Poker and Friends

I know some poker players who I consider friends.  I also have some friends who play poker.  Although on the surface, these two types of people may seem similar, in reality they are quite different.

The friends that I have who play poker mainly participate for the social aspect of the game.  Getting together with the guys, busting their balls and throwing back a few cold ones (and perhaps dial-a-shots) is the main focus.  Whatever poker goes on in the meantime is purely the vehicle for the gathering of friends.  Even as the stakes in the game rise, the focus is still social.

Then there are the poker players I know who also happen to be friends as well.  While the social aspect is most definitely present, it’s not the main focus.  When these players get together, the game is different.  It’s more intense, more challenging and potentially more fulfilling if you’re the type of player who takes the game seriously.

Mixing the two types of players together doesn’t always work.

Local G-Vegas players who read this blog are probably going to wonder which group they fall in.  I’m not slagging either type, just acknowledging the difference.  My goal is to find the happy medium.