Poker is Dead? Not Quite…

Poker is Dead Argument

Before I set out the reasons why the statement “poker is dead” is false, I will briefly explain the case for. After Black Friday and legislation changed in USA to prohibit online gambling (in most states), many recognised that a lot of bad players left the market and would not be returning. The years that followed saw the rest of the world compete, for lesser prizes and with arguably tougher opposition. With further popularity of the internet came available resources to improve your game. More tools, poker software, forums, podcasts and challenging opposition means the game is not easy as it once was. This in no way means poker is dead though. Here’s three reasons why.

New Players are Always Joining

The poker world is not confined to the same people forever. Every year, there is a new wave of young men and women that are legally old enough to play poker. It’s no longer a taboo subject with many of their favourite sports icons representing major poker sites. This flood of players are not yet proficient enough to know the ins and outs of poker. They yet know what makes a winning player. They don’t know how to exercise the right skills that many of the old school players take for granted. This is not a bash at new players, it’s just a fact.

Those with the least experience in an area are at a disadvantage to those who have greater experience. Texas Hold’em is the great equaliser and has no prejudices, a player can enter a cash game or tournament and play with an equal amount of chips as a professional. No handicap. This is an important thing to remember.

More Crossovers from Other Gambling

Online gambling in general continues to see year on year growth. People like to gamble and the stats show they will gamble on anything and everything. There used to be a bit of segregation between online casino and online poker, this seems to be less so today. The sites that perform in depth reviews are branching out to poker. Whether it’s live dealer casino reviews, slots reviews or blackjack reviews – there is more fluidity now between the different forms of gambling.

There is also more synergy now from the poker sites, referring to and from the different games. PokerStars, 888 and Party Poker all offer casino games on their poker software. This was not the case when the poker boom was going on. What does this mean? There is greater potential for those who gamble on blackjack, slots and roulette to get introduced to another form of gambling, one with less chance and more skill. These players will be easy pickings for the seasoned regulars and another reason why poker is not dead.

 More Formats, More Games, More Options…

I tip my hat off to the major sites that have introduced so many new ways of playing poker. Each format requires different skills and new strategies to become a winning player. You may realise you suck at normal SNGs but are great at the hyper SNGs, or perhaps you are better suited to bounty poker tournaments?

Whatever your preference, there is a format for you. The formats being introduced means it’s harder to become a great player at all of them. I always say, pick your niche and dominate it because it’s better to be a long-term winner at something than an average Joe break even player at many. Having an abundance of options is a great thing and puts to rest the argument “poker is dead”.

Conclusions on Poker is Dead

Poker is far from dead, as long as new players are joining and the online poker sites are thinking of innovative ways to keep it fresh. The echoes of “poker is dead” is championed by those who were around when was poker was incredibly easy. Those player’s were never great and lacked the foresight, adaptability and intelligence to improve and continue winning.

Poker has gone from a taboo subject to a respectable game played by millions all over the world. It’s heavily advertised on TV, internet and social media, proving it is very much alive. With some states now allowing online gambling, there is hope that the Americans will be allowed to gamble once again. Until then, there is still a lot of money to be won if you put in the hard work.

Narciso Baldo

Narciso Baldo is the Director and Head Coach of Texas Hold'em Questions. He has been playing poker for over 16 years. After spending many years as a professional, he now runs UK poker training site Texas Hold'em Questions. Narciso regularly writes poker articles sharing tips, strategy, news and experience with gambling enthusiasts. Narciso also writes for reputable gambling portal Casino City Times, (bio here). Contact: [email protected]