He gives helpful hand to in-home poker players

Tom Breckenridge
Plain Dealer Reporter

John Coleman, 44, of Cleveland, knows a good smoke and a fine poker hand. His official full-time job is as manager of the downtown Cleveland location for Cousin's Cigar. But he also presides over the Cleveland Poker Meetup Group, the online home for about 750 poker junkies who frequent a local circuit of home-based poker tournaments and cash games.

Who plays in these games?

It's like a really, really big bridge group. Over 700 people joined up. But for most games, it's 20 folks or so. We play at my place (in downtown Cleveland), in Parma, elsewhere.

The game leaves an absolute disaster in its wake. Empty bottles, a real mess for the host.

Is it legal?

The games must be at someone's home, not a commercial establishment. The house can't benefit -- all the money must go to the players.

What are the skill levels?

There are no real killer players in this group. It's home-poker devotees and a lot of people who have no idea what they're doing. We try to keep it light.

Is there big money at stake?

Most of the events we sponsor are $20 buy-in tournaments. (Winners can typically take $100 to $150.)

Poker fanatics can exhibit some strange behavior. What's on display at your games?

We have very strange individuals who will put an awful lot of money behind terrible hands, just out of superstition. One fellow won't fold [after drawing a 6 and 2 in Texas hold 'em], no matter what. He's not folding.

What's the most you've won? Lost?

I won $900 at a game. I've never lost more than $600.