POKER HAND #53

MOST HILARIOUS THING EVER: Our resident poker maestro Scott Goldberg provides enough fodder for my jokes for the next six months in this Brown Daily Herald article.

About three times a week in the Lower Blue Room, a group of about 25 students huddles around tables playing variations of poker, including the ever-popular Texas Hold 'Em, in sessions that last up to six hours.

While some people take time to interact with other players, the atmosphere is largely focused on "making money as opposed to just socializing," said Scott Goldberg '05.

Some players, Goldberg included, wear headphones so they can focus on the game free from distraction.

"It's just business," he said.

Across campus in the Minden Hall lounge, a group of anywhere from five to 15 upperclassmen meets a few times a week to play in what participant Jon Hasebe '05 called a more "laid-back" environment.

"We become pretty close, everyone who joins the group and who comes pretty regularly," Hasebe said. "It's just kind of to improve your game and meet new people."

These two scenes offer contrasting images of a game many say has taken off in popularity in the past year, particularly on the Brown campus. While some student poker enthusiasts enjoy the opportunity to socialize with other players, others compete strictly for the financial payoff.

Jared Mesznik '05, who started the Lower Blue Room group with four of his friends in October 2003, said more than 130 students have played or shown interest in the group, which started out meeting just one time a week for two hours each session.

On Fridays, the group's most popular day, Mesznik said around 40 people tend to show up.

Mesznik said the group features a consistent core of about 10 students, with about 20 others who "wander through" during the course of any given session. Although individual sessions tend to last up to six hours, many students opt to remain for only two or three before cycling out, he said.

Mesznik said he takes pride in the high level of play his group offers. "The best players at Brown play in my game - hands down," he said.

Some of Brown's more avid poker players say the game's popularity has increased significantly since ESPN began broadcasting the World Series of Poker in May 2003. Mesznik said he has noticed a "significant increase" in the number of players on campus. "The quality of players has gone up, as well as the number of players who just want to give it a shot," he said.

Goldberg, who participates in several games across campus, said this publicity has drawn a number of new players, while renewing interest for those who already knew the game.

"The TV definitely made poker look really cool," he said.

Despite the expansion, poker continues to be a male-dominated pastime at Brown. Goldberg said more women are beginning to show interest, but the number of female participants remains low and others are more likely to watch than take an active role in the game.

"Last year I just remember one girl playing," he said. "This year I've seen two girls play."

Goldberg said he is attracted to the social aspects of the game, although the possibility of winning money enhances his incentive to compete.

"I kind of have an addictive personality," he said.

Many of Brown's more involved players say that because of the vast amount of literature available on the game, the skill component has become more important.

"All the other forms of gambling I've been a part of are basically just luck," Goldberg said. "You need skill (in poker) to be good."

New players can improve their game by learning basic skills and reading up on techniques and strategy, said Goldberg, who himself has read several books on the game.

"(This basic knowledge) will probably make you a marginally winning player over someone who just didn't look into that," he said.

Yet the possibility of losing money is still present even for experienced players, particularly when playing Texas Hold 'Em, the game's most popular variation and the featured event in ESPN's World Series of Poker coverage.

In this version, each player is dealt two cards face down. After the initial round of betting, three additional cards are dealt face-up in the middle of the table. Players combine their two cards with these "community cards" to construct the best possible five-card hand. Another round of betting ensues, followed by the fourth community card, another round of betting and the final community card. At this point, players undergo a final round of betting before revealing their cards.

Goldberg said many groups play "no limit" - bets can be of any value - which adds to the game's suspense and tension.

"It's more exciting because there are so many swings to it," he said. "You can lose all the money that's in front of you or double the money you have in front of you."

Both Goldberg and Hasebe said skilled players tend to profit in the long run, although the nature of the game leads to some short-term setbacks.

"Ever since I've been playing poker I've definitely made money off of it," Goldberg said. "But there definitely have been times when I've lost a lot."

Hasebe said his own profits vary from game to game.

"I've won more than I've lost, but I do take swings," he said. "Everyone does."

Goldberg, who picked up the game the summer after his sophomore year, said the opportunities to compete in various forms have increased along with the game's popularity.

During the summer, for example, he said he competed in online games at PartyPoker.com, one of many popular online poker sites.

These sites allow players to compete in several hands simultaneously, a situation Goldberg acknowledges is "dangerous" but potentially lucrative.

"I was putting in, like, two or three hours a day," he said. "I haven't really played online anymore, because it's kind of addictive and I want to try to get away from that."

Part of the appeal of online gambling stems from the relative inexperience of some of the competitors, he said. These novices are more likely to be found online as opposed to on campus or in more formal gambling settings.

"A lot of the players (online) aren't that good ... and they just don't know how to play the game properly," he said. "In a casino, usually the players are a little bit more experienced."

Scott, what were you thinking? I fell down laughing in the shower just thinking about this article. Amazing.