I’m all in. It’s a simple phrase that raises every
player’s heartbeat, causes them to sweat profusely, and
ultimately makes them shake in their boots.
I’m talking about the game of Texas Hold’Em.
For those that don’t know, poker has been televised in all
of its forms for awhile now. However, it wasn’t until Steve
Lipscomb, creator and producer of “The World Poker
Tour” on the Travel Channel, revolutionized the game that the
sport’s popularity exploded.
Now you have cameras peering in on each player’s hands,
making you feel like you are actually seated at the table.
Every bead of sweat rolling down a player’s balding head
and each grimacing look on a player’s face is actually
captured on camera.
How great is that!?
What’s more, how can you not love the expert play-by-play
commentary accompanying every hand dealt?
“The show had started with great ratings and moved to
blockbuster ratings. (It) has united America’s
interest,” said Jackie Lapin, head of media relations for
“The World Poker Tour.”
“(Lipscomb) felt he could tap into the 50 million people
that play poker at home and at casinos. He was thrilled in the
degree of acceptance of the show. The bonus is that he has been
able to reach a whole new audience.”
Texas Hold’Em has not only gained increasing popularity,
it has also become a ritual for many.
Students and adults alike often find themselves marinating their
minds while watching “The World Poker Tour” or
“The Celebrity Poker Showdown” on Bravo.
“It’s good entertainment and it gets more people
hooked, so more people will start to play,” first-year
student Mike Ngo said.
For many it’s a great hobby, but others actually consider
it a sport. I’m not sure, but any sport that involves sitting
around, downing a few cold ones and wiping potato-chip grease onto
your sweaty sleeve sounds awfully athletic to me.
But whether it’s heading down to the Indian casinos,
Hollywood Park, Commerce, or even the On Campus Housing
Council’s Casino Night, the game of Texas Hold’Em takes
as much skill and luck as any sport out there.
When I wandered into the full-blown Vegas-style casino that the
OCHC hosted this past Saturday, cards were shuffling, poker chips
were clanking, and emotions were growing with every hand dealt.
Every individual in the Texas Hold’Em room either wore an
expressionless face or glared so mercilessly that even the 2003
World Poker Champion Chris Moneymaker would have cowered.
Somehow, I ended up at a table and instantly found myself in the
heat of the action. The game came down to Ngo and second-year
political science student Alex Conner.
After constant inciting and boisterous chants of “Do it!
Do it!” Ngo yelped, “I’m all in.”
Three cards later, Ngo’s pair of queens fell short to
Conner’s aces.
Needless to say, Ngo’s brash move was all part of the
Texas Hold’Em learning experience.
For players like Conner and Ngo, the game of poker goes beyond
what their faces read.
“I’ve been playing cards pretty much my whole
life,” Conner said.
“My dad plays poker for a living. He’s a house
player at Hollywood Park,” Ngo added. “He tells me to
stay away from it, but I still play just for fun.”
If there is one thing that I got from attending Casino Night,
it’s realizing that playing cards in general is more than
just a game.
When and if the trend of Texas Hold’Em ever fades away
remains to be seen.
But until then, the devoted fans out there will continue to
check, raise, and go all-in.
After all, isn’t that the thrill of the game?
Chu didn’t win a single hand at OCHC poker night. Not
one. E-mail him at bchu@media.ucla.edu