From a very early age, I realised that card games were fun - and that card games which involved the chance of winning money were even more fun. I'm sure many people have fond memories of family gatherings where a few coppers or even some silver were gambled in harmless low-stakes card games. My particular favourites were Tuppenny Ha'ppeny, Chase The Ace and Newmarket and I would generally end the card session in a bit of a mood (winning a couple of quid at that age was a big deal, back in the 70s). During my teenage years me and my pals continued to feed my gambling habit by playing occasional poker sessions: our game of choice was five card draw. Again, this never got out of hand and we always played for small stakes, with the winning player usually fleecing everyone else for £5 max. My card-playing passion then lay dormant for about eighteen years. I got married and raised a young family. During that time the online gambling industry was born and matured into a bit of a monster. It was only a matter of time before No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker was gonna get me!

I had just upgraded my internet connection with a cable modem, which was streets ahead of my old dial-up. I was looking for an online activity which I could afford to access, due to my new status of having 'Always On' internet, paid per month regardless of time spent online. My mate at work, Richard, liked a flutter on the gee-gees and was quite successful as he was a bit of a student of form and had a rudimentary system which determined which horses he risked his money on. By chance he mentioned that he was considering playing poker online and had really got into the idea after watching Chris Moneymaker win the 2003 World Series of Poker, having qualified through an online satellite tournie. My ears pricked up. You can play poker online against other people? Fantastic! That has got to be worth a dabble!

Before taking the plunge and registering with one of the numerous poker sites, I borrowed the DVD box-set and watched Moneymaker taking down the best Pro Poker players on the planet. After qualifying online for no more than $1000, probably a lot less, Moneymaker had fought his way through a field of about eight hundred players to win the 2003 World Series of Poker, the Winner's Bracelet and over $3 million in prize money. A professional sport where unfit, relatively untalented human beings can win millions in prize money? Well that has got to be Fun Fun Fun... I'm in!

So there I was on the brink of a life-changing decision. 'Stick or Twist'... which is what this piece is about. I am not going to tell you whether you should or shouldn't play poker for money online, all I'm going to do is share with you my own experience, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, 'til death us do part. I am aware that I have quite an addictive personality and knew that if I started gambling I would get hooked only too easily. However, on the flip side, I have never been in debt and have never lived beyond my means. I am not a natural gambler because I am not particularly interested in traditional casino-type games; gave up playing fruit machines in my early twenties; and never went into the bookies apart from on Grand National Day. Surely if I played for low stakes there was little financial risk to me and my family?

I quickly discovered, in my first forage onto an online gambling site, how easy it is to set up an account. The sites are designed so that the homepage details all the forthcoming tournaments, emphasises the prize money up for grabs, and has articles on previous tournaments and the online players that have scooped the top prizes. Lots and lots of wonga, and I was a pretty good poker player when I was 18... So what's changed? Surely it won't be long 'til I'm taking down some monster pots? You don't need to deposit any money immediately when you download the site's software, you can just get involved with the 'Play Money' games, so no problem there either. Don't be afraid, come on in and join the party! All you need to play online is a decent internet connection which reacts quickly enough when the action is on you to play a move (otherwise you will get timed out and your cards will be folded) and a means of paying for your $$$$$$, preferably a debit card (if you play for real money). Modem, computer, plastic... deal me in cowboy, yeeeha!

This, my friends, is where my wife comes into the story. She was not overjoyed when she discovered I was now gambling online and immediately alarm bells were ringing in her head. This was because, on an earlier occasion, I had had to 'fess up to her that an experimental game of online blackjack had resulted in a loss which equated to a week's wages and that she would notice this amount on the next statement of our joint credit card. So, actually, I had been deluded about having a good record with gambling up to that moment, because I had already shown all the sad symptoms. When the losing streak starts you keep convincing yourself that your luck is about to change and your nightmare will disappear: all it will take is yet another £100, and so, you keep chasing. All it took on that particular day was a bit of boredom setting in and accidentally stumbling onto a gambling site's advert on MSN. Fortunately, on that occasion, when I got to a certain level of losses I came to my senses and was so shocked by my stupidity and gullibility that I was scared off enough to quit.

I am still married and still live with my kids, but I still play poker online, and sometimes, when I can afford it, I go and play live at the local poker club. Poker as an industry is now huge and is becoming more mainstream, with many people from all walks of life getting involved, including lots of retired sportsmen. Its profile has been heightened and it is now recognised as a game of skill where everybody has the same chance to win. Chris Moneymaker is a good example, though, of how a series of fortunate events can be just as important in a victory. Although he is a good poker player, since winning the 2003 World Series he has not been able to compete effectively in his newly acquired status as a semi-professional poker player. If you watch a lot of poker on TV you will see familiar faces playing in the final stages of big tournaments and that is because poker is not only fun but also involves complex strategies and a thorough understanding of how your opponent is playing ('getting a read').

My life has changed a lot since my decision to take up my new hobby and I live under the continual threat that my wife will divorce me due to 'unreasonable behaviour'. She is totally bemused and saddened by my drive and dedication to poker and lack of interest in anything else. My late nights and sometimes all-night poker sessions leave me tired and irritable and I have a lack of patience with my children and regularly shout at them. My decision to take out a loan to finance my poker kitty about two years ago led to a massive bust-up which almost finished our marriage. I regularly spend five days a week playing online, with each session lasting between three and ten hours. I have turned from a straightforward, average, family man into an addicted selfish gambler. Financially, I can still afford to play: we don't go without, we take an annual holiday, and over the course of the last year my results have started to improve, in fact - I actually cash in winnings from time to time!

On balance, online poker might well change your life. It's exciting and addictive, it burns up plenty of hours when you can't be bothered to watch telly again. If you want the buzz factor in your life, go for it, but it does come at a price and beware your personal relationships with your nearest and dearest, which will get you on a loser's streak. I hope this won't happen to me, but ultimately playing poker could become the mirror of my whole lifestyle - I am gambling not only with money but with everything I have built up in my life so far. I'm going All-In.