Jacks & Fives= Motown

Have you ever been eighty sixed? Have you ever heard in a restaurant when they had to 86 the special of the day? 86 is the term that is use when it's over, your out or your done! Where did this combination of numbers come to have such heavy consequences? I heard a story the other day from an old timer who told me it started back in the 50's in Vegas. When the mob ran Vegas certain undesirables would end up missing and they have found many human remains out in the Nevada desert.We even knew a poker player who dabbled in other things and was last known to be interrogated at a well known casino downtown, and we never heard from him again. We just called him Desert Don from then on. So the term 86 stands for 8 MILES OUT of town and 6 FEET DEEP!
When did the two cards after the flop become the turn and the river? In the 70's when I dealt to Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Puggy & Slim the two cards were called 4th street & 5th street, just like a stud game. It wasn't until the 80's when hold-em came to California and that was when the terms changed. I was dealing Hold-em in Gardena in 1980 and then opened The Commerce Club in 1981, which was the first big Los Angeles Casino/Card Room. I got my biggest tip there when I dealt a lady a $5,000 jackpot. She came back to the table and handed me 5 black chips and kissed me! I think we were using turn and river at that time and most of the employees were from Vegas, so I'm thinking they brought the terms with them.
Everyone know A A is American Airlines. 10 2 is a Doyle Brunson.
Do you know what a gangster bet is? Heard this a couple of days ago and thought I'd share. A guy bet $100 in a no limit game and a player calls it a double gangster, I said "What"? Another player explained that a player from another club calls a $50 bet a gangster because of 50 cent, so a hundred dollar bet is a double gangster. He continued, "Do you know what a drive by is? A $200 bet or 4 gangstas". Ha ha thought it was cute!

POKER ROOMS HAVE CHANGED

Do u know when the terms turn and river were born? Hold-em defiantly made a transition when it moved from Las Vegas to sunny California. This may be when the terms changed because the old time poker players called it the flop, fourth street & fifth street. They were streets not rivers.Many things have changed within the poker world. There was no all ins must turn their hands up. There was no player calling to see every called hand. One thing that has changed for the better is the treatment of the dealers. Players were very abusive to dealers in the past. I even know of a dealer that I worked with at The Aladdin hotel & Casino in Las Vegas who was actually urinated on. he whipped it out under the table and whizzed on the dealers leg. She, not wanting to lose her job, wiped herself off and went on to the next table. There was no big to do about it and the player later said he had a kidney problem. the dealers of today are backed up by their floor men and security unlike the days of the wild west. So all you dealers remember it could be worse. All you players remember that you could get thrown out for abusing the dealer.

Chip was a rascal...

Anyone who has played in or around the big boys in Vegas OR has ever read a poker magazine has heard of the legendary Chip Reese. He was known as the best 7 card stud player in the world, although he was an excellent player at whatever game he played. He was also a fun guy and would gamble on almost anything! Which brings me to my story of my date with Chip. It was about 1974, when a couple of us girls had decided to go dancing at a new disco, on the strip across the street from Circus Circus. Those were the disco days and I loved to dance. We were with a group of gamblers and I was paired off with Chip. He really wasn't much of a dancer and that was what I was there for. In between dancing with other guys I would sit at the table and make small talk. Chip was a gentleman but not my type as a beau. Everyone knew he was a big limit player and a bit of a show off. He told me that he wanted to take me home and gave a huge grin & a wink. I smiled and seemed amused. He then spoke of his proposition, "I will play you one hand of gin and if you beat me you can have all the money in my pocket", he then put my hand on his pocket to feel the roll he was carrying with him. Then he said "BUT if you lose... you go home with me". The moment seemed surreal, anyone can win one hand of gin but I was not a hooker at any price. I said no and everyone was listening to hear the outcome. I don't know how many times this may have worked for him in the past but it wasn't my bag. A while later I thought about it and thought that I could play him the hand and if I lost I would run off after all it was a ludicrous bet to begin with, I could just get the hell out. I justified my plot to make this score and I thought I was slick. After all he couldn't very well take me to court or call the police? What could he say that I owed him? On the flip side, I could win and I'd be a hero, to myself anyway. So I told him that I had changed my mind and, "YES, I would". He must have been reading my mind because now the bet was off. I went home and told my roommate the story. This girl was a bit of a gold digger, and the story was quite interesting to her. She started to date Chip and they were together for several years. He bought her a new car and a big diamond but for some reason it didn't last. I think Chip would rather gamble than ANYTHING else. God bless you Chip we all know there must b a game there wherever you are because if there wasn't, we are sure there is one now. We will miss a few blinds but we will all be there with you later.....Peace

Wild Indians

I know that some will find this story very hard to believe but I have too many good stories to start making them up! An Indian reservation casino in San Diego had been opened its first year and there were still kinks to iron out. I was not working and just playing tournaments everyday, sometimes 3 a day. My 10 a.m tourney started out normally (as normal as can b for omaha hi-lo).There was an argument about how badly someone had played their hand and the next thing I heard was "Let's take it outside". B4 u knew it a young woman about 30 ish, petite and average looking and an old Indian man, short, weather beaten, about 55 or so and a little rough around the edges, get up from the table and head for the front door. Everyone is watching and are thinking that it is really a joke. B4 they can get thru the second set of glass doors, he sucker punches her in the head. I scream for people to help immediately and my husband and several other men rush their way. Watching in amazement he kicked her twice as she fell to the ground. To add to this crazy story, her husband (who was dealing that game) runs outside behind everyone else. They grab the crazy Indian and within minutes he disappears. Only moments later everyone is sitting at their tables waiting for the tournament to resume. At my table sits a very large Indian woman who happens to be the crazy Indians wife, who is also a member of the Indian tribal council. She looks at me and says, "Do you think that I should quit"? I replied, "Well your husband just kicked the crap out of a customer, I don't think it is really over". She got up and quit, the girl returned to her table to play and her husband sat back down to deal. No police were called and everything went back just like it was. I thought I was in the twilight zone. About a year later the Indian man killed himself in a car going over a bridge. We met the white couple in a gas station on their way out of town talking about how hard it was to get justice on an Indian reservation. She said she was an ex-marine which accounts for her "Let's take it outside" attitude, but she sure didn't deserve what she got. So be forewarned when you enter an Indian reservation casino to gamble, you are in, more or less, another country. I have another similar story that involves myself which I will blog later. Don't want to have a, down on Indians blog because I am really not down on anyone. I just want fairness and protection when I am in a casino.

Pushed out of the box by "Amarillo Slim" Preston

Every dealer & player knows that the box is the place where the dealer sits. When you are in the box you "shut up and deal". That is the way it was in Vegas and still is in most places. The California dealers are a bit more relaxed then that. In the small clubs everyone knows each other and their family members so a little more than a welcome is expected. The larger clubs like The Commerce Club or others in Los Angeles are run more in the Vegas style.
There is always an exception or two of that general rule. Like the day I was dealing 7 card stud at The Golden Nugget and I was tapped on the back by the famous. Amarillo Slim. He was talking up a storm as he was dealing and the tourists were thrilled to have been playing in this game dealt by the famous cowboy. I let my boss (Bill Boyd), know that the rack was going to be short, as I watched him make change and throw too much back into the pot several times. He told me not to worry it was just promotional and my rack would be corrected. Ten minutes later I took him back out and he sat near the restaurant and signed copies of his book. He was a "typical cowboy" type with a big Stetson and a smile even bigger.

Play Like a Man!

Play like a man , just what does that mean? I have even said it myself. A compliment for a woman is that she plays like a man which means smart and aggressive! The real players know who to watch out for after 10 minutes in the game and it is not always all the men. I've played with alot of whinning bad losing men, I know, they played like girls! To tell you the truth, I do much better playing with men, then trying to read a whole table of women. I have played where 1 or 2 MEN, never shut up & recap every hand and try to educate everyone within ear shot. These players are BOYS no matter how old they are. I have dealt to and played with some of the best players in the world and believe me, they do not act like they are on t.v. every moment. They play in a calm and cool way, keeping their thoughts about other players or how they might improve their play, to themselves. So just keep this in mind weather you're a male or female player, PLAY YOUR OWN GAME. Which means mind your business and be courteous to the table, IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. This way the people who are learning and don't play well, yet, will enjoy playing with you and come back again. Your advantage is your experience why share it with a stranger? Let them get their own and not all from you. Respect is what you get when you earn it and plays a very big role in your game. Have you ever noticed that the big mouth in the game is always the one asking "How could they make that bad call against ME?" I have never met an intelligent person who had to tell anyone how smart they were. So lets wise up and make the game more pleasant for everyone and just play like a player! Act like you've been there before.

Starting young

I try to have information on my blog and not a bunch of mundane poker stories, UNLESS of course they to are informational! My 20yr. old daughter has been playing home poker tournaments for about a year now. She has seen bluffing and many bad play at the tables at home. She wanted to play in casinos and in San Diego you must be 18 to play on the reservations. We never wanted our kids to be poker players (just as Doyles' daughter Pam has said) but things have changed so much. We do believe that you can take the gamble out of the game and replace it with skill. of course you do have to get a little lucky OR just not unlucky. The first time she played she ended up 12th in a field of 105 BUT she did make the last 15 which made her eligible for a $10,000 playoff in June. The following week I took her and after I was busted out I watched her play. 3 tables remaining & she raises the pot considerably before the flop with pocket queens. She gets one call & the flop comes 7 7 6, she bets and gets a call. The turn is an 8, she checks and her opponent makes a large bet. She lays down her hand and the player shows her pocket 8's. Now down to 2 tables, she plays an A 7 in her big blind. Flop-J J 4 her opponent makes a small bet and hasn't many chips. She said she didn't put hi on a J so she calls. Turn comes 7 , she checks & he checks. The river shows an A, she pauses and reaches for her chips, he was also reaching for his and so she checks. He bets half his stack and she pushes him all in. He has an A K surely believing his 2 pair were golden. She busts him and on to the last table to cash. She said she knew A 7 wasn't a quality hand but at the moment it was cheap and nearing the end. When a game is short handed an A or a K alone can win the pot.

Poker at Sea

Read about The Norweigen Cruiseline. Get ready for October, it will be a blast. Check it out @ www.pokeratsea.net. See you then

Doyle Brunson Poker Blog

Thanks for the blog Doyle
Doyle Brunson Poker Blog file this in your blog library. GreatStories to learn from.

Donating or stealing?

CasinoGaming.com
Now they want to take $225 right off the top of the enty fee for The Ladies Chamionship Event at The WPT. Without asking for donations or without matching the $ themselves. this is just the ladies event ONLY. We are kind hearted and charitable but please don't take advantage. It is a good thing that we have voices out there. So ladies protect yourself, read the fine print AND get the info the internet and your Lady Pros. Thanks to voices like Maryann and Ms. Poker Susie Isaac's, the girls will make a difference. Thanks for passing the word, you pass it on too.

PokerTalkAmerica

Don't feel like reading about poker from Super System, or Poker Pro Magazine then you can listen to poker talk...Of course they are not going to listen to your bad beat stories..Check out Lisa Adams, who has won a few nice tournaments herself.........PokerTalkAmerica

Ladies Poker Night By Ladies International Poker Series, LIPS Tour

Ladies Poker Night By Ladies International Poker Series, LIPS Tour

Home Tournement

So many fun ways to play poker now. Besides casino's and card rooms there are on-line rooms and home games. Don't have a regular game to go to? Start your own, I did. With the help of LIPS (Ladies International Poker Series) they give you all the information and on line help that you will need to get started. You may have to purchase chips and cards BUT I'm sure if you are a player then you will know someone with a chips set. They set up a Ladies Tournement for you for as little as $11 and for 10 weeks you keep track of your leaders by points. It's all very easy and fun. At the end of 10 weeks your winner from YOUR HOME GAME goes to Vegas and plays and stays at The Orleans Tournament. So the prize includes tourney buy-in airfare and room. Get started and I'll see you in Vegas!

Lets Cruise

I haven't been on a cruise sence I was 20 & livin' it up in the Caribeean, until this year that is. In January my husband and I took a Carnival cruise (out of San Diego) to The Mexican Riviera. In March we went on a Royal Caribeean cruise (out of L.A.) to Mexico again. We both dealt a couple of days on the ships and the first one was much better. The food was better the hours for food were longer, it was cleaner and we made more money. Now we are going to try again on The Norweigien Cruiseline. We will go to Mexico again (yes I love it there) but the group and ship will be interesting. If it sounds like fun to you then meet us there and climb on board @ www.pokeratsea.net . Next we'll be going to Alaska.....

Women in Poker Hall of Fame

Women in Poker Hall of Fame

T.V. POKER

I've noticed latley that their is a lot of chatter at the tables that hadn't been there before t.v. poker had arrived. You are only as good as your teachers, and from there, you develop your own style of play. If you are starting your game from what u see on t.v. then u are missing alot. Remember t.v. is not real life even if it is a reality show. These shows are edited to bring you the best moments of the game. The players talk and are somewhat dramatic otherwise it would be more boring than it already is. Play on-line, read Doyles Brunsons book, "Super System 2", sit behind someone u know at a live table, but don't get everything u have from t.v. It is the person who pays attention to detail and keeps his mind on his game that usualy gets the money. Of course you come to enjoy yourself and playing to get the money is not the same as being a pleasure player. So decide what kind of player you are because most players just come for a night out. Do u want to be a skilled player who has an extra income, or a player who comes out to spend his paycheck on ENTERTAINMENT?