Poker Archives - Page 2 of 12

Top 5 Peak Poker Moments

February 1, 2021January 31, 2021 Paul Leave a comment

Tournament poker is a variable reinforcement activity. We all occasionally play for long periods without a win. Then one day it all comes together and in a single tournament you make most of your profit for the year in one beautiful peak poker experience.

Thanks to you-know-what we have been deprived of live poker for the past year. In fact, it’s been almost exactly a year since we played Derby Lane on our most recent poker vacation to Tampa. While we are not so patiently waiting to play live poker once again, we thought that we would console ourselves by revisiting our top five peak poker moments.

The Fifteen Greatest Poker Personalities

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021 Paul Leave a comment

When I first started watching poker on TV in the early 2000s, I believed that many of the leading poker personalities just could not be real people. So many were straight out of central casting. Cowboys, magicians, professors, ex-cons…even Jesus showed up. There were so many engaging individuals with such varying styles. It seemed too good to be true.

Over the past twenty years, as poker’s online presence rocketed the player base, and poker theory and study expanded as well, poker became a more serious endeavor. There were more players winning major events playing silently and methodically. However, some of the great characters persevered and enjoyed increased TV audiences. And new unique personalities emerged. So today I offer my rundown of the fifteen greatest poker personalities of all time.

5 Great Gifts For Your Favorite Poker Player 2020

December 7, 2020December 6, 2020 Heather Leave a comment

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It’s that time of year again! Time to start thinking about buying gifts for those near and dear to you. Given how the last year has gone, you know your poker playing friends and family are desperate for a little poker love.

You know who they are. She’s your sister who takes every vacation in Las Vegas (but had to stay home this year). Or maybe he’s your dad who is up late playing on Poker Stars every night (and maybe all day now too…). Now you’ve got to wrap your mind around finding them a gift. Poker Pilgrims would like to help you out with suggestions for great poker gifts for the player in your life. In these tough times (especially for us poker players!) don’t they deserve a little something special to keep poker alive in their hearts?

Great Poker Gifts

Throwdown Thursday: Online Poker Duel

October 22, 2020October 22, 2020 Heather Leave a comment

We are now eight months deep into this current pokerless void, and something must be done. As we have mentioned before, we were very fortunate to be on a poker trip to Tampa Bay when the world stopped spinning. I believe we got in exactly one tournament back home in early March before the world REALLY shut down. And since… crickets. While our neighboring New Hampshire opened their poker rooms over the summer, we have not been in a position to enjoy the live game, and likely won’t be for months yet. Which brings us to online poker.

Paul and I both played online poker before Black Friday, and Paul recently wrote a heartfelt plea for all states to make it legal once again. Recently, we have had some opportunities to play on the Pokerstars home game site. Paul is so happy to get back to some form of poker (any form of poker) that he would play daily if he could. I, frankly, hate it. So we thought, what better topic for a Throwdown Thursday. Online poker: love it or hate it?

First up is Paul, lover of all things digital.

Paul: Playing vs. not playing at all seems like a no-brainer. Live or online: you play your cards, track your opponents’ tendencies, and come up with the best strategy to win. Seems like the same process to me, absent the occasional political discussion that makes me put my headphones on.

Charity Poker, New Hampshire Style

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 Paul Leave a comment

Poker and charity are seldom uttered in the same breath. Sure, special tournaments are sometimes held to raise money for a specific charity. The poker being played at such events is generally for fun, and many of the players are novices. Thus, charity poker usually connotes something very different from traditional competitive poker.

When the state of New Hampshire started offering legal poker and gaming in 1977, they linked it with charitable giving. Thirty-five percent of all poker and table game proceeds (after prizes) in New Hampshire go to designated charities. Further, of course, the State gathers another 10% in tax revenue. As of October 2020, 15 locations in the state offer poker and contribute to charity and tax revenue. We’ve long wondered what those numbers look like.

Category: Poker