Moments I'll Not Soon Forget
Howard and I
Originally uploaded by tbridge.
Due to the incredible kindness of a good friend, I found myself at the University Club playing poker tonight with Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer, and they were in town to chat with Congress about a bill that's in committee that might make poker illegal. Needless to say, they're a bit perturbed by that. But they came tonight and played cards with several of us bloggers who were able to make it.
I did play one hand with Howard. He was in fifth position, I was in ninth. He raised the blind from 200 to 600, and I called, holding QQ. The Flop was A Q 7. Howard pushed. I sat there, terrified he had rockets, and decided that I only would live once, and I pushed. He had me covered, but not by much, and so I was playing for my life. He flipped over A 7, and said "You're in a bit of trouble."
I flipped over my pocket queens, and the middle set. The turn and river came up empty and I swept the chips in, and grinned like an idiot.
He was great to talk with. He's a great person who has an incredible understanding of things, and a true ambassador for the game of Poker, and I hope that Congress will listen to him and to the Poker Players' Association. Poker is an American game, one that understands risks and rewards them. Sometimes you come out on top. Sometimes you get a bad beat. How you deal with both of those in life is a lesson that poker can teach you. Please don't mess that up.
Comments:
Holy crap...
I'm a relative novice at poker (been playing every other week for a couple of months with a group of fellow novices), but even so, this would have been a memory I'd have cherished for one hell of a long time. (I'm also off to Atlantic City this weekend, and will likely have my first opportunity to play -- and, no doubt, lose -- at a real casino poker table.)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the bill up for consideration right now is geared specifically toward Internet gambling, right? Real-world poker (although still technically illegal) isn't being targeted here, but just banks who transfer funds (either directly or via credit cards) to offshore casino sites.
Still asinine (for a liberal, I do still have a bit of a Libertarian streak in me, at least in some areas). The real complaint behind this (well, other than a congressman trying to make a name for himself) is that this money is going offshore, so Uncle Sam isn't getting his "cut."
Um... there's a far simpler solution to this, guys...
Posted by Bill Coughlan on April 6, 2006 — 9:39 AM
Wow, you stole a hand from Howard Lederer AND your beloved A's made a late comeback to beat my Yanks. Truly a great day. I know you were sweating bullets before that turn & river cards. Hehe...
I agree with Bill. The government isn't getting their cut so they want to put the hammer down. I've even heard some complaints that we're sensationalizing the game and opening to the doors underage/future gamblers. I have three kids and I'm not concerned about that. If your a good parent you censor accordingly and set limitations.
Posted by KB on April 6, 2006 — 12:48 PM