The Poker Beat - March 12 at 1pm PT

[scott diamond]

We are not talking about skill level here. YOU pay an ENTRY fee into the event and try and win it. How does this make a Poker Tournament different than any of the others on the basis of paying an entry fee into an event?

[pacino]

Like I said, there is less skill, hence more luck. More luck = more gamble involved. The thing is it shouldn't matter if there is gamble involved, as there are so many other forms of completely legal gambling out there. It's frankly hypocritical to pick this one out of a lineup as immoral or wrong. Also, there IS a factor of skill involved, I'm just saying not as much as the sports you mentioned.

[scott diamond]

I agree....but the principle is the same, right?

[pacino]

I get what you're saying sir.

[BJ Nemeth]

Originally Posted by scott diamond

I agree....but the principle is the same, right?

The luck factor is the determining factor according to the law. You can't enter a "lottery tournament," because the results are purely based on luck. Obviously, luck is at least a small factor in most competitions.

I think there was a legal case many years ago that determined that fishing tournaments with entry fees were legal, because skill was enough of a factor to make it a competition rather than straight lottery-style gambling.

[scott diamond]

BJ

So are you saying there is a mindset in our society that Poker is a "Lottery Tournament" because it's been decided Poker is a game of "chance" and there is no "Skill" involved.

Some silvered spoon raised politician probably came up with that years ago and those primadonnas while at there Country Clubs and Black tie parties continue to do the "You scratch my back, I will scratch yours" theory.

[JLBlades]

Originally Posted by scott diamond

Ok, my thoughts on TOURNAMENT Poker for you all.

When you enter a Basketball, softball or Bowling Tournament you pay an entry fee in order to play for the first place prize.

Same with tournament Poker, you are paying an entry fee for the trophy and first place prize. Is it gambling?

If you say yes, then all the softball,basketball and bowling leagues are also illegal!

You can't compare poker to a sporting event, in the case of this argument. Poker is never going to be a sport and that's what separates it.

I agree that tournament poker should be allowed. (A few years ago, many local bars started hosting poker tournaments to much success. The all received a letter, stating this is your warning, that any poker at all will result in loss of license.)
I'm all for cash games having to be regulated, and needing to be played in casino's. Tournaments could easily be regulated, and make the government some money by selling permits to host. A bar shouldn't be a place to lose a fortune gambling, but all bars here have video gambling machines.
A few years ago, I was talking to one of the higher ups on the provincial gaming commission. I asked him why Tarabish (a local card game, very popular and similar to and better than Uechre.) tournaments were allowed to be held in bars, (the world championship is hosted every year, people from all over the island show up to play), and poker can't. He basically said the term "poker" is what does it. Forget the argument with comparing poker to sports, try to show the difference to cash games.

[BJ Nemeth]

Originally Posted by JLBlades

You can't compare poker to a sporting event, in the case of this argument. Poker is never going to be a sport and that's what separates it.

...

Forget the argument with comparing poker to sports, try to show the difference to cash games.

Excellent point, and one I hadn't thought of before. We always talk about "poker" like it's all in the same bucket (online poker, live poker, cash games, tournaments, Omaha, hold'em, etc.), but not all poker is created equal.

If we talked about poker tournaments like they were fundamentally different from regular cash game "casino" poker, that might help us convince people to allow tournaments even if cash games stayed illegal. (One step at a time!)

The actual difference isn't what's important. (Let's face it, there's more skill in cash games than tournaments.) But the perceived difference is what will convince people. Anti-poker people fear that in a cash game, you can lose everything. But in a tournament, you'll never lose more than your entry fee.

It's a difference of perception, but it might be enough to sway some people to our side.