Competition, Fear
I feel like the thrill of poker comes from a combination of a real need to compete, and the adrenaline produced by the fear of losing. Playing with no stakes is not in the least attractive to me. The stakes and potential winnings are what creates the atmosphere of consequences and I have been hooked since the first big pots I won and lost. I am one of the many that watched the Moneymaker final table and became a devotee of the game henceforth. I have heard and read that some gamblers live for the sick feeling of intense risk. I think this is true, in part, for many poker players. It's an escape from the 9 to 5 that makes me feel like I'm competing like I did when I was a younger athlete. It's no surprise that many athletes gravitate to poker. After almost 15 years I am still as excited to sit down and riffle chips as I was in 2003.