well I agree that the essensce of hold 'em is truly captured in an intimate atmosphere of no more than forty individuals. The respect and comradarie truly mainifests itself in a small hold 'em tournament. Whether rich or poor everyone plays on an equal playing field. And to be pretentious otherwise would usually equal doom. If one wants to understand social stratiifacation, and its' origins one just has to enter a No Limit, yet small grooup Texas Hold 'em tournament.
This is really a great piece of writing. Interesting and right on point. While my own conduct at the tables only occasionally rises to the heights described in this article, the gentlemanly behavior related in the article certainly is something I aspire too.