Many casino poker rooms offer a bad beat jackpot. They were originally conceived as a consolation prize for anyone who has a monster hand that’s beaten by an even bigger hand. The qualifying hands vary, but it’s usually something like four-of-a-kind beaten by another four-of-a-kind or a straight flush. When it happens, the person who […]
Another in my occasional series of true poker stories. A couple of years ago, I was playing in a cash game at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana (about a half-hour outside of Chicago), where a WSOP Circuit Event was taking place. While there, I encountered a phenomenon that’s become more common in the last few […]
Another in my occasional series of true poker stories. The names have been changed, but not the facts. In 2001, the no-limit hold’em boom had yet to begin, so the big game in St. Louis was $20-40 limit hold’em. Three days a week, one of the local poker rooms would have several tables going at […]
This story, another in my occasional series of true poker stories, originally appeared on this blog on April 2, 2009. The poker table was full of locals who all know each other, except one young guy. Late 20s, maybe 30. Not a top player, but doing okay, up a couple hundred from his $1k buy-in. […]
Another in a continuing, occasional series of poker stories I’ve witnessed or heard through the years. The names have been changed, but the details remain intact. You’ll find more here. In a poker game, you usually don’t want to show your cards because it gives other players information about what you had and how you […]
Nine years ago, I went to Paris for vacation with my wife, daughter, and mother. While there, we took in all the sights together, and since my mother is fluent in French, we had our own translator everywhere we went. But one evening, I got away by myself to play poker. I had never played […]