Why do people play poker?

I am in a rural area east of San Diego. I spent the night in the RV with “Pokey the Dog” in the Sycuan Indian Casino parking lot, after a late night of poker playing. Prior to the Indian Casino being built here about 20 years ago, there were probably less then 500 people a year who came to this area. Now, the Casino is just finishing a parking structure to add parking for an additional thousand cars that come to this area on a daily basis.

This past weekend my wife Caren, and I, stayed with some friends in L.A. with another couple. We have known each other for about 25 years. We all meet 3-4 times a year for a weekend with good friends and “spirited” debate. This weekend I was asked “what is the appeal of poker that is fueling millions of people to be actively engaged with poker or other forms of gambling”.

Terry, who is an ethics professor and administrator at a Christian College, believes the basis of it is greed. (“The something for nothing, quick buck for little work, directly opposed to a core value of this country, the strong puritan “work ethic”.)

But, I don’t think the answer is that clear or that simple. I can only authoritatively answer the question for me, from my perspective, but it does cause me to think.

I think greed has very little to do with the reasons I play poker. In fact, Terry admitted he is probably far more, greedy then I am when he obsesses about buying more real estate and making money in the stock market, then I ever have about anything.

When I walk past the hundreds of people playing a "negative expectation" game like slots or blackjack (which probability dictates the longer you play, the more probable it will be that you lose,) I do think greed must play a large percentage for many who mindlessly pull a slot handle or push a button hour after hour, hoping to hit the big one.

However at the poker table I believe that only about 20-40 percent of players are there because of the greed factor.

The other possibly more powerful forces that motivate poker players are ego, competition, role-playing & skill. Unlike every other casino game you are competing with another person. Their money is at risk so the probabilities are even. (There is no “casino edge” such as in negative expected outcome games.) In poker the casino takes a little something from every pot to pay for the dealer and the table “rent”. But, they have no interest in the outcome of the conflict, anymore then a stock broker does in what happens to your stock. They receive a commission “up front” whether you make money or lose money.

Therefore I would divide poker players into two groups that primarily believe the outcome will be based on luck or based on skill. Obviously, that is a very simple, but useful division.

I estimate there are about 20% on either end of the luck versus skill scale. The luck player can be observed by his lucky charms, (rabbit’s foot or budda card protectors, lucky shirts, lucky seats etc. etc.)

The skill player are not so easily observed, but they read poker books, analyzes hands, discusses play with others. They are committed to improving their game through knowledge and skill development.

Then there are the 60% who are more evenly luck/skill mixed players. On a skill based scale they tip one way or the other, but are more prone to poor play then the 20% skill based players. However, they are not that much better players, then the luck based believers.

So, even with a classification system like skill/luck the four most power motivators seem to be: Competition, Ego, Role-Playing & Mastery.

I have listed them in what I believe is most to least significant. These motivators are present in each classification of player. As you climb the ranks I believe professionals work to suppress Competition & Ego and increase role-playing and poker mastery skills.

It would probably be helpful to define what I mean by each of these motivators.

Competition is prized highly in our society and provides a personal sense of satisfaction. It seems to be what makes children try to run faster or climb higher in play. College students stay up all night playing marathon sessions of board games or computer games. Then as Adults they seem to divide into two groups: those who still get out and compete from Bowling to Golf and those who watch professional sports on T.V.

Poker provides a hybrid for both. Regardless of whether you are young, or old, or fit or fat you can compete on a level playing field at the poker table.

Role-playing begins as a child who plays “grown up”, and into the teenage years there is an attempt to mimic/role-play from superhero to latest pop icon.

Little children don’t know how to “lie, fool, cheat, or deceive” from "harmless lies" to avoid hurt feelings, to serious attempts to defraud another.

But, early in their lives, they are taught by adults “how to keep a secret”, how to say something is true even when really believed to be false. As many of us have no venue to be able to selectively choose whether to role-play or not. Many people would admit their live is often lived out as one role-play after another, they believe, forced on them by others, which they have little control over.
Poker provides an outlet for practicing role-playing, primitive, non-societal approved behaviors like deception, misdirection, and manipulation but clearly understood and agreed upon by all participants that this is permissible and valued behavior in this arena.

In my next blog, I will attempt to define and relate how ego and poker skill relate to this discussion.