Welcome to the Poker Players Alliance Forums! I hope everyone here will join us in actively standing up for our rights.
What are the PPA Forums?
The Poker Players Alliance Forums are places for discussion of actions the Poker Players Alliance and individual poker players are taking to advocate for poker -- online, B&M, home, and all other forms -- at the local, state, and federal levels. These efforts focus on legislation and litigation.
What are the PPA Forums not?
The PPA Forums are NOT places to post conspiracy theories about "rigged sites." Such posts may be made only at Official bad beat/'online poker is rigged' thread". Such posts made elsewhere on the forum will be deleted, and those making such posts may be banned. Posters with usernames like "xx_site_is_rigged" who post outside "Official bad beat/'online poker is rigged' thread" may be banned as well.
Sorry, but poker has a high variance. Less skilled players often stay in to the end, hoping for a miracle card. Deal with it.
It's your responsibility as a player to adjust to other players, not for them to adjust to you. If you regularly bluff calling stations, expect to lose money. If you're surprised that calling stations stay in to the bitter end, expect to lose money.
Nor are PPA Forums a place to post personal attacks against people who disagree with you. We're all on the same side.
What can I do to advocate for online poker rights?
* You can stand up for your rights in only 60 seconds. Go to the PPA's letter website at http://capwiz.com/pokerplayersalliance/home to send letters to President Obama, your congressman, and both of your senators. Simply either type your info or click your AutoFill button, then click "submit". It takes literally one minute!
* You can find the phone numbers of your elected representatives there as well. Let's all call them to tell them that we demand our rights.
* Join PPA! Visit http://www.joinppa.com to join right now.
* Volunteer: /volunteer
* Follow PPA and me on Twitter, at http://twitter.com/ppapoker and http://twitter.com/TheEngineer2008 . Retweet our tweets and help create a groundswell of support for these actions.
Why does PPA push the "Skill vs. Luck" argument?
Many state laws already differentiate between games of skill and games of chance, so this works within the existing legal framework. This also helps to demonstrate a clear dividing line between casino gaming and poker, which can help alleviate the fears some may have that allowing poker will lead to an expansion of games of chance.
"Skallagrim" leads the PPA's Litigation Support Team. He maintains a great site on the skill vs. luck issue right here at Ask Skallagrim. He helped develop a proof that poker is a game of skill that is being used in some state challenges.
PPA used this in the Kentucky case. We filed a brief proving that poker is a game of skill, not chance. As such, we were able to argue that poker should not be considered "gambling" under Kentucky law. While it wasn't ruled on, it did show that we are able to make a solid case for our position.
Poker has had recent court victories in Pennsylvania and Colorado with the skill vs. luck argument as well.