March 31, 2005

Poker

Yes I too have fallen victim to the poker phenomenon that is sweeping the 'world'. I have been playing with some friends on and off for a few months - and recently I decided to try some zero stakes poker on-line (i.e. no cash involved).

So far I've done fairly well. I started off with 3,700 in phoney chips and have gone up to 47,000 in less than a week. I'm guessing that's because most people really don't know how to play poker - and since its not real stakes people played a lot of hands that they would never have normally played - but still - 12x growth in chips isn't bad - and it would have been about 16x growth if it wasn't for one hand.

This is what makes poker both great and awful.

Consider the following hand - I am dealt Ace Queen suited in my hand. Flop shows up King Queen Queen. I am sitting Trip Queens with an Ace Kicker. After a round of betting two people stay in besides me. I'm guessing they have hit two pair (Kings and Queens) - or possibly have the fourth Queen - worst case someone is sitting King Queen in their hand and have flopped a full house. On the turn comes a Two - no help to anyone (or it shouldn't be of any help after the way the betting went). Finally the river. A big honking Ace shows up giving me a full house Queens and Aces. A no fold hand - a hand you bet - but my opponent is also betting... did they hit the full house on the flop? - Queens and Aces beats Queens and Kings - play on - I'm heavily invested anyway - and it would be nearly impossible to fold QQQAA. Bets are called.

I Lose!

ouch

Some ninny had pocket Kings - and this hand was long over before my ace ever showed up on the scene. KKKQQ beats QQQAA. I actually wish that ace never came up because with the way betting went I could have cut my losses knowing that any possible full house would beat my trio of ladies no matter how high my pocket ace kicked.

Talk about knocking the wind out of your sails. 18,000 in the pot - about a third of which was my phoney chips - and I lose. But, that's poker - and that's what makes it fun. Even your unbeatable hand can be beaten.

Ah well. Not being a gambler I don't think I will ever find myself in a situaiton where I have $6,500 invested in a single hand of cards. Good thing too - becase now I know I would lose it.

andre

Posted by andre at March 31, 2005 02:44 AM