Poker Is On Life Support

Geno Lawrenzi 09:03 Aug 7th, 2020 Poker

What has happened to the world of poker and whenwill it end. This is the question poker players are asking themselves and it's serious.

I am in the midst of a cross-country tour checking on my past poker haunts. It is my sad duty to inform my readers that poker is in a life-threatening situation everywhere. And I do mean everywhere.

Let's start with Laughlin, NV., the town along the Colorado River that was founded by Don Laughlin. Poker has vanished from the community.

The poker rooms in the former gold mining community are closed. The popular Colorado Belle has closed down. Its paddle wheels are silent and the Mardi Gras dancers in their lace stockings are no longer tossing out those baubles and beads.

The remnants of the gold miners past remain. There are still gold and silver mines operating in the area. The scenic beauty remains and you can still find prospectors with their pockets heavy with gold. But at least temporarily you can't find a poker game in town.

The casino employees don't like it and neither do I. One casino employee named Angelo laments,

If I want to play poker, I need to head to Las Vegas or Reno. I don't know when poker will return to Laughlin.

This is stunning news for the town that Don Laughlin founded. I hope it is just temporary. A casino without poker is like a rainstorm without a rainbow. It just doesn't work.

When will this damn health crisis go away? Who invited you to the party?

We all have read about the bubonic plague and other past plagues, but that is history. It isn't supposed to affect the current generation. Or is it?

Remember that Bill Murray movie GROUNDHOG DAY? This situation reminds me of that -- -- the same old same old day after day. Let's just hope and pray it will end. Soon.

Poker players are trying to cope with what is happening, but it isn't easy. People can only cope with masks and social distancing for so long. This, too, shall pass, but when?