Chess vs Poker

I see that Norm has put the word out, and it has generated traffic.  Many thanks, and keep up the good work at onegoodmove!

Norm and I have known each other for longer than we would care to admit.  We used to see each other 2-3 times a year at chess tournaments.  I have, over the past few years, grown fond of poker tournaments, mainly online.  Norm and I were discussing this recently, and I lamented the fact that we didn't latch onto poker earlier.  Poker tournaments and chess tournaments have a lot in common.  Both are populated by what might kindly be referred to as a diverse group of people.  ("Full of maladjusted jerks" would be unkind, see.)  In both events, the prize pool is put up by the participants.  There is a great opportunity to socialize with friends who share at least one common interest with you.  The main difference I see is that, in chess tournaments, every once in awhile one of your buddies wins $100 or so, and buys breakfast.  At poker tournaments, every once in awhile one of your buddies wins $250,000 or so, and buys a weeklong orgy in a Bellagio suite.

Oh well.  I'm sure even Phil Hellmuth would be amazed at my mastery of the Najdorf Sicilian, and possibly even Norm's stupid Gruenfeld Defense.

Anyway, I've given up chess.  (Don't kid yourself, friend, I still know how.)  My current goal is to experience the terrifying exhilaration of sitting down to play in the championship event at the World Series of Poker.

Followed by a week at the Bellagio.