The Charity Series of Poker: Making Poker Fun Again
In 2004, I was introduced to No-Limit Hold’em. It was the pre-solver, pre-smartphone era. Poker was about people. Tables were social. If you wanted stimulation, you had to find it in conversation, not on a screen.
I instantly loved the game. It was psychology, math, and luck rolled into one. It broke up the monotony of the workweek and created stories that lasted long after the chips were exchanged.
As technology advanced, something shifted. Smartphones rewired the social dynamic at the table. Players stopped looking at each other and started staring at screens. Then solvers went mainstream. Studying Game Theory Optimal outputs allowed new players to improve faster than ever, but it came at a cost. The conversations that once defined the game were slowly replaced by phones and charts. The human element, once the heartbeat of poker, began to fade.
Two decades later poker is far from what it once was. On the whole, live poker feels less social and, at times, less fun. The laughter is quieter. The conversations are shorter. Every now and then I find a table that brings back that old energy, but those moments have become rare.
I first found the Charity Series of Poker in November 2024. From the moment I sat down, I felt something different. The vibe was lighter. The atmosphere was social. It reminded me of the game I fell in love with. People were laughing. Hardly anyone was buried in their phone. It felt like I had stepped into a poker time machine.
I had the pleasure of sharing a table with former NFL star Brandon Marshall, along with poker standouts Mike Matusow, Justin Young, Ethan Yau, and Chad Holloway. It was a blast, easily some of the most fun I have had at a poker table in recent memory. I wore Brandon’s Super Bowl ring, talked strategy with one of my poker heroes, Mike Matusow, and dragged a pot against Justin. Three checks off my bucket list in one night.
The cards still mattered. The strategy still mattered. But the people and the charities mattered more. Raising money for a worthy cause while rediscovering the joy of the game reignited something in me that had nearly disappeared. I knew right away that I wanted to become more involved with the Charity Series of Poker, but as it often does, life got in the way.
In July of 2025, I was formally introduced to Charity Series of Poker founder and president Matt Stout through a mutual friend. Within minutes, it became clear this was not a normal introductory conversation. It was more of a spiritual alignment. The exchange felt ripped straight from Step Brothers.
“Do you like poker?”
“Yep.”
“Do you like charity?”
“Yep.”
“Do you like having fun?”
“Yep.”
“The Charity Series of Poker is all three.”
“So… did we just become best friends?”
“Yep.”
At that point, I assumed the universe had already decided for us. Resistance felt pointless. I volunteered to help with live reporting at events, knowing that getting involved with the Charity Series of Poker would lead to good things.
Soon after, I began learning how to edit hand-history videos and overlay card graphics to enhance the viewer’s experience. It was a time-consuming process, but I saw the value in it. Not only was I helping the Charity Series of Poker, I was also developing a new skill that I hope will open doors to future opportunities.
Today, I attend almost every Charity Series of Poker event. They have become what I look forward to most each month. Along the way, I have made countless new poker friends. For the first time in the twelve years I lived in Las Vegas, I truly feel like part of the poker community. I also noticed something unexpected: my game has improved.
The Charity Series of Poker did not just make poker fun again for me. It reminded me that fun is a choice. Community is a choice. Bringing energy and connection to the table is a choice. And when you combine that spirit with raising money for meaningful causes, poker becomes more than a game. It becomes something worth being part of.
That is what the Charity Series of Poker represents. Making poker fun again, one event at a time.
Want to learn more about the Charity Series of Poker and get involved? Click the link below.
