Gambling dens take wholesome twist at Utah Valley establishments

David Randall DAILY HERALD

Parents and church leaders may not always approve, but poker, popularized in recent years with televised tournaments, seems to be sweeping the country, reaching all the way into the nooks and conservative crannies of Utah County.

A week and a half ago, Utah Valley State College held a No Limit Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament in connection with the school's all-night party, and on Friday, The Flophouse, a Texas Hold 'Em tournament club, reopened in Orem, providing action from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

For those who are still trying to figure out if two pair beats three of a kind, or who are looking to hone their Hold 'Em skills, UVSC and Alpine School District are offering some help in the form of a non-credit, community education course titled "Texas Hold 'Em: Know When to Hold 'Em/Fold 'Em."

The six-week class costs $49 and starts Feb. 1 at Mountain View High School, running Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9. Information on registration can be found at www.uvsc.edu/communityeducation.

The course description explicitly states that "No money will be wagered in accordance with Utah state law" and that students will learn how to play "for fun."

And playing for fun seems to be enough for a lot of the valley's poker players, like Tyler Cardon, 18, a UVSC student from Lindon.

Cardon and his friends started playing over the summer after watching tournaments on ESPN. He said he likes the control he feels at the poker table.

"You have more control with this game than you do with other games," he said.

He said his parents are supportive of the playing, which goes on once a week or so, as long as money isn't wagered.

But he said he isn't opposed to putting a small amount of money on the game.

"Pay five bucks to see a movie, pay five bucks to play poker, it's the same idea," he said.

At The Flophouse, located at 1366 W. Center St. in Orem, players do put money down to play, but after a $20 buy-in ($10 for students), they are betting mostly for pride. Only those who win a table and go on to a championship table can compete for prizes like flat-screen TVs or surround sound systems.

Dave Hansen, a Riverton resident, is one of the partners who helped create The Flophouse. He said he decided to start the club in Orem because he's seen a lot of similar places in the Salt Lake area but none in Utah County. The fliers for the club say it is, "bringing Texas Hold 'Em to the happiest place on earth."

Hansen, like Cardon, has only been playing for six months and said most of the 50 players who have visited his club so far in the same boat.

"I think everyone's a rookie," Hansen said.

The club originally opened in December, but ran into legal problems with the city over zoning and concerns about what was going on at the club. All of these concerns have now been resolved, according to Hansen, who said he hopes to fill the club soon.

"We look at it the same way you would play a golf tournament or ski tournament," he said.

Information on the club can be found at www.theflop-pokerclub.com.

David Randall can be reached at 344-2556 or davidrandall@heraldextra.com.