i like to play poker. It's a fun game of light math and psychology which pretty much balances out skill with luck. Years ago i used to play a weekly game with folks that would usually be either five or seven card stud, with occasional rounds of baseball or h-bomb thrown in when someone at the table needed to go. (Both are wonderful way to clear the stacks)
And there lies my problem. Chances are, if you play poker now adays, you've never heard of most of those. No, now you play the fantastically dull "Texas Hold'em" which they play on the Poker Tournaments. Folks, understand that Texas Hold'em is to poker what air-bags are to demolition derbys. By only having two pocket cards, it's pretty darn easy to calculate odds by watching other players and the flop. The other reason the house loves it is because it's a nice short game meaning lots of turnover.
Wanna make a game that's got a bit of spice to it? Try seven card stud, pass the trash and roll your own. This gives the player to your right a slight betting advantage, (but no one else) , but since you display three of your own in your own order, you can really bluff the table, including the guy to your right.
Or, hell, just play Anaconda and make lots of enemies at the table.
Too bad games like that will never fly on TV. Nobody would understand the rules and folks would switch over to, i dunno, Pro/Am Celebrity Putt-Putt Golf or something. But dammit, why should i suffer because of them?
Oh, and "H-Bomb"?
Everyone ante's in. Dealer deals out two face down to each player, then lays seven cards down in the center of the table face down. Betting starts to dealer's left. Each round, dealer turns over one random card in the H. Players can use three linear connected cards to finish their hand. (Up, Across or Diagonal). Winner takes the grossly inflated pot, usually while cackling madly for turing pocket trash into a straight flush on the last flip.
Yeah, tell me THAT doesn't screw with calculating the odds.
Oh yeah, i'm also headed back east for my Ma's birthday. i'll try to post, but that's probably the reason i'm not talking about how Mexico just invaded Canada this morning.
I'm actually hoping this becomes a trend, and we see other televised celebrity games. Imagine Bill Shatner vs Patrick Stewart in "Celebrity Battleship", Kathy Griffin in "Celebrity Monopoly", or Whoopi Goldberg in "Celebrity Everquest!".
Never mind, actually.
Well, as someone who plays poker every month, with a crowd of people who have been playing together since 1983 (with a few additions, natch), Texas Hold'em is one of the few games we Just Don't Play. It's a boring game.
On the other hand, we play about a dozen hands of Anaconda every time we play. Even with only four people, we play it as a high-low split, and everyone's happy to play.
Then again, we're unlikely to be wearing bolo ties or playing poker anywhere other than someone's dining room….
Oh, and if you're ever in Minneapolis on the first Saturday of the month following the first Friday of the month (thus avoiding the possible cashtration of playing on the 1st), you're welcome to join our game. Just drop me a note….
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¡Doy la bienvenida personalmente a nuestros overlords mejicanos nuevos! No envíe por favor a mi hermana a la mina del jarabe del arce.