[ QUOTE ]
I see no reason to believe that players from 3rd world countries would be especially strong at poker.

My GF is from South America. In her country of Peru I just don't think it would be very realistic because there is not too much disposable money there. This shouldn't be a surprise.
My GF is a nurse in the U.S. and makes more money than her Dad who is a doctor in Peru.

Her family does have internet though (they IM each other all the time) as do many down there...so they could play if they wanted to I guess.
They also have a couple of casinos in Lima...and I know that a couple of her aunts or cousins or something like to go to one of them occasionally to play 3-card poker or caribbean stud or one of those types of games.

So perhaps there is some disposable income down there where it could actually happen.

I gave some of the free party and stars stuff (sihrts, jackets, hats) to my GF's Mom who passed it around to other family members. So I guess I'm doing my part to promote online-poker in South America!!

Obviously there are some people in some of the wealthier nations who have disposable income. I think Brazil and Argentina qualify. I have met players from both of those countries online before.


But I still don't see why bringing in players from other countries automatically means they won't suck as much as most everyone else does.

[/ QUOTE ]

Think about it. Her father is a doctor! and makes less than a nurse here. Most doctors have the inteligence and dedication to beat online poker if they wanted to at say the 5/10 level. Winning poker players can make much more than a nurse in the USA. The dad is the one that I'm saying will play seriously. As you mentioned the uneducated fish won't have much money to contribute to the online community. The USA fish is extremely wealthy when looking at the world wide picture.