What Inspired You to Get Into Poker?
Why do you play poker? What is it about the game that first attracted you, and what is it about poker that keeps you coming back?
Often — and especially in the context of discussing poker strategy — the prospect of making money playing poker is promoted to a level of highest importance, as though money were the only motive anyone ever had for sitting at a poker table.
But while winning necessarily has to be the goal when strategy is the subject, there are many other reasons why people first become attracted to poker, and why people continue to stick with the game after first getting involved.
Our Sarah Herring recently asked a number of poker players and others at the World Series of Poker what it was that first inspired them to play poker. The variety of responses she received is quite revealing.
Sarah talked to Shannon Shorr, Amit Makhija, Max Silver, Andre Akkari and Andy Frankenberger among others about what makes poker such an interesting and fun game.
Some bring up the money as an incentive, but many other reasons for playing poker are covered here as well, including the game’s social element and entertainment value, both the math and psychology of the game, the way playing poker professionally enables a kind of independence as well as affords opportunities to travel and meet people, and more. Take a look:
What first inspired your interest in poker, and why do you keep coming back? Share your experience in a comment below.
