Finally, a Sport To Get Excited About: Poker

Many Columbia students would like you to believe Miles Davis had them in mind when he compiled his landmark album Birth of the Cool. This portion of the student body came to study in Morningside Heights because they were too hip to go to State U. or even Penn. They were too New York for normal college. After all, how could the city go on without their presence?

Such students, of course, are often busy hanging out in Brooklyn, or if they are female, wearing those ridiculous boots. Perhaps the most "un-trendy" thing to do is be a booster of Lion athletics. That just ain't the scene, man.

While I will concede that Light Blue football, basketball, and the whole lot are not the vanguard of a new Beat movement, there is one sport that has become hip and cool: Poker. That's right, you heard correctly. Poker.

Having fulfilled the prerequisite of appearing on ESPN, poker fully qualifies as a sport. And in case you haven't noticed, the poker world has taken on an increasingly large role in pop culture. With this column, I intend not only to implore Lions to get in on the scene, but to encourage the start-up of some regular games across campus. Why not hold campus-wide tournaments?
(I am sure that there are many existing regular poker games and tournaments in these parts. But since I am way too "unhip" to be included, I'm trying to pretend that I am starting a new fad.)

So for you residents of EC townhouses, turn those Beirut tables into poker tables. Who are you kidding? This ain't Dartmouth. We are way too "with it" to stoop to using common space for such plebeian pastimes as beer chugging.

What makes poker hip? How could an activity whose players more closely resemble Norm from Cheers than Paris Hilton be

considered chic?

Well, there is legit evidence that poker is hip. First off, the game now has its own Bravo series in which Ben Affleck guest stars. Need I say more? I thought not. This past year also witnessed a fantastic series on the Travel Channel showcasing poker rooms across the globe. But perhaps the poker revolution originated with the landmark 1998 movie Rounders. This movie introduced my high school compadres and me to the game called Texas Hold 'em and the subculture of the poker world in America. This version of poker demands the most skill from its participants and is the way they play at the World Series of Poker that is on ESPN each year.

Let me give you a quick background on the history of poker. There are a few names you need to know. One is Jack Binion. At his casino in Las Vegas, where the annual World Series is held, the pot is guarded by men with rifles. The other name is Johnnie Chan. He has won the World Series several times. Dropping his name will make you sound like a pro. Of course, there are many books, more names, and countless legends that the poker aficionado will know. I'm just trying to give you the basics!

Lastly, the set-up of Hold' em is simple. Each player--playing with 10 people is best--gets two cards before the betting starts. To get the betting started, two players each round have to ante up a "blind." The blinds rotate around the table. Thereafter, when the players fold or stay in, three cards are placed in the middle for everyone to see and use. After another round of betting ensues, two more rounds occur with the unfolding of one card in each round. Thus, there are five community cards in the middle and two for each person. The goal is to make the best hand, and obviously, the winner takes the pot.

(Editor's Note: Neither Spectator nor Dan Fastenberg encourages illegal gambling or giving monetary value to poker chips. Riiight!)
So, my fellow Lion, I say it is about time you get with the scene and start cutting up the poker tables. You down?