AUTHOR: Jerry "Jet" Whittaker
TITLE: The Poker Room
DATE: 3:15 AM
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BODY:
To me, online poker is a nice diversion. It is great to log on to play during those evenings when I am feeling too lazy to do housework. If I have been unable to get to the casino in some time and am itching to play some cards, a few taps of on my laptop will give me a chance to play competitive poker from my own home. I love to be able to steal a few moments from my busy schedule to jump into a cash game or tournament at any time of day or night. In my opinion, though, online poker will always pale in comparison to live action poker. The internet has a way of dulling the senses. It is monotonous, stagnant, and impersonal. Online poker players admit to having to resort to all sorts of tactics to relieve the overriding feelings of boredom. Some internet players instant message in-between hands, surf the net, or watch TV to help pass the time. There is no emotional attachment to the poker room. There is little excitement associated with play. Every time that I see the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip through the window of the airplane, my stomach starts to do flips in anticipation of the poker I am about to play. When I feel the winds that push into my face as I walk up the boardwalk in Atlantic City, an uncontrollable smile is visible on my face. There is an aura that surrounds the live action card room. Whether it is my favorite familiar room or a small casino I stumble upon on vacation, all poker rooms feel like home to me. The clicking of the poker chips is a sweet song. The poker felt is a beautiful canvas. The opponents at the table are instant foes and instant friends. Poker rooms used to be a forgotten entity in most casinos. Hidden away down long corridors and around corners, poker players felt like unwanted guests as they snaked past the more profitable casino games and slot machines. That has all changed in recent years. With Texas Hold 'em experiencing unprecedented popularity, posh poker rooms are now popping up directly inside the main entrance of some of the ritziest casinos around. Even the old card rooms are looking to conjure up more business by updating their surroundings with new paint, new flat screen television, and new felt on the tables. The location of the room is not important to the serious poker player. The newness of the poker tables and chairs is not much of a factor, either. The biggest key factor is the overall atmosphere. It is the people that make or break the card room, in most cases. The dealers, the players, the cocktail waitresses, and the floor managers buzz through their duties. If they are enjoying themselves, your mind will be set to join in on the experience. If they are all downtrodden and disengaged, your mind will expect the same. Be sure that you chose your card room based on your potential profits, not based on the emotional reaction that you perceive when you first walk into the door. Online poker is a great game. For most of us, though, it does not envoke the same positive emotions as a live action casino. We love the personal connection. We feel as if we are a part of the environment. We seek that intense interpersonal competition. Most of all, we enjoy the atmosphere.  
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