Your Poker Upbringing

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1. • Posted by Ethan 2008-02-21 01:26:11
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   • I'm curious how others were raised re: poker or gambling in general. I was raised Christian, but my parents never made any mention (pro or con) about gambling. It just wasn't on their radar at all. The closest thing they taught me was to be prudent with money. Consequently, I have no moral issues with poker or gambling, and think it should be less regulated.

     So how were you brought up, and how has it affected your attitudes?

2. • Posted by WeezerMoo 2008-02-23 00:28:03
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   • I was raised Christian as well. However, gambling was never really hit as an issue. My dad played card games with buddies from bowling and work all the time and taught my brother and I poker games at a very very young age. I have been playing poker for over 20 years now and I'm 29, so I guess you could say I was definitely brought up pro-poker. If it was a game, it was ok.

3. • Posted by Nick L 2008-02-25 02:19:23
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   • My upbringing is play for like 50 cents in small games that are not poker golf is big in my family, I showed my parents that I am responsible about my playing by starting out only playing for a buck. Into with what I play for now. With being responsible with my bankroll pretty much treating it like a 2nd bank account it is not really an issue now.

4. • Posted by Jason M 2008-02-27 08:06:53
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   • The earliest I ever remember playing poker was for small change at my aunt's house in Hutchinson, Minnesota, when we would drive up from Wisconsin to visit. I don't remember much, but I remember it being a blast. I was raised Christian, also, but gambling being bad was never really discussed. I played lots of strategy and card games growing up, and my parents trusted my ability to manage my finances, so playing poker or Euchre for small amounts of money wasn't a big deal. My mom taught me how to play pool and let me play in tournaments (with fees and prizes), so why would poker be any different? I was able to win scholarships and other prizes while playing Magic in high school, so that pretty much solidified the fact that playing games of skill for money wasn't bad, especially if it's profitable ;)

5. • Posted by Graham 2008-02-28 00:02:59
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   • My earliest poker memory is of being cheated by my older brother's friend. I think the game was 5 card draw for a buck or so and he showed down his hand of all black cards in such a way that you couldn't see the suit of one card. Up until then I was pretty proud of my two pair. He dragged the pot without a second look. Him bragging about it later was the only way I knew. I was in 6th grade at the oldest. Oddly enough, this kid was a friend from church (Catholic) who was a pretty upstanding guy. Turns out he has no problem cheating at cards. That wasn't the first time I'd played or played for money, but it's what stands out. My parents didn't know or didn't care. Obviously I didn't play against that guy again...

6. • Posted by Teresa 2008-03-04 21:38:41
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   • My dad always wanted me to learn chess because he's a nerd but I opted for poker (?) and he still doesn't like that I play :(

7. • Posted by Pokermom 2008-03-05 00:53:02
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   • My mom is a life master at bridge and I was brought up working bridge tournaments that she either played in or directed as a "caddy" (I picked up all the trash on the table and laid out the duplicate boards).

     I never learned how to play bridge. But card playing must be in my blood.

     Anyway, I played a little poker growing up but never learned any particular game. I was dead money.

     Then my son really got into Texas Hold 'em. I asked him to teach me but he got so impatient and irritated when I didn't know what a blind was, he pretty much gave up on me.

     In 2004, a co-worker (brilliant young man) sat down with me for 20 minutes and gave me the most awesome 20 minute lesson of my life that was followed with the mandate that I needed to read Slansky and play exactly by the rules until I had enough experience to mix it up. I played some industry, networking hold'em tourneys and finally wandered into a casino in 2007.

     My son now lets me play with him and his friends and plies me with alcohol to get me to play badly. They used to fleece me for chump change. Now I can clean their clocks.

     Which, by the way, is oh, so satisfying...

8. • Posted by Craig 2008-03-07 17:10:00
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   • My family doesn't really play cards nor do any gambling worth mentioning. Although when I was around 12, my mom got into bridge for a while and hosted a few games. I don"t recall if they played for money or not. I never learned how to play it. My dad isn't into cards at all.

     I started playing poker at about 16. My friend David G. and his friends would host poker games. At the beginning we didn't even have chips. We'd use pennies for 25-cent chips I recall. And we had a strict rule. If you called your hand wrong, you lose AND have to post everyone"s antes for the next hand (didn"t do blinds back then). Kind of a stupid rule but it kept us alert.

     I think we played mostly 5-card draw and 7-card stud. Probably did some hold'em too but I can't remember (yes 16 was a very long time ago).

     In college I had some friends that hosted a game once a month. We'd play all sorts of poker games including wild card games. It was more of a social event than a serious game. I also got into blackjack around this time and played it in Tahoe and Vegas. But after you memorize the strategy tables, there's not much else to do with it. Its pretty boring to me now. Haven't played it in years.

     I didn't play in a poker tournament until about 4 years ago when my friend Greg R. hosted a game with 3 tables. I recall trying to equate the chip value to a proportion of the buy-in, which really doesn"t make sense in a tourney. I didn't do well but it was fun.

     About 2 years ago I started watching the WSOP on ESPN. As I would watch I'd think, "that's not so hard." Then in April of '07 I decided to enter a tourney at Garden City to see what it"s all about. I took 2nd in a field of 88. Was luck involved? Absolutely. Skill? Probably a little. In any case, I came down with a strong case of poker fever after that.

     BTW, I kind of got into chess a few years ago but discovered I"m not really good at it. That"s why I like poker. It"s got a good blend of skill and luck. Anyone play bughouse chess?

9. • Posted by Jason M 2008-03-07 21:45:14
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   • Those posts are really good. Lots of information I'd probably never think to extract from everybody I see on so many people I see on a regular basis.

     I see a few Bridge references in here. I learned it from a small book and played it with Jeff and his dad up in Vancouver, but never really got too far with it. It seems like a good game, but as Craig mentioned about chess, poker just seems more fun. It must be the luck factor. I have tried to play chess, have read many books on it, and still am not that good. I'll probably never beat anybody who takes the game pretty seriously, but I could sit across the poker table from anybody and beat them if the cards went my way.

     I really miss the dealer's call game I hosted in Vancouver way back when... I know we've tried in the past to those kinds of games going, but all most people want to play is Hold'em, Hold'em, Hold'em. I did get to have some dealer's call fun the last time I went to Brent's. $100 worth of fun :p

10. • Posted by Jason M 2008-03-08 00:08:19
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    • I think that's enough people to try and get it together. I'll see if I can manage to host at my place :)

11. • Posted by Pokermom 2008-03-08 01:29:10
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    • I would love a dealer's call game! Low stakes, of course. I am exceedingly rusty on rules, but I sense we all are... If anyone else echoes Jason and my yearnings to mix it up, lemme know. If we can get 6+ people, we have a game!

12. • Posted by Dave W 2008-03-08 02:20:49
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    • I think that would be a blast!! A little 2-7 triple draw, how bout kings and little people....maybe some guts"

13. • Posted by Craig 2008-03-08 06:33:42
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    • Count me in. Its been so long since I've played anything but hold'em I've almost forgot how to play the other games. Hold'em is great but I just don't want to wear it out tooooooo much.

14. • Posted by Ethan 2008-03-08 22:40:37
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    • Sounds like fun, maybe we could try some pips.

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