Poker: It's not just for geezers anymore
I used to think that card games were only for old people.
That was a much simpler time, when I considered "old people" to be my parents and any of their friends. Week after week, my dad took me over to his buddy's house where they played cards while I hung out with the other children.
They, much like myself, were too young to stay home and not old enough to take part in their game. The grown-ups would pop in "Aladdin" or something just to keep us quiet for an hour or two, so they could laugh it up at the table and have a good time.
Grandparents also played a part in driving me away from card games. I saw my grandpa once every few months, and it seemed that with every visit came some new-fangled card game that he had learned. Then he'd try to teach it to me - regardless of its difficulty. After about 15 minutes we were playing Go Fish.
Through the years that I was in high school, the popularity of one game towered over all others. Poker was becoming a national phenomenon, and among its many variations, Texas Hold'em was the most prominent. Big networks such as ESPN and Fox Sports were even televising Texas Hold'em events, and the game soon became one that everybody was playing.
Poker has evolved over many centuries, in many countries. Its earliest history in the United States dates back to early in the 19th century, when the game was played on Mississippi river boats (www.poker.com). From there it became more prevalent during the times of the Civil War, and by the latter half of the century poker tables could be found in just about every saloon in every town throughout the nation.
While poker can be played in numerous ways, three are more familiar than the others: 5 Card Draw, 7 Card Stud, and Texas Hold'em.
Even though I saw others playing poker, I still didn't give much thought about participating in any games up until a few months ago. On a weekend visit to see some of my old friends, I took part in a card game atop a newly handcrafted poker table that seated eight people. After only one hour, I was completely hooked.
So there I sat, in a setting that was entirely similar to the one that my dad played cards in years before, and had the time of my life. Since then, I've routinely played poker with my friends or, when nobody was available, random strangers on the Internet.
The Internet poker will really take over your life. There's nothing quite like the addiction of hopping online and joining a table, then feeling compelled to stay there until the early morning. After eight or nine sleepless nights, I'm now convinced that it's computerized crack.
It is apparent to me now that poker is not something that is limited to one demographic. Regardless of age, it is a fun game that can be used to kill time between classes or to catch up with old friends. And in about 15 years, it'll probably be what I'm doing with my friends while our kids wait quietly in the other room.