Those of us who gamble frewuently--even if that gambling
is "positive expectation"--know what the slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune can do to you even if you DO have the advantage.
Even so, it'll take me a week or so to recover from the following:
The big Bellagio poker tournament (going on now) has daily events
with a $1500 buy-in. That being kind of steep for the average joe,
there are also one-table "satellites" where ten players pony up $180
each and play with rapidly escalating limits until there is one
survivor, who wins a seat in the next day's tournament (plus a few
bucks). I thought that this was just a dandy thing to do and signed
up for a limit hold 'em satellite. The game went well, and after
about an hour we were down to two persons, myself and an Oriental
gentleman; we each had just about the same number of chips. I picked
up K-10 of spades, and called my opponent's raise. The flop came 3-4-
6 of spades. He bet; I raised; he reraised; I reraised; he called.
Turn card was a red queen. He checked; I bet; he called. The river
card was the 5 of spades, He checked, and I smelled a rat and simply
turned my hand over without betting, He had---yep, Ace of clubs,
DEUCE OF SPADES. He had won all the chips by pulling the ONE card in
the deck to give him a straight flush.
Well, I still had a few chips, but was outgunned about fifteen-to-
one and only lasted another few hands. I was reeling out the door
when the announcement came that ANOTHER satellite had just one seat
left!! What the hell, I thought. Fast forward to our hero, sitting
at the table opposite one other gentleman. We each have about the
same number of chips. The cards are dealt. My opponent looks at his
cards, and raises. I look at my hand---two red Aces!! Hooray!! I
reraise, and reraise again when he reraises. He calls, and the flop
comes A-Q-7, three different suits. I bet, and he raises! I just
call for the time being. The turn card is a 3. I bet, he raises, I
reraise...we eventually put all of our chips in (he has three chips
remaining). The river card is................a Queen......This gives
me Aces full. It also gives my opponent four Queens. Exit our hero,
stage left. I walk through the sliding glass door to the parking lot
without bothering to open it first.
A few minutes later, I am playing $1 NSUD at the Palms while waiting
for my name to be called for Garduno's. I get the KQJ10 of spades to
draw to!! Is this the moment? Have the Gods of Chance decided to
balance the scales and right the injustices of the past day??? I
push DRAW and receive...the NINE of spades!!! The machine sneers at
me and gives me fifty credits for my straight flush. This money
finances my dinner, and the five margaritas I wash it down with.
As Arnold Schwarznegger said in Terminator II, (after having part of
his face and one arm ripped off), "I need a vacation."