Cardrooms in Italy? (Venice, Florence, Rome)

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
jesus christ, give poker a rest while you're in those beautiful cities.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everytime this topic comes up (will be away in X, is there poker? where X = some location with plenty to see and do outside poker) the OP gets cut down like this.

I always find that reaction a bit unwarranted.

In spirit I know where it's coming from. Even other poker enthusiasts are right to point out that there are rich experiences in location X that should be enjoyed besides poker.

But there are good reasons to want to play poker on vacation, even in a really scenic spot.

1) Although M&M poker is more widely available than ever, it is not ubiquitous. Plenty of people live hundreds of miles from the nearest live game. They may have work and family obligations that make B&M rare. So why not look for it on vacation?

2) You can spend all day taking in the sights, without having many options at night. After dinner and a stroll, you may be really limited to bars and nightclubs. What's the matter with poker as an alternative?

3) Poker can actually be pretty cool in that you can sit down and engage with locals socially as you play.

4) It's not an all or nothing activity. It's possible to play one night on vacation and leave plenty of time for anything else.