The 53rd card in the deck
June 27, 2007 | 06:44PM | maudie dot b - gmail d c | |
My most recent live session of poker was populated with an affable crew of table mates. Very polite, too. One or two of the gentlemen even graciously laid down the best hand at the request of my aggressive bets.
There were more than a few hands where the opponents agreed to check down when it was obvious one had the other beat. I gradually was able to take advantage of this chivalrous attitude, which ended up saving me some chips and winning me a few by allowing me to get to the river cheap.
How did I do it? By playing the 53rd card in the deck - the sympathy card. Arguably, I could be accused of angle shooting, however I found a look of defeat or a sigh or "Ah, I know you got me beat" might inspire my opponent to say "Oh, I'll check it down with ya'." In all cases, the pot was very small and, if by the fall of the cards, I managed to hit a winning hand on the river, I never bet it.
That particular session with those particular players, it seemed the thing to do. Do I feel cheap and icky? Well, no. Will I ever do it again?
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This last year has really been a bitch - personally, professionally and just about every -ally one can imagine. These past few weeks, each week, along about Thursday, I start surfing Expedia, or Cheaptickets or Orbitz looking for bargain flights to Vegas or other parts of the planet where distant friends reside.
I spontaneously booked a trip to the east-side of the country for later this summer and I'm really looking forward to the Okie-Vegas gathering in July - all who are coming will be a sight for sore eyes. The gathering will go a looooooooong way toward kicking this last year in it's depressing butt and getting it behind me.
But, I'm selfish. I know there are two to three to four or so pals out there who're on the fence about coming to the Poker Corral and donking it up with us Okies. I've talked to a couple of you, and I've heard rumors of one or two more.
I'm gonna say right here and now that your presence in this here spot, my back yard, our casinos, Gary's kitchen, kicking back with ice cold beers at the lake - your presence would mean the world to me. I want you to come.
Don't make me resort to a post filled with pictures of sad little kittens and puppies...
