What first got you hooked on poker?

What first got you hooked on poker, and what keeps you playing today?

Almost without knowing how to play, I won $300 at 888 Poker, it interested me more, I started watching streams and playing more

At first: I wanted to make money.
After a few years: I wanted to keep improving over time.
Today: I enjoy the process of learning, adapting, and competing.

If I liked to play poker, when I found out that online you can play and win money, that's what hooked me, now I'm competing in several cardchat tournaments.

I've always loved cards, and the games we play with them. I think that I got it from my mother because at an early age she taught me to play cribbage and gin rummy. I grew up during the 1950s and 60s when there were westerns all over the tv and movie screens. Well there was usually at least one saloon scene, and you would usually see someone playing poker somewhere in the scene. It seemed to me that poker should be added to my catalog of card games.

When I was eleven or twelve I asked mom and dad if they could teach me poker. They thought it was an excellent idea, and were always encouraging of any activity my big sister and I took an interest in. So Saturday nights after the Lawrence Welk Show ended, and Gunsmoke began. the three of us would play poker. Though I didn't realize it at the time, playing with them might have been more enjoyable than the game itself.

For me it started as just a fun card game, but the more I played, the more I realized there was so much strategy involved. Every session felt different, and I loved trying to figure out what my opponents were thinking.

Without a doubt, the adrenaline of potentially winning a tournament—or a specific hand—is rewarding; it’s satisfying to know that your effort paid off and yielded the expected results.

Emily Trott said:

I've always loved cards, and the games we play with them. I think that I got it from my mother because at an early age she taught me to play cribbage and gin rummy. I grew up during the 1950s and 60s when there were westerns all over the tv and movie screens. Well there was usually at least one saloon scene, and you would usually see someone playing poker somewhere in the scene. It seemed to me that poker should be added to my catalog of card games.

When I was eleven or twelve I asked mom and dad if they could teach me poker. They thought it was an excellent idea, and were always encouraging of any activity my big sister and I took an interest in. So Saturday nights after the Lawrence Welk Show ended, and Gunsmoke began. the three of us would play poker. Though I didn't realize it at the time, playing with them might have been more enjoyable than the game itself.

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That's a great story. I love how poker became more than just a game—it became family time. Those Saturday night games with your parents are probably memories worth more than any big pot. Thanks for sharing, it brought a smile to my face. 😊

Nobody is gonna believe what I say is what got me hooked to the game, because it's such an odd thing, and most people wouldn't understand, I think. I fell in love with the game because of the math in the game. I played when I was a kid and enjoyed the game. But as an older person, when I first saw it on ESPN, I was actually taking a break from studying for a final exam as I worked on another degree. I would spend the next eight, nine hours just watching the world series of poker. It was the math that got me. I'm a numbers guy. I've always loved numbers, and I'm also extremely competitive. And the strategy behind the game with the math is why and what got me hooked to the game. If I sit down at a table and win a 5-cent tournament for five bucks, I'm a happy camper. Just as happy as if I win 5,000. It sounds weird, but I truly just love this freaking game. And while I do see the end of my playing career coming to a quick close thanks to idiots and the lawmakers of this country, doesn't mean I still don't love it any less.

i was hooked on the game in high school when i saw my dad win a big pot with a full house while playing 7 card stud against a bunch of his friends . i was probably 15 .

My boyfriend around 30 some years ago and I got hook since then.

First got hooked by playing many different card games with my grandparents.

And once was old enough to play online I did and it been a hoodie for me and something I do in my spare time.

Two and a half men
Charlie and Jake playing poker and Jake making money
I was like '' I must learn this'' LOL
God bless

Nameless14 said:

What first got you hooked on poker, and what keeps you playing today?

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I got hooked the moment I realized poker wasn't just gambling, but a game of incomplete information and probability. What keeps me hooked today is that you can never truly "master" it—there's always a new strategic layer to study and refine.

I got hooked when I realized poker is a game of skill as much as luck. I love the mental challenge and the fact that there's always room to improve. That's what keeps me coming back.

For me, it was the strategy that got me hooked. I liked that every hand felt like a puzzle, and there was always something new to learn. What keeps me playing today is the challenge of improving, making better decisions, and seeing those improvements pay off over the long run. The competitive side and the constant mental battle are what make the game so enjoyable.