Poker: Not a Sport.

I will never debate against the popularity of poker (there were over 7,000 entrants for the 2010 World Series of Poker Main event with an entrance fee of $10,000). I will never debate against the difficulty of winning or even contending amongst countless professionals be it at a live table or online. The mental stamina required is extremely high and the margin for error extremely low. What I will say, however, is that poker; despite all the glitz, glamour, and TV time on notable sports channels; is the furthest thing from a sport.

Some may argue that poker is in fact a sport. Let me explain why it isn’t.

Reason #1: Does this look like an athlete?

Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
2004 World Series of Poker Champion

Sure some football players may border, but at least the big men have to run and sweat (just ask 300-pound Dan Connoly). Some baseball players may never have to run more than 15 feet, but at least they have to throw or swing with their arms. The motion of chucking ones cards away does not constitute athleticism.

Reason #2: A newbie can beat the best.

Forget beginners luck, a new inexperienced poker player (who may not even know the rules) can very well beat the best players in the world on some occasions. A player that understands the rules of poker may lose the majority of the time to the best, but will still win on occasion. Someone who understands the rules of tennis would be hard pressed to win even a point of the likes of Federer or Nadal (or even return a single shot over the net). In poker, the worst of players could go all-in with 7-2 and beat a pair of Aces before the flop comes. Sure, the odds are very low, but heads-up (one vs. one) it will still win more than 10% of the time mathematically. A horrible player can luck his way to victory, no skill involved.

Reason #3: The whole thing takes forever.

Even the highlights have to be spread out over days. Sure cricket sometimes takes days and there was that one tennis match at the French Open last year which lasted over 11 hours. But seriously, even the highlights from poker take forever and get spread out across weeks of programming.

Reason #4: Being on a sports TV station does not necessarily make it a sport.

Is the spelling bee a sport? C’mon. Though not to bash the bee. I do enjoy watching it.

Reason #5: There’s no such thing as a sport being online.

Playing fantasy football with your buddies, though tough to win, does not make one an athlete. Neither does moving around a mouse and clicking. Sometimes when playing poker, one can just leave for a while and get a snack while actively being involved in the game by just folding continuously. How often to you see a tennis player let the opponent serve out while he or she wants to grab a drink?

Cheap producing of television poker has caused it to take up countless hours away from actual sports on TV. And with the limitless number of people who can play poker in the biggest tournaments, we as viewers are treated to countless no-names playing a card game. At least Annie Duke, a long time professional poker player, has started the idea of making an actual poker league with the top 200 poker players, excluding the countless online poker junkies and cash players. This will create an actual legitimate way of filtering out the newcomers (or rich folk or unknown online qualifiers) from big tournaments and make them earn their way to the top league. And no doubt being in the professional circuit will be an accomplishment, but in no way does that legitimize these card players as athletes.

aa.