Texas Hold 'em

I played over at John's last weekend, and did okay. It's not a high stakes game or anything, so I'll often stay in just to see the flop and turn even though my cards suck.

Example, I have 2 - 5 off suit and the hand before I mocked somebody for folding before the flop, so he chides me and I have to stay in when that's a bad hand.

Flop is Ace, 4, 10. You can see where this is going.. I call the bet.
Turn is Jack - *sigh* call again, on an inside straight no less
River is 3.. and I bet my brains out and win....

I had a number of hands that night that I shouldn't have been in, but hit on the river. Texas Hold 'em is like that. You can be a great player, but that doesn't mean shit if you don't get cards. Serious players all know the odds, and reading your opponent is over rated. Is he leaning forward (bluffing) or leaning back (suckering you)? Whatever..

That's part of the game's appeal, and part of it's curse. Average guys can get a spot in a World Series, and get on a hot streak, and bank a few million. Watching the game can be fun as well, because you can see everyone's cards and marvel at what the players are thinking when they do what they do. Sometimes it's like watching a movie and the hero is walking into a room where the psycho killer is. You want to yell, NOOOOOO.. and that's part of the fun...

The other side of the coin is that there really won't be that many identifiable players in the future. Because there is so much luck involved, you generally won't see the same people at the final table week after week. You won't develop a connection with the players. It used to be a small group of guys with 10 grand each. Now it's expanded, and you will see no-names get hot and win.

Anyway, it's a fun game.. once again I missed the boat.. online gambling generates a hell of a lot more cash than playing the game does for the owners..

Neat little story on one no-name's rise from the internet to the final table - or not, here: