Part I of this piece analyzed how the current economic downturn potentially could affect the future of poker. While the recent explosive growth in the game will not be able to sustain itself during these conditions, such a slowdown should not be interpreted as the tolling of the funeral bell for the game itself. In many instances, both live poker tournaments and live cash games will take a significant hit from this cash contraction. However, many players will be able to find new opportunities amidst this adversity.

Newer Players. With the widespread exposure of televised poker tournaments and their million-dollar prizes, many players who have never set foot in a casino or read a poker book may try to take a stab at what they believe to be quick, easy money. In their desperation, they may not take the time to study, learn and practice the game as well as they should. These aspiring players would be better served if they spent their money on state lottery scratch-off tickets. Their attempts to make the kind of gutsy bluffs and aggressive reraises that they see on TV will deplete their bankrolls and leave them as potential profit centers for the true students of the game.

Home Games. If you can’t afford the airfare to Las Vegas, hopefully you can afford the extra gallon of gas to drive to a friend’s house for an old-fashioned home game. Some of the better aspects of home games are:

• Players can choose the game, limits and structure.
• In most cases, the players all know each other. This can make for a much more fun and festive atmosphere.
• Food and beverages are usually plentiful during such games. On some occasions, the host provides for the party; at other times, the players chip in for the meals and drinks.
• The host can query the players as to whether they would feel comfortable with the house taking a rake from the pot.

One downside to home games is that laws on private games vary by local jurisdiction, so please do your homework before advertising or promoting a home game.

Online Sites. Not only do online games put the poker table as close as you computer desk or laptop, they also offer games and tournaments at much lower stakes than any live poker room could ever provide. For players with adequate skills but insufficient bankrolls, online sites offer the chance to practice your play, work on new strategies and learn different games and styles of poker for much less money than you’d spend on cab fare from the airport!

New Laws. From national lotteries during the Revolution to the legalization of gaming in Nevada during the Great Depression to the establishment of Native American casinos in the 80s and 90s, state and federal governments have built a history of turning to revenues generated from gambling whenever a financial crisis hits American shores. If history is any guide, US authorities once again will call a temporary truce in their war against the ‘evils’ of gambling long enough to wring out the ready cash they need to set the economy back on the right track. Many legislators are working on refining the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act so that it excludes online poker. As this cash crunch continues, authorities soon will realize that regulation and taxation will benefit their citizenry and their coffers much more than prohibition and incarceration of players.

“Is the poker boom over?” If that question implies the death of the hype and hysteria surrounding the game since Chris Moneymaker’s miraculous win five years ago, then the answer is undoubtedly, “Yes”. However, just like the dot-com bust that preceded the ‘Moneymaker effect’, the seeds of eventual triumph often find root in times of struggle.