Poker Hits College Universities!

Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 Poker Hits College Universities!

The game is Texas Hold ?Em, and its worldwide popularity also has infiltrated area homes, especially with local college students.

Brian Lee and roommate Justin Phillips regularly hold poker games at their home in south high street.

Lee, a 21-year-old Ohio State University student, said what started as a hobby and a way to kill some time has turned into a weekly game for his circle of poker friends.

?It?s just for fun,? he said, cracking a smile when he thinks about how often he plays. ?We have a lot of time on our hands.?

Texas Hold ?Em is a version of Seven Card Stud. Each player is dealt two cards face down. Then a round of betting occurs based on how strong the player thinks his (or her) cards are compared to those of other players.

After the bets are placed, three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These cards are called the Flop, and after the cards are turned, there is another round of betting.

Another community card is then turned over, called the Turn, and bets follow. The final card, the River, is revealed and more bets are placed.

Players make the best five-card hand with their two cards and three of the community cards.

Simple enough, right? According to most players, no.

Many Hold ?Em players will tell you the game takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. But that doesn?t stop local players from aspirations to make big money in the many tournaments held at casinos across the land.

Phillips, a 20-year-old student, said he would savor the chance to play against others in a tournament, preferably the World Series of Poker.

?I see it on TV and it makes me want to play,? Phillips said. ?You could make it pretty easily.?

His roommate fires back quickly.

?They?re a lot better than you give them credit for,? Lee said.

As seen on TV

Phillips, like many other amateur players, finds himself watching poker games on television. Cable channels like ESPN, the Travel Channel, Fox Sports and Bravo routinely broadcast tournament action.

The added exposure has made professional players such as Phil Hellmuth, Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Greg Raymer and Chris Moneymaker household names.

Moneymaker, an amateur online poker player who earned a spot in the 2003 World Series of Poker, widely is credited with helping launch the game?s explosion in popularity. His victory ? and subsequent $2.5 million grand prize ? has other amateur players hoping to duplicate his feat.

To attract more players to their weekly games, Lee posted contact information on the Web site www.homepokergames.com. Initially, he said, responses were few and far between. But he now receives three to four inquiries a week about the games he and his friends hold.

?I can?t believe how huge it?s become,? Lee said.

He also said he has no problem inviting strangers over to compete in their poker tournaments.

"I like to play poker with just about anyone,? he said.

The $10,000 fee to compete in the World Series of Poker may be a bit too much for Phillips at this point, but he admits to daydreaming about how he would do if given the chance to play.

Phillips said he goes up against other players on the Internet for both play and real money, hoping to hit it big one day and join the likes of Moneymaker and Helmuth on television.

In the meantime, he?s happy competing with friends.

The games, he said, ?are pretty friendly.?

?Girl? power

Dana Vacek said that when she plays poker, many times she?s the only woman at the table. But she?s not intimidated simply because her competitors are mainly male. In fact, she thinks being a female poker player gives her an advantage at times.

?Guys just don?t think we know what we?re doing,? the senior said.

None of her other girlfriends play, Vacek said, because they?ve told her it?s too time-consuming, boring or they just don?t want to take the time to learn how to play.

Vacek, who has been playing for about a year, said she got swept up in the poker phenomenon when she discovered a group playing weekly games. She began watching televised poker tournaments, and began to better understand the game.

Aside from an unlucky streak in August, Vacek has played at least once a week for several months. What started as a weekend hobby slowly has developed into a passion, and she said she enjoys both the social and competitive aspects of poker.

?I look forward to playing every week,? Vacek said. ?But I?m not addicted or anything like that.?

But she was quick to note that it?s fun to get some friendly revenge against a player who knocked her out the week before.

Vacek said she finds that she consistently finishes better than when she first started playing. She?s picked up tips along the way from playing with others, and said there are certain players she can ?read like a book.?

Just for fun

While Lee, Phillips and Vacek said they enjoy playing as much as possible, none said the life of a professional poker player is in the future.

Vacek said since she?s still in school, the weekly poker games will remain mostly a social outlet.

?Unless I get extremely good, I don?t see it going anywhere,? Vacek said.

However, she does admit daydreaming about what it would be like to compete in the World Series of Poker and walk away with a healthy prize.

?I wouldn?t quit school or anything [to pursue poker],? she said.

Lee said their games, which routinely last a couple of hours, remain friendly in nature with some good-natured trash talking.

Many times, one friend in particular is the object of their jabs. They said he read a short book on poker strategy and considers himself an expert. However, according to Lee and friends, the guy has yet to win any tournaments.

?He criticizes our moves, but he?s never won,? Lee said with a sly grin.

Socially, the poker games even have replaced a normal night of going out to bars or parties for these students.

?We?ll say we?ll play one hand,? Lee said, ?and then before we know it, it?s 2 a.m.?