Five Signs That You’re Still a Poker Fan

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Are you still a poker fan? That seems like a weird question to ask anyone who would be reading the Tournament Poker Edge website, but I’ve noticed a funny pattern as I’ve met more and more good players. Many of them seem to no longer be fans of poker, or at the very least, their enthusiasm has waned considerably. After a while, I started to see this apathy in myself as well. I’ve finally realized that I actually am still a fan. I was just being nonchalant about it to follow the crowd. Maybe you’re like me and need to be reminded that being a fan does necessarily equate to being a fish. It’s ok to be good and giddy at the same time. Here are five signs that you’re still a poker fan.

1. You can’t wait to watch the WSOP Main Event coverage.

The WSOP Main Event Final Table is the Super Bowl of our sport. Many casual viewers will tune in to see what all the hoopla is about even if they don’t know much about the game. These aren’t the people I am talking about. I am talking about those of you who’ve had the date September 28^th marked on your calendar for over a month now. That’s the date the first episode of the 2014 WSOP Main Event will air. If you cannot wait to hear Norman Chad and Lon McEachern kick off this year’s coverage, then you’re still a poker fan.

2. You were excited to see the pros in person at the WSOP.

If you were fortunate enough to attend this year’s WSOP in person for the first time, then you know the feeling I am talking about here. The sound of thousands of players shuffling chips simultaneously. The sight of freshly spell-checked banners featuring champions from years past who you’re actually standing right next to in person. Ahh yes. This is the WSOP. Sadly, if this wasn’t your first time, then maybe you’ve forgotten that feeling.

I snapped pictures of every familiar face I could find during my first trip. During my second trip, I even got up the nerve to talk to and become friends with a few of them. This year was my third, so of course, I was over it. I mean, how many times can you see and hear Phil Helmuth before he starts to annoy you? Don’t answer that. Now that the summer’s over, I can admit that I do still enjoy seeing those TV guys. What’s cool is that now I also enjoy seeing guys who I became a fan of from online poker as well. If you can admit that you got just a tad bit star struck at least once this summer, then you’re still a poker fan.

3. You love listening to interviews and podcasts.

This one is very similar to the last one. If you enjoy seeing your favorite players, then you probably also enjoy listening to them analyze a hand or tell their story. In addition to that, you may be a fan of the interviewers as well. I was fortunate enough to be a guest on the Thinking Poker Podcast again and this time we recorded live in the halls of the Rio. That was an awesome experience. In addition to this, I also played in a tournament with Mike Sexton and Kara Scott and sat directly in front of Sarah Grant as she interviewed someone on the rail of the WSOP Main Event. If you love the people who interview players as much as the players themselves, then you’re still a poker fan.

4. You enjoy studying the game as well as playing it.

Do you remember when you first got into poker? You would play every chance you got and every day you learned something new. After a while, you began to get better and have some success. Eventually, you made less and less time for study and even started to feel a bit bored while playing. This has happened to all of us at one time or another. It’s only a problem if you linger in this state of mind for too long. At some point, you have to find a way to rekindle your love for the game. Some people do this by playing in new venues, with new people, or by playing a different variant of poker. Maybe reading a new book or watching a new video will teaching you something exciting that you hadn’t thought of on your own. If studying and playing feels like a treat instead of a chore, then you’re still a poker fan.

5. You miss the game when you’re away from it.

After coming home from Vegas this summer, I went back to working a full time job. During this time, I was so exhausted after work that I did not have the time or energy for anything poker related. This caused me to miss most of the coverage of this year’s Big One for One Drop on ESPN. There was also a big event at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida that a lot of pros attended in August. I couldn’t make it due to work. I also got behind on my favorite podcasts including the Thinking Poker Podcast and all the podcasts at Tournament Poker Edge. Worst of all, I did not play or study much at all during this time.

Needless to say, I missed the game tremendously. I now make it a point to study, play, or at least watch someone else play most days each week. I don’t ever want to get so consumed with work that I don’t have any leisure time for things I enjoy. If the thought of being away from poker completely for months at a time sounds unappealing to you, then you’re still a poker fan.