THE CHANGING FACE OF POKER CARD GAME MOVES INTO THE MAINSTREAM.Byline: Christina Guerrero Staff Writer Nyla Wells, 44, is a mother of four. But when her daughters are in school, she puts her motherly moth·er·ly adj. 1. Of, like, or appropriate to a mother: motherly love. 2. Showing the affection of a mother. adv. In a manner befitting a mother. duties aside. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on many days, she can be found at one of the local Indian casinos, participating in one of the fastest-growing leisure activities - poker poker, card game, believed to have originated in Asia and first played in the United States in the 19th cent. A traditional cutthroat gambling game at first, it is now also an internationally popular social pastime. . ``I do good,'' said the Mira Loma resident as she sat at a table at San Manuel San Manuel may refer to the following places:
Two centuries ago, poker was considered a game of cheats and hustlers, found only in Old West saloons or on Mississippi River Mississippi River River, central U.S. It rises at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows south, meeting its major tributaries, the Missouri and the Ohio rivers, about halfway along its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. paddleboats. Today, poker players are emerging from all walks of life. ``Poker is clearly shedding its back-room, rough and tough image, as more people find out how intrinsically interesting it can be,'' said Steven Lipscomb, creator and co-producer of the Travel Channel's ``World Poker Tour For the PBS network with the same abbreviation, see . The World Poker Tour (Abbreviated WPT) is a series of international poker tournaments featuring most of the world's professional players. .'' Within the last two years, poker has been dealing its way into family living rooms across the nation. Poker connoisseurs credit the game's revived re·vive v. re·vived, re·viv·ing, re·vives v.tr. 1. To bring back to life or consciousness; resuscitate. 2. To impart new health, vigor, or spirit to. 3. popularity to the appeal of Internet gaming and a flood of poker-themed TV shows, but they agree that its fan base has always existed. Jill Philbrook, marketing director for San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino, said televised poker, especially shows featuring celebrities, have drawn people to the game who don't play regularly. ``It's in the last two to three years that we've seen a surge in popularity,'' Philbrook said. ``We're certainly seeing more customers wanting to come in to play poker and a lot of customers waiting to play.'' She said the casino, which has seen an increase in business, will be opening a new gaming facility in January with a poker room twice as big as the one they have now. Andrew Hill Andrew Hill (June 30, 1931[1] – April 20, 2007) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Life and career Born in Chicago, Illinois[2], Hill took up piano at 13, and was encouraged by Earl Hines. Newman, one of the executive producers of Bravo's ``Celebrity Poker Showdown Celebrity Poker Showdown was a celebrity game show on the cable network Bravo. It was a limited-run series of five celebrities playing poker. The series ran eight tournaments in five seasons. ,'' said people have been playing poker ``for a long time, and now people get to see how fun it is because of the massive media coverage.'' Each of that show's episodes features five celebrities competing against each other for $250,000 that is donated to a charity. ``I think, for our show, people come for the celebrities and stay for the poker,'' Newman said. The producers came up with the idea while actually participating in private games where they found themselves sitting next to celebrities, he said. ``One of the things that is extremely entertaining at our show is that you're seeing a side of these celebrities that you don't get to see anywhere else,'' Newman said. ``I think if you want to get to know someone, sit across a poker table A poker table is a table specifically designed for playing card games, usually poker. It is often covered with baize which is a type of felt, or speed cloth, a teflon-coated fabric that helps the cards slide easily across the surface. and you'll see what they're really like.'' The popularity of poker isn't confined con·fine v. con·fined, con·fin·ing, con·fines v.tr. 1. To keep within bounds; restrict: Please confine your remarks to the issues at hand. See Synonyms at limit. to state lines. Nevada casinos have seen an increase in players, said Keith Copher, chief of enforcement for the Nevada Gaming Control Board The Nevada Gaming Control Board, also known as the State Gaming Control Board, is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Commission. It was founded in 1955 by the Nevada Legislature. . Copher said looking at poker revenue is not necessarily an accurate measure of the game's popularity since that figure is combined with the take from other games, but he said there are other indicators of the game's renewed appeal. ``Several casinos have increased the size and remodeled their poker rooms,'' Copher said. ``It has been very beneficial.'' Philbrook said Internet gaming has also contributed to poker's popularity. ``I think the Internet is a way where people can check out poker,'' Philbrook said. ``It gives people an opportunity to try it before they come down to San Manuel.'' Newman said the Internet has capitalized on the trend as well as added to the popularity of the game. ``I personally prefer playing real poker with real people, but it certainly has helped keep the expansion of poker alive,'' he said. Newman said what players like about Internet poker sites is that they can log on at any time and play with people all over the world. However, this convenience has led to another problem. The Wire Act of the U.S. Code A multivolume publication of the text of statutes enacted by Congress. Until 1926, the positive law for federal legislation was published in one volume of the Revised Statutes of 1875, and then in each sub-sequent volume of the statutes at large. prohibits the sort of wagering wa·ger n. 1. a. An agreement under which each bettor pledges a certain amount to the other depending on the outcome of an unsettled matter. b. A matter bet on; a gamble. 2. that takes place on many Internet poker sites operated out of the Caribbean. ``The Web site itself, the operators are functioning legally, but once they are crossing to the U.S. they are functioning illegally,'' Copher said of the off-shore sites. Internet sites also offer many variations on traditional casino favorites, like Texas Hold 'Em Texas hold 'em (also hold'em, holdem) is the most popular poker variant played in casinos in the United States.[1] Hold'em is a community card game where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and their own two hole cards , Omaha and Stud stud 1. purebred. 2. a place, usually a farm, at which purebred animals are maintained and reproduced. stud animal an animal registered in a stud book. . Colton resident Tyler Huisken, 24, said he began playing poker two years ago after a trip to Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. , and he now plays about twice a week either at home or at local casinos. ``It's just entertainment,'' he said. ``I'm not going expecting to win. ... I'm not hoping to win the big jackpot, but it would be nice.'' Huisken has played Five-Card Draw, Seven-Card Stud Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant in home games across the United States, and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. and Omaha, but he recently began playing Texas Hold 'Em after seeing it on TV. ``When you're at a table, you can tell who knows how to play and who doesn't,'' he said. Huisken said he enjoys playing because it really is a game of wits. ``There's so much involved that you have to think,'' he said. ``Some of the (casino) games, you don't have to think; you just throw your money out there and they play it for you.'' Ontario resident Russell Rubio, 31, said he learned to play poker from his dad when he was 15 and now has his own poker nights, which can bring crowds of up to 40 people. ``It's not just a bunch of guys A Bunch of Guys (BOGs), or Group of Guys (GOGs) are terms used by counter-terrorism officials to refer to small, self-organizing terrorist cells.[1] BOGs typically have little to no contact with global terrorist groups like al Qaeda, so they independently plan and sitting around,'' Rubio said. ``They bring their girlfriends or their wives and their friends.'' He occasionally watches poker shows like ``World Series of Poker'' and ``World Poker Tour'' to study what moves the players make. ``It's not just the chips and the cards, but how you read somebody,'' Rubio said. Gary Thompson Gary Thompson may refer to:
``It's a very simple game to understand and a very complex game to play,'' Thompson said. ``It's easy to read the cards and know hands are out there, but it's very hard to read the player.'' Thompson said it's a very complicated and psychological game because of this human element. ``You see what a player's character is like when they're in a situation where there's a big amount of money or prestige at risk,'' he said. Thompson said one of the things that adds to the popularity of poker is that it's a game everybody can play because it's based on skill as well as luck. ``I can't beat Tiger Woods  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled. on a golf course, but I can sit at
a table and play the same hand that a guy just played and win $5 million
dollars,'' Thompson said.
Lipscomb said poker is a psychological game based on outmaneuvering or outwitting other players. ``I think people love it and keep coming back not just for the high stakes High Stakes is a British sitcom starring Richard Wilson that aired in 2001. It was written by Tony Sarchet. The second series remains unaired after the first received a poor reception. and the money - it's for the rush of putting all of your senses on the line in a contest against other people,'' Lipscomb said. Lipscomb said the poker industry was actually in a decline before ``World Tour of Poker'' was created. ``It's just increasing the number of people who are finding the great American card game and finding a way to incorporate it into their homes,'' Lipscomb said. Learn the game DRAW POKER draw poker n. Poker in which each player is dealt five cards face down and may then discard and get replacements for a specified number of cards after the first round of betting. Noun 1. Players at the table make a small bet, or ante, before receiving any cards. Players receive five cards dealt face down and then decide if they wish to stay in the game. If so, a bet must now be placed. Once all bets are made, players may exchange with the dealer up to three cards from their hand, or four if the kept card is an ace. Once the exchange, or draw, is complete, a second round of betting takes place. If all bets are called, players who have not folded show their hands in what is called a showdown. The winner is the player with the highest-ranking hand. If only one player remains, he or she will win the pot without having to expose their cards. FIVE-CARD STUD
Five-card stud is the earliest form of the card game, stud poker, originating during the American Civil War,[1] All players ante. The dealer then deals each player two cards, one face down and the other face up. The player with the lowest ranking up-card must place the opening bet. Each player to the left of the player making the opening bet must in turn either call the opening bet, raise it or fold. When this round is complete each player is then dealt another card face up followed by a round of betting. This continues until all players have five cards, one face down and four face up, or until only one player remains. From the third card onward on·ward adj. Moving or tending forward. adv. also on·wards In a direction or toward a position that is ahead in space or time; forward. , the betting is started by the highest poker hand showing. The winning hand is the highest-ranking five-card poker hand. TEXAS HOLD 'EM Texas Hold 'Em is a seven-card game. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the dealer place live bets called the small and large blinds. It's called blind because it's made prior to seeing any cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round. The play begins with two cards dealt face-down to each player, called hole cards. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise clock·wise adv. & adj. Abbr. cw. In the same direction as the rotating hands of a clock. clockwise Adverb, adj in the direction in which the hands of a clock rotate around the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. The large blind has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet. Three community cards are then dealt face up in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer. Another card is dealt face up followed by a round of betting. The fifth and last card is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of hole cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand. OMAHA Omaha is a nine-card poker game that uses blinds as in Texas Hold 'Em and adds an eight or better high/low variable. The play begins with four cards dealt face down to each player. Action starts with the first player to the left of the blinds beginning the betting. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. Community cards are then dealt face up in the center of the table in the same manner as in Texas Hold 'Em, with betting after each round. After the final betting round, the players remaining in the hand will then show all their cards. To qualify for a winning low hand, a player must have five cards of eight or lower with no pair using two from their hand and three from the board. Straights or flushes may be used for the low hand if all the cards are eight or below. If there is a qualifying low hand, it splits the pot with the winning high hand. Otherwise, the high hand takes the entire pot. Remember, you must use two cards from your hand and three from the board to make the best five-card poker hand. CAPTION(S): 4 photos, box Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Ante up POKER is drawing players like never before Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (2) no caption (Hands reaching for poker chips) John McCoy/Staff Photographer (3) Cuong Trac deals a hand of Texas Hold 'Em at San Manual Indian Bingo & Casino in Highland. (4) Steve Media plays poker at San Manual Indian Bingo and Casino. Walter Richard Weiss/Staff Photographer Box: Learn the game (see text) Source: www.pokerpages.com |
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