Poker

     Poker is a great game (when you win).  Sitting around with your friends; grinding each other's gears; sharing good food, having some laughs, is a lot of fun (when you win).  What could be better (when you win)?  Poker involved no physical skill but the mental and emotional skill is tremendous. It's thrilling (when you win). Getting cards is exhilarating (when you win). Making a really good bluff gives you a warm, smug feeling (when you win).  

The different cards that you get throughout the night will determine your mental and emotional well being. What could be better than pocket aces (if you win)?  Looking at cowboys (kings) is fabulous (if you win).  Having ladies (queens) staring at you is wonderful (if you win).  Could there be anything better than catching that inside straight (if you win)?  Flushing out is excellent (as long as you win). Making a really great bet is tremendous (if you win), as is making a really good value bet (if you win).  Turning over fives and saying "presto" is superb (as long as you win). Spiking a set, or better yet quads, can't be beat (as long as you win). Pushing people around because you have the big stack is brilliant (as long as you win). Making a good lay down or a good read; makes you feel happy (even though you didn't win, it felt like you won!). Thinking you have the nuts gives you a feeling of invincibility (as long as you win). What could be better that having a night of getting every card you want (as long as you win)?  

   All of these things make poker a great, great game. There are few things better than a successful night of poker.  The good things that I have mentioned above might happen 10% of the time and when it happens, nothing could be more fun or thrilling. The only problem with poker is that you lose 90% of the time.  The incredible high of winning 10% of the time must sustain you for the 90% of the time in which you get your ass handed to you by everyone else at the table. 

Even when you get the cards sometimes you lose.  You might get aces and still lose.  Having kings, queens, a straight or a flush, still do not ensure that you will win the pot, or have a successful night. I recently lost when I had quads (four of a kind - the second best hand possible).  Nothing is guaranteed in poker.  Luck has a lot to do with it.  Sometimes you get the cards; sometimes you don't.  You can occasionally outplay others when you don't get cards but that won't last long. Eventually the cards you get will determine success or failure. Success means happiness; failure means being pissed off until the next game…  and you can't fucking wait!