Big Hand

The cast of characters gathered around the table on a weekend afternoon. The lady in the No. 1 seat wore mirrorlike sunglasses. An older guy sat next to her. A pony-tailed woman with a sparkly [...]

A friend and colleague suggested something a little different over the holiday weekend — how about playing in a poker tournament at the South Point in far south Las Vegas?Had some doubts. I [...]

Up early Saturday. Chores and errands. But by 10 a.m. or so, I’m on the phone and reserving a seat at a poker room in far western Las Vegas. Normally avoid Saturday; they are often crowded and [...]

When all the chips go in the pot, it’s usually because two players or more really like their hand.Or somebody has done something stupid. Or maybe one player is taking a shot. Desperate [...]

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to [...]

Illustration/Poker Travel So there we were, gathered around an oval-shaped Texas hold’em table, men and women, most dressed casually, whiling away an afternoon, trying to eke out a few [...]

Every poker player knows about the “rush.” Or going on a “heater.” It happens rarely, but there are days when you catch a hand. Then another hand. And then, you slowly [...]

If you listen intently, you can hear the sound of big pot being pushed. It’s a rustling sound, almost like that of leaves rustling in the wind. And when one of the big pots is being pushed [...]

Image/YouTube   Thanks goodness for maniacs. They liven up snug Texas hold’em games. They often loosen up the tight players, too — and sometimes cause them to become unglued. And [...]

On the turn, I committed a tactical error and bet into a board that was triple-suited and screamed “flush.” The villain immediately raised and the guy to my right re-raised. I called [...]