Yes, poker can even help you cross borders. I almost forgot about this until I was doing laundry but I was wearing a World Poker Tour t-shirt when I flew to the UK on Sunday. When I got off the plane at Heathrow and approached British immigration the guy gave me the usual third-degree:
Immigration: The purpose of your visit, sir?
Me: Pleasure (I always lie on this question because if you say business you get a whole set of grilling questions to make sure you’re not coming to the UK to steal a local job).
Immigration: And where will you be staying while in the UK?
Me: I’m visiting some friends up in Cambridge and then I’m going to be in Amsterdam.
Immigration: You play poker?
Me: Yeah.
Immigration: Seems to be pretty popular these days. Do you play professionally?
Me: No. Just enough to make a little money on the side.
Immigration: Ok, well, welcome to the UK. Enjoy your visit.
Then on the way back to the US I was expecting some special treatment from a gloved man since there was a nice fresh Netherlands stamp on my passport. Instead, as soon as the guy saw my FullTilt World Series t-shirt he started asking me about playing in the World Series. I told him I just played some side games. He couldn’t have waved me through any more quickly or happily.