Poker: Gamblers of Classic TV

If you’re a television trivia buff or “young” enough to remember some of the classic TV series of the 1950s and 1960s you’ll probably get a kick out of this trip down memory lane.  These were television shows, most of which were done in black and white, that created quite a following even as short-lived as they were.

One of these rare classics was Mr. Lucky which aired on CBS.  The series was based on an original movie of 1943 starring Cary Grant and set in the early days of World War II. The TV show was developed by Blake Edwards with the theme music done by genius, Henry Mancini.  Mr. Lucky was an honest professional gambler who, along with his sidekick Andamo, ran a floating casino aboard the Fortuna II which they anchored outside the three mile limit.  Each week they managed to come in contact with a variety of criminals or people who were hiding from criminals. 

Mr. Lucky was one of the highest rated shows of the 1959-1960 season, but in February of 1960 the casino was changed to a floating restaurant.  This change was done to appease the show’s sponsor, Lever Brothers, who were just coming off the quiz show scandals of the 1950s.  At the end of the season Lever Brothers and alternate, Brown & Williamson, cancelled sponsorship and the series was finally canceled entirely.

In September of 1957 ABC debuted a western series called Maverick about a slick traveling card sharp.  It starred James Garner as Bret Maverick who was later joined by his brother, Bart Maverick played by Jack Kelly.  The two rotated each week as gamblers who traveled the West and on Mississippi riverboats getting in and out of trouble with money, women, or both.

Garner left the series after the third season due to legal disputes, and was replaced by cousin Beau Maverick played by Roger Moore.  Interestingly enough, the role of Beau was turned down by Sean Connery who Moore later ended up replacing as James Bond.  Maverick was part of the list of Warner Bros. Westerns that appeared throughout the 1960s, and it enjoyed moderate success as a movie in 1992 starring Mel Gibson.  In 2006 a 10 foot bronze statue was unveiled of James Garner’s Bret Maverick in his home town of Norman, Oklahoma.

There were quite a few television Westerns that, more often than not, showed the inside of a smoke-filled saloon with the cowboys and ladies drinking and playing cards.  Many of these were brought to you by one of the more popular cigarette manufacturers like Winston Salem, Brown & Williamson, Liggett & Meyers to name a few.  If the local sheriff or deputy marshal was looking for someone they inevitably went straight to one of the saloons.  Even as a youngster I used to wonder: What do these people do for a living?  Don’t they have a job?  Where do they get the money to play cards and roulette?

Today, if you want to see poker playing on television you would have to channel surf through the abundance of cable or satellite stations looking for a World Series Of Poker or Celebrity Poker Match.  It all seemed so much simpler with Mr. Lucky or Bret Maverick!

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Gamblers, Card Sharks and Magicians

Playing Cards have had a major role in the livelihood of professional gamblers, card sharks, and magicians.  They have comprised some of the most colorful and skillful individuals in the past few hundred or so years.  The art of prestidigitation is fascinating to watch.  This article deals with a few of the gamblers, magicians, and card sharks who have made up this interesting world of entertainment.

Arnold Rothstein

There have been a number of very talented gamblers who manipulate cards with outstanding skill.  One of these was a man named Arnold Rothstein.  Rothstein’s father was a wealthy businessman and philanthropist with a reputation for honesty.   After flunking out of school Arnold spent his time and money gambling.  He was an intelligent and skillful poker player and by 1912, when he was thirty, he was a millionaire from the profits of his gambling parlors.  In 1919 he was involved with the infamous fix of the World Series between Cincinnati and Chicago.  He testified in his own behalf in 1921 and was acquitted.  Unfortunately, he was shot in 1928 by a fellow gambler and died a few days later.

Canada Bill

The term card shark has always been synonymous with swindler or cheat.  One of the greatest card sharks (or sharps) in history was a riverboat and railroad gambler names William “Canada Bill” Jones.  Canada Bill mastered a game called three-card monte.  Similar to the shell game monte is played with three cards, the first which the dealer shows the “mark”.   He then turns it face down with the other two, rearranges them, and asks the “mark” to find his card.  Well, of course, Canada Bill would palm the first card and replace it with another card.  The “mark” would select his card, lose and be none the wiser.  Canada Bill was a card shark at poker, too, but he died in 1880 penniless and was buried by the City of Reading, Pennsylvania at the city’s expense.

Penn & Teller - Las Vegas

The magicians and illusionists out there compose a list of well-known talent the likes of which include David Copperfield, Criss Angel, Penn & Teller, and Lance Burton.  Their skillful card manipulation and illusions have made them famous.  The tricks are, of course, comprised of clever sleight-of-hand moves that come from long hours of practice, patience, and discipline.  They very often use a technique known as misdirection in which the audience is distracted into looking in another direction.  David Copperfield has a very interesting illusion that involves the use of the Internet with a powerpoint presentation known as: I Can Read Your Mind.  It’s an interesting 1 ½ minute slide show deck where he guesses your card selection.  Of course, the trick to this involves replacing the original cards with similar cards of a different suite.  Watch this entertaining illusion.

David Copperfield

These are people who, through the years, have chosen an alternative livelihood.  Some have been misguided while others have gone on to entertain us and made a very good living in the process.  They illustrate the talents of people who have put as much or more effort into their trade as most of us put into ours.  So, the next time you sit down at a poker table you better hope that one of the other players at the table do not fall into these categories! 

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Poker: Luck of the Draw or Skill?

How many times have you sat down at a poker table and watched a nothing hand turn into the winning hand?  For example, you’re dealt a 3 and a 6.  Instead of folding you decide to take a chance and stick it out.  The dealer turns up (4, 5, and 7) among the next four cards for a Straight!  Or, you’re dealt a pair of Jacks and another Jack face up in the community cards for Three-Of-A-Kind.  Winning hand, eh?  But someone else is dealt three 4s and two 9s for a Full House!

Luck sometimes has as much to do with the above scenarios as skill. And sometimes just sticking around long enough to “gamble” that your cards will pay off is the adrenalin that some players are looking for.  You find you’re asking yourself more often than not: Do I want to take the chance?

Anyone who has played poker or sat and observed a game of Texas Hold’Em can certainly attest to the random luck of the cards that are dealt.  The start of the first few cards can signal a promising hand only to result in the proverbial “fold”. 

A player can always take a chance and count on a certain amount of luck over a short period of time.  It’s the realistic or skillful player who recognizes that there are times when it’s best to quit when that string of luck or cards appears to be elusive. 

Some skillful card players will spend as much time observing their opponents as they do playing their own cards.  They watch how other players may telegraph what they have in their hands.  Watching the way players bid, their verbal comments, or their body language can tell a lot about the possible outcome of the hand: Fidgeting, smiling, frowning, counting their chips, blinking, constantly looking back at their hand, shifting around in their chair, etc.

So, what is the answer?  Is successful poker playing a result of luck or skill?  I believe there’s a combination of BOTH involved here: Luck and skill share a tag-team hand in playing poker.  You have to have the skill to know what you’re looking for in that hand to win.  But you also know that, by taking a chance on checking or bidding, you need the luck that the next card is the one you are looking for!

Are you a skillful player or a player who relies on taking the chance with Lady Luck?  Only you can answer that question.  Good Luck!

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Poker: Texas Hold'Em

If you're playing a poker game and you look around the table and and can't tell who the sucker is, it's probably you.

-- Paul Newman

For anyone who has played or watched a game of Texas Hold’Em being played there are terms that a dealer may use while distributing the playing cards around the table.  For those who are not familiar with this particular poker game I’ll explain briefly how this interesting and fun game evolves.

Texas Hold’Em is a variation of poker with the exception that it is played with seven cards instead of the usual five, and there is no draw.  Each player is dealt two cards face down on the poker table.  An additional five cards are dealt face up in the center.  These five cards are called community cards which are shared by all players at the table.  The object is to use your two cards that are face down with a combination of three community cards to build the best or winning hand.

Once the first two cards are dealt to all players the blinds are placed in the pot by the players to the left of the dealer.  Blinds are automatic forced bets.  The player to the left of the dealer, called the small blind, places the initial agreed upon bet with chips.  The next player to the left of the small blind places the big blind bet (usually double that of the small blind).  The remaining players can then choose to call (match the big blind), raise, or fold.

The next three cards called the FLOP are dealt face up in the center of the table for the remaining players.  The players beginning to the left of the dealer can check, raise/call, or fold.  The fourth card, called the TURN, is then dealt face up and, once again beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, the players can check, raise/call, or fold.  The final card called the RIVER is dealt face up.  Remaining players can then choose to check, raise/call, or fold.  The winner with the best five-card hand, as determined by poker rules, collects the chips in the pot.

Normally, the small blind and big blind would then be passed to the next player(s) on the left and the deal would begin again.  As with any poker game, the objective (if a time limit or bet limit has not been set) is to be the last player remaining after all chips have been collected.

Another variation of Texas Hold’Em is called H.O.R.S.E.  This is played with various rounds of:

·         Texas Hold’Em

·         Omaha eight or better

·         Razz

·         Seven Card Stud

·         Seven Card Stud Eight or better

A more complete explanation of these games can be found on the Internet.

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Poker: Maintaining a Friendly Atmosphere

Sitting down around a poker table with family and friends can be an enjoyable and memorable  experience.  A gathering of folks to play poker or Texas Hold ‘Em may be a planned event or an impromptu get together.  As often happens, someone suggests getting out the folding poker table top for some spontaneous kick back action.  

But, it’s important that everyone understands what the ground rules are up front so no one walks away after the game feeling upset over the outcome.  Make sure that all the players understand and agree on such things as the dealer’s choice, table ante, the raise limit, and try to set a timeframe for how long the game will last.  Determine the poker chip values.  Perhaps even establishing how the final hand will be played (ie: All In and the Amount of Chips). 

If possible, start your game with a fresh deck of playing cards.  Shuffle the deck and deal a card face-up around the table to each player to determine who deals (High Card usually has honors).  Insure that every player antes up the correct amount of chips.  And let the games begin!

Make sure that everyone at the table understands how a dealer’s choice hand is played.  If someone isn’t familiar or comfortable with the selected game try dealing a sample hand without any ante or bidding to let them get the feel of it.  If the player still isn’t sure he or she can choose to pass or “deal me out”.

Some other rules that you can follow to insure the game stays within relaxed and fun limitations:

·         Keep the conversation friendly and light.  Don’t talk politics, and nobody likes a know-it-all.

·         Keep the game of choice simple.  Nobody likes complicated IF, AND, or ELSE instructions.

·         If food and drinks are available take breaks to let the players get up from the table.  Keep food away from that nice poker table, and drinks in their spot.

·         If someone over indulges in the beverage department make sure you get their car keys and they get a ride home.  You don’t want them to be a statistic as a result of your friendly poker game.

·         Recognize if and when the game may start to turn “testy” or hostile:  If a player is getting irritable about the luck of the cards or their losses, it’s time to break it up and quit:  You don’t want to sacrifice family or friendships over a card game!  

As with any card game the outcome always produces some winners and not-so-winners.  But, you want to maintain a friendly relaxed atmosphere so that those who aren’t so lucky don’t feel like “losers”.  After all, we’re all winners for being in that fraternity of family and friends!

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An Early History of Poker and Gambling

Playing Cards have had a major role in the livelihood of professional gamblers and card sharks from the Mississippi to the mining towns of California.  They have comprised a list of some of the most colorful and skillful individuals in the past few hundred years.  

The riverboat on the mighty Mississippi became a haven for card games of every variety.  Poker was the king on the riverboats and in wild west towns.  But other games of luck like Three-Card-Monte, Faro, and Roulette were played by gamblers and dealers determined to make fast money. 

There were the famous card players like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Bat Masterson.  And there were those who made a very good living as card sharks (or sharps).  One of the greatest card sharks in history was a riverboat and railroad gambler names William “Canada Bill” Jones.

Canada Bill mastered a game called Three-Card-Monte.  Similar to the shell game Monte was played with three cards, the first of which the dealer showed the “mark”.   He then turned it face down with the other two, rearranged them, and asks the “mark” to find his card.  Well, of course, Canada Bill would palm the first card and replace it with another card.  The “mark” would select what he thought was his card, lose, and be none the wiser.  Canada Bill was a card shark at poker, too, but he died in 1880 penniless and was buried by the City of Reading, Pennsylvania at the city’s expense.

Unlike the Top Best Poker Players of today who play the game like a science, the gamblers of old sat in the saloons with their backs to the wall and guns at their sides while watching the dealers very carefully.  The dealers were very good at sleight-of-hand moves that came after long hours of practice, patience, and discipline.  Of course, it never hurt to have food, liquor and painted ladies close at hand.

Many professional gamblers and card sharks would hang around mining towns and waterfronts. 

They preyed on unsuspecting travelers and pioneers who had their life savings in their pockets.

These con artists would station themselves where local magistrates and police avoided, and a person who was lucky enough to win any kind of money stood a pretty good chance of being “greeted” by thieves when he left the saloon.

Gambling migrated and spread from the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to the West in covered wagons and railroads.  One early author, Jonathan Greer in 1834 referred to the activity as the “cheating game”.  Dishonest card sharks ran confidence games, and companies cropped up specializing in the manufacture and sales of card cheating devices.

The professional gamblers had a very high opinion of themselves and took advantage of the growing obsession for card games in America.  To be successful, they maintained a very fancy wardrobe and had an irresistible gift for conversation.  These attributes often provided the introduction to the unwary card player.

One story occurred in 1832 on a Mississippi steamboat.  Three professional gamblers had lured a traveler from Natchez into a poker game.  The young naïve man lost all of his money in the rigged game and planned to throw himself into the river.  An Observer stopped him from committing suicide and, upon hearing the man’s plight, decided to join the poker game still in progress.  When the stranger caught one of the gamblers cheating he pulled out his knife yelling, “Show me your hand”.  When he twisted the cheater’s wrist six cards fell to the floor.  The stranger took the $70,000 pot, returned the $50,000 to the Natchez man, and kept $20,000 for his trouble.  When the Natchez man ask his name the stranger replied, “James Bowie”.  

Unfortunately, these unscrupulous gamblers and card sharks multiplied quickly and continued to thrive.  After the Civil War, America spread West as did the gamblers infiltrating every mining camp and frontier prairie town.  And the miners, cowboys, railroad workers, soldiers and outlaws continued to chance an opportunity for making their fortune.

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