High Style

Like a lot of poker players, I watch those late night poker games and tournaments on television. I do it for several reasons. Boredom. To learn a new move or two. And to see how this new breed of poker player acts when he wins as well as when he loses.

I must admit that the crowd of poker players disappoints me.

For the most part, they play pretty well. Some of them are capable of calling big bets with relatively poor hands when they suspect a player is over-betting a bluff. And you have to respect the fact that they put their money into the game in order to compete with the best the poker world has to offer.

What disappoints me most is something that most of them don't have. I am probably dating myself, but there used to be a quality that the old-time players had which referred to as high style.

I don't know if there is a true definition for high style, so I will just attempt to explain what it meant to me.

High Style was an undefinable quality of sportsmanship that the top players added to their play. It was a gentlemanly quality that helped a player hold his head high, win or lose.

Let's say a player pulled off a miracle draw and beat an opponent in a pot out of a lot of money. As the dealer pushed the pot to the winner, there would be none of this high five stuff or pumping fists in the air that goes on in too many tournament settings.

The winner would smile and almost apologize for taking the pot. The loser, if he possessed high style, would say something and take the loss on the chin. Depending on his cash condition, he might buy back into the game or he might leave. But he always did it like a gentleman with high style.

There are some major poker players who just cannot conceal the greed that is part of their nature. To my way of thinking, they give poker a black eye.

It isn't always easy to accept a major loss in poker. Nobody ever said it was. But players will sometimes win and sometimes they will lose. They need to gear themselves up to these swings in luck.

I know that when I lose a big pot or a major bet in a tournament, I feel the pain inside -- but I try not to show it. I compliment the winner and look ahead to the next hand, hoping to do better the next time.

Just like they give awards for sportsmanship in athletic competition, beauty contests and sports, maybe the poker industry could come up with a special award for high style. It would certainly improve the image of the game.

The next time you play poker, think in terms of high style. It will make the game more challenging and more fun -- even if you lose.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).