Don't Seperate Poker from other forms of Gambling

[schwza]

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Mike Caro said in one of his tapes I listened to long ago, that you can beat poker because *your decisions matter*, unlike in craps for example. And we can prove they matter, that London jury verdict again notwithstanding,

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the jury agreed in the london case that skill does play a significat part in poker. we were just in a [censored] position because the law says that significant skill + significat skill = game of luck. this doesn't contradict what you're saying, but i thought some people might want the clarification.

[cmillard]

tsearcher,
As a Christian poker player I would like to offer some thoughts. I have played poker for years and understand that it is a skill based game...that said, I still enjoy occasionally betting on sports/horses as well.
I have had plenty of discussions about whether gambling is "right or wrong", and you are correct, the bible does not specifically discuss "gambling", though it does touch on some areas very close to gambling.
I decided to do some research on this, and while there are a great deal of religious scholars who consider it wrong, I surprisingly (and gladly) found a lot of people with this view:

Being a good steward with your finances is specifically discussed in many areas of the bible...in other words, don't waste what God has blessed you with...the articles I read felt like this would certainly include gambling, but would also include going out to eat an expensive meal when you were low on money, going to see 3 movies in one weekend, playing golf 4 weekends a month when you need groceries.

I really liked this view...I don't play golf, fish, hunt or have any other hobbies that utilize my income....I play poker. With golf, fishing or hunting...I am spending money...with poker, I at least MIGHT make some money!

Anyway, I realize that the majority of the devout Christian population will always consider gambling/poker wrong, but there are at least some of us who responsibly enjoy and respect the game of poker.

[valdosta]

Sure, poker is a game of skill for some people. However, let's be honest. There are tons and tons of people who play poker who really aren't skillfull. Sports gambling is really no different. In sports gambling it is VERY important to be able to read lines and predict where they are going to move to. You think anyone can do that or is it a "skill" to be able to beat line movements in sports? Most people can;t do it but some can. Sorry for bumping up an old thread with my first post but when I was searching I saw nobody bothered to mention there is most definantely skill involved with sports betting.

[Truthiness24]

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I'm not convinced the non-gambling public does understand this, but I don't have any proof. Either way there are going to be big losers whether it's poker or casino games. Whether it's poker pro's or casino owners winning the money why would any one care?


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They would care because "anyone" can be a poker pro. "Anyone" can be a winner at poker. Reasonable people all know that they can't win at a casino's table games. But poker is another story. When Moneymaker or Varkonyi or Roy McEvoy or Crash Davis win, we all win.

This is known as the Horatio Alger argument. The US is largely a harsh, Darwinist society economically, with a few but not many socialist scraps thrown to the masses. The masses tolerate this because "anyone" can make it big (so the philosophy goes) through hard work and a bit of luck. People identify with the poker pro and aspire to be him. This philosophy is imprinted on the minds and in the assumptions of Americans even if they cannot say it in these specific words.

This is how we win. We win by presenting poker as not just an "American tradition" but an EMBODIMENT OF AMERICAN VALUES.

The word needs to get out. People will listen if we try.

[Skallagrim]

Nice point Truthiness [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

[JPFisher55]

I hope that you are still right Truthiness, but I fear that the trend is in the opposite direction. And the Republican Party has become part of the problem not the solution.