| Anyone who has ever played Texas Holdem poker | | | | have similar outlets that allow them to engage in their |
| online, in casinos or even at home with friends feels | | | | sport at a fun level but with sufficient motivation to |
| pressure when engaged in playing a big hand. Your | | | | work on their skills and to even try to develop |
| heart beats a little faster and a knot forms in your | | | | something new. |
| stomach. Depending on the size of the wagers or the | | | | A home poker game room offers professional poker |
| size of the pot, your muscles might tense up, hands | | | | players the same sort of fun and relaxed |
| may start to tremble and you may even begin to | | | | environment to play a little "fun" poker with friends. |
| perspire. These physical symptoms occur in novice | | | | It provides the opportunity for face-to-face |
| and intermediate players when involved in relatively | | | | interaction buddies where the pro players can work |
| small pots. Imagine the pressures that professional | | | | on their poker persona and on controlling the physical |
| poker players experience while playing high stakes | | | | manifestations of the stress that they encounter |
| poker games where huge amounts of money are at | | | | during high stake and high stress poker. Building a fun, |
| stake. Add to this scenario television coverage or a | | | | comfortable home poker room with the necessary |
| large live audience where your every decision and | | | | equipment and proper decor to create the right |
| move is being analyzed and second guessed by the | | | | mood and atmosphere requires good planning and the |
| audience and the commentators. At stake is not just | | | | best professional quality poker supplies. |
| a large amount of money, but also your reputation as | | | | The first major component of a first class poker |
| a poker player. Now that's pressure! | | | | room is the poker table. This table needs to be a full |
| In the early days of televised professional Texas | | | | size, casino grade table with all the amenities that are |
| Holdem poker, players were fitted with heart | | | | necessary to ensure optimum player comfort. Padded |
| monitoring devices that allowed their heart rates to | | | | arm rests and a padded table top with casino quality |
| be displayed throughout a poker tournament. It was | | | | speed felt would be mandatory comfort |
| amazing to watch how heart rates of these | | | | considerations. Proper lighting is important to ensure |
| professional players soared as the cards were turned | | | | that eye strain and eye fatigue do not become |
| and the players tried to maintain a calm and relaxed | | | | factors that will affect the comfort needs of players |
| facade. It was not uncommon to see heart rates | | | | during prolonged periods of poker play. The chairs |
| soar from the low 70's beats per minute to 140 | | | | selected must also be capable of providing optimum |
| beats per minute and higher. In the course of a high | | | | support and comfort for extended periods of time. |
| stakes or a high profile poker tournament, the | | | | Top quality clay poker chips and playing cards are |
| professional poker player undergoes these types of | | | | required to ensure a professional mood and |
| stresses repeatedly throughout long days over the | | | | atmosphere. To keep the poker game running |
| course of several days. The physical and mental | | | | smoothly with blind and ante increases occurring |
| pressures are enormous. Human beings cannot | | | | automatically and on time, a quality timing system is |
| continue to experience these extreme pressures for | | | | required. Finally, the home poker room decor should |
| a prolonged period of time without potential threats | | | | have a decorative theme that creates a comfortable, |
| to their physical health. Poker players require down | | | | inviting setting. In this environment the interaction can |
| time between events to relax and get away from | | | | be fun and relaxed but with enough structure and |
| the pressure. | | | | atmosphere to provide good competition. |
| Like any other professional athlete, the professional | | | | A well planned poker room with professional quality |
| poker player needs to continue to practice his or her | | | | poker supplies can be a great environment for the |
| trade even during down time to keep their skills | | | | professional poker players to relax and recharge their |
| sharp. Professional golfers may return to their home | | | | batteries between big events. It can be equally |
| course and play some "friendly golf" with their friends. | | | | valuable to novice and intermediate poker players |
| Pro basketball players take the opportunity to play a | | | | who may aspire to greater things, to improve their |
| little one-on-one or three-on-three for "burgers" with | | | | poker skills and strategies in a low-risk but |
| their buddies at the school yard. Athletes in all sports | | | | professional quality environment. |