Try take a look-see at the ‘sport’ of poker

Iam a keen Texas holdem player and have spent many, many hours over the past couple of years competing online, but I must admit I would never have classified the game as a “sport”.

That’s why I was intrigued the other day when I saw a promotional clip for a series of poker videos online in which the invitation was to “view exciting, dramatic footage from the fast-growing sport of poker”.

I always viewed poker as a game in the same light as snooker, pool and darts.

To my mind, it requires a little more than a bit of arm action to classify something as a sport.

However, the promise of “excitement and drama” convinced me to take a look and, I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised.

I still wouldn’t classify it as a sport, but there was drama and excitement aplenty and, in terms of entertainment value, it was extremely enjoyable.

I am one of those players who relies on gut instinct and takes very little time to make a decision about whether to hold ‘em or fold ‘em.

So the fact that some players take an eternity to make up their minds (I’ve seen grass grow quicker than some of them) was a little irritating.

But the game is choc-a-block full of real characters.

Over the past week or so, I have got to know Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth very well and have come to realise that these guys are to poker what Lionel Messi is to football or Lewis Hamilton is to F1.

The banter at the table often has me in stitches and the antics of Hellmuth make 1970s and ‘80s tennis bad boy John McEnroe’s tirades look positively tame.

Hellmuth is quite obviously a very sore loser and is not shy about venting his feelings, swear words and all, and if, like in rugby or football, there was a card system for punishable offences, he would probably spend most of the time suspended.

So, a sport? No. But worth the watch? Definitely. Do yourself a favour and give it a look-see.