Risk of Robbery Raising Stakes Of Poker Nights

In December, police arrested two off-duty Haymarket police officers standing sentry at an illegal poker game in Great Falls. The people running that game were concerned enough about security that they hired the officers as guards.

"You used to have to worry about the guys at the table taking your money. Now you have to worry about cops and robbers," said Thomas, who was charged with running an illegal gambling operation.

"There's a bunch of us passionate poker players that can't play poker anymore unless we want to drive three hours up to Atlantic City. We're not trying to be a menace in our community. We're just trying to play poker.

"There's guys that love to play tennis, love to play golf. We like to play cards."

They're not alone. Advertisements for local games abound on the Internet. The National Council on Problem Gambling said that 80 percent of adults admitted gambling at least once last year and that one in five calls to its help hotline was about poker. The Bravo and ESPN cable networks dedicate hours to the subject. Caesars Palace in Las Vegas just opened a $12 million, 8,500-square-foot poker room.

But for those not able to flee to Vegas on a whim, there is the homemade version. Treadmills and weight-lifting benches in basements have given way to tables with cup holders. Living rooms have become gaming rooms.

Mike "Wingnut" Goodwin's regular Woodbridge basement game is the modern face of poker. Even with the recent robberies shading his thoughts, he took the same stance as many poker devotees earlier this month: The games must go on.

As players poured in at 8 p.m. for a $50-a-person game that would stretch to 4:30 a.m., they walked across a doormat depicting playing cards. Inside, there were five pictures of dogs playing poker and a neon sign flashing "Las Vegas" in pink and blue. The movie "The Cincinnati Kid" played on a video screen. If there was any confusion about the purpose of the night, across a red electronic ticker above one of two poker tables scrolled the words: "Welcome to the Wingnut Casino and Saloon. Home of Texas Hold Em!"

The game is poker's latest craze. Each player is dealt two cards facedown, and then there's a round of betting. Five cards are dealt into the center of the table for the players to share, with betting after the third, fourth and fifth card. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

"All right, listen up, guys," shouted Goodwin, who was in his poker gear: dark sunglasses and a golfer's cap. "Here's the house rules. Show one, show all. No coaching. Cards call themselves. And the big rule: When you go outside, the missus is sick tonight and the little one had trouble going to bed, so, quiet, please."

Most of the people gathered -- 10 men and four women -- have known one another for years. Brothers, wives and friends of friends. They have nicknames such as "Lunch Box" and "Bill Dog." In the cup holders, the few bourbons on the rocks were outnumbered by Starbucks cups and water bottles.

"Might as well call me Big Daddy," said Curtis Barger, 32, as the first round of cards was dealt. "This game is called 'I Win.' "