laugh at old westerns where one gun slinger finds a king up the sleeve of another and shoots him for his audacity, but in reality rumours of corruption amongst casinos have hung around like a bad smell for decades. The truth is that they are the most legitimate places to bet anywhere, and you can rest assured that there is nothing dodgy going on, simply rumours started by bad losers.
It is also just about the worst game for friends becoming enemies and fights breaking out. A friendly game of poker in the back room of a pub is common place now, and those who take it a tad too seriously and can’t believe that they are losing so heavily will start to fling accusations around. This has got poker somewhat of a bad reputation, yet it is attracting millions of new players every year, especially to the world of online poker.
Take your place on a virtual table and you can play for hours, well until your luck or your money runs out. Online gambling is the area where you should exercise the most caution, as it is very easy to keep topping up your account with a credit card, so be sensible and stick to a predetermined budget, and keep the fun factor alive.
If you fancy yourself as a decent poker player then online is a good place to hone your skills, or with family to hone that poker face. As with all gambling, set yourself a limit and don’t gamble more that you can comfortably afford to lose. You will lose some and you will win some, that is the nature of poker, and of life. Keep this in mind while playing and you can keep the fun element in this skilful game of nerves.