I play mostly for the competition and the people. Once you have been around long enough people get to know you, and therefore a friendly competition arises. Some of the coolest people i have ever met i met playing poker. I have always loved compettition, and since playing football for so long, all through school, only to be told that i wasnt fast enough or big enough to compete collegiatly, I had to find an outlet for my fiercly competitive spirit, and poker was a calling of sorts for me. Not that im a poker great or anything, but it satifies my spirit, and keeps me from getting my butt handed to me trying to join UFC just for competitions sake!