Texas Hold ’Em

The “World Poker Championship” series plays a single poker game, Texas Hold ‘Em. My favorite player is Annie Duke. Years ago when I first heard of the event, I learned the championship was won on a “pair of Jacks.” Now I watch poker on TV. (There is something wrong with this world or with me.) Because of my father I think I could win it all – the championship, the whole enchilada – “I’m all in.”

I have only played Texas Hold ‘Em once for money. I didn’t play long. A friendly game with low stakes can usually be played for several hours. There are no big winners and no big losers. People go home, sometimes a little tipsy, sometimes a little poorer, but none go home mad. The one time I played Texas Hold ‘Em, I was “in the game” for maybe half an hour. Family only – and my fourteen year old son took the rest of us for fifty-five bucks. The whole game went a little over an hour. I was fortunate – I only lost $10.

I learned poker very young. Maybe we have a genetic propensity for poker or even gambling. When I was a boy, my father played poker once a month with men from work. They rotated hosts so I when I was lucky they were at our house a couple of times a year. The host fed the guests, had the table, the poker chips and cards – and one of the guests brought the beer.

We played poker at Thanksgiving, Christmas and sometimes I believe we even played on the holiest day of the year – New Years Day. College football fans – I apologize for the sacrileges I have committed!

I watched, I learned. Little did they know I was a shark circling, waiting for the feeding frenzy; camouflaged as a youth in pajamas. Sometimes after the hand was finished, and chips were being gathered, I asked questions. Everyone politely answered. “Full House beats a Flush.” I would reply “okay – thanks!”

Not all of our friends or family play poker. So we bought a less threatening version of the real thing. Kids could play. People who knew little could play and still win! The board game was called Tripoli or Tripoly. I am not sure of the game’s spelling. But, it laid the poker hands over various areas of the playing surface. “One Pair,” “Three of a Kind,” “Full House,” “Straight” – they were all there! A simple game of “everyone antes one chip to each of the pots” laid out on the board. I don’t recall much more about that game, but I know some pots grew larger than others. Maybe mom and dad even still have that game somewhere.

One Thanksgiving, with the neighbors in attendance, the family stuck up the game with “maybe we should play some poker” – penny, nickel, dime… Was this an attempt at entertainment or the opportunity to recover some costs of the feast?

Mr. Ketchum lived across the street with his wife. He liked playing poker that day, but he wasn’t having much luck. At one point the pot had grown to a substantial amount, and he was raising – his hand looked good… seven card stud. He turned his cards over, “Full House” he said actually smiling for the first time that day and starting to pull the chips toward him. “Full House beats a Flush” my little brother said…

One time at the Friday night poker game they “were short one guy.” “Can I play? I have my own money.” The Friday night poker game always ended at midnight. That night I heard one man say to my dad “next month at my house, but don’t bring the kid.” I smiled slightly when my winnings added up to $12.50. That’s a lot of money to a twelve year old.

- Craig