What drew you to poker?

[scobido]

While I was a little older, searching for something on the internet, an advertisement for this game appeared. Curious, I continued searching to see what the game was and how it was played. I found "Full Tilt" which immediately attracted me, with its pleasant graphics. And so my journey in poker began.

 

[black and]

Just wondering how did you all get in to poker .x

I have been playing poker for about 6-7 years. I have been playing card games since childhood. I played card games even before I started school. And of course, I played them at school. Although I play quite a lot, probably more than 10 different card games, I have to say that poker is probably in my top 3.

 

[monte carlo 01]

The wsop coverage on ESPN

 

[Academico]

What drew me to poker was the perfect blend of strategy, psychology, and unpredictability. It’s a game where skill and decision-making can truly influence the outcome, but luck keeps every hand exciting and uncertain. I was fascinated by how reading opponents, managing risk, and controlling emotions all come together at the table. Beyond the challenge, poker also offers a unique social and intellectual environment—whether online or live, every session teaches something new about strategy, people, and even yourself. That combination of mental stimulation and real stakes is what hooked me from the start

 

[hilary antonik filho]

Just wondering how did you all get in to poker .x

childhood friends

 

[23maxim88]

My older brother used to watch the world series of poker tournament on TV, and then he started trying to play on pokerstars himself. When I grew up, I started playing too, but I didn’t play any paid tournaments until I was 26 — only freerolls, purely for fun.
Everything changed when, on one poker network that doesn’t even exist anymore, I got a $2 or $3 ticket to a tournament. I played it and took 2nd place. The next evening, I decided to try playing a paid tournament and ended up taking 1st place. Poker actually helped me pay off a loan in just a couple of weeks.
I had taken out that loan, but then, unexpectedly, I got laid off from my job on December 25th. It was terrible — I was in debt, couldn’t find work, and just played freerolls occasionally. And then that free tournament ticket literally saved me.
I don’t know if I should have stayed in poker back then, but after that, I played paid tournaments for about six months. Eventually, I returned to the same job I had been laid off from.
Poker was going well until I foolishly broke up with my girlfriend. After that, it felt like I lost my inspiration, and nothing was working out at the tables anymore. Then, an opportunity came up to return to my old job, and I decided to take it.

 

[23maxim88]

I came back to poker in 2022 after losing my job again, this time because of the war. Now I play regularly — both freerolls and paid tournaments, as well as satellites for expensive events.
It’s not going as well as it did during my first run, but I’m still afloat and giving it my best shot. I hope I’ve tied my life to poker for the long run and that I’ll achieve some real success eventually.