#68 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Thursday June 24)
Good morning!
THE RETURN OF POKER
One thing that could not be replicated through Zoom is the friendly poker game. Last week was our group’s “coming out game.” It was filled with the usual showdowns of people bluffing, flushes losing to full houses, and confusion about the rules of the game chosen by the dealer. All good fun and lots of laughs (many were what are commonly referred to as “dad jokes”). A classic last week was when one of the guys said “I’m out,” folding after the table checked around (no bet), effectively turning down a free card. I’m not saying who that guy was, but his name rhymes with “Scott Kalt.”
HOW MUCH IS APPROPRIATE?
During the course of the evening, some of us discussed the whole idea of gambling among friends. The consensus was that losing a couple of hundred dollars for a great night of entertainment is a small price for entertainment and camaraderie. That said, most of us are up or down less than $100. Losing (or winning) much more from friends can be awkward and inject a level of seriousness not called for. Sure, there will be those who will want to gamble for more money. These are the same people who aren’t happy with a $20 bet on a round of golf. I don’t judge others. To them, it adds to the excitement and competitiveness. It’s just not me.
Some years ago, Vegas was a not-infrequent destination, generally to see a couple of great shows and get a good meal or two. Being in Vegas, there was the opportunity to do a little gambling… My rule on limits was that I was willing to lose as much as I might spend to go to Disneyland. For me, that meant $300 was the absolute max. You can see how long since I’ve gambled in Vegas. Today, that Disneyland analogy might be closer to $600!
THE DECLINE OF THINKING GAMES
On the concept of gambling in Vegas, I was saddened to read a while back that “table games” are declining in popularity, being replaced by more slot machines. The primary table games are games like 21, roulette, and craps (poker is in an entirely different league in Vegas).
The most cerebral of the table games is Craps (dice), which also is the most “communal” of games, filled with superstitions, collegial atmosphere and a sense of team-play. It gained popularity among soldiers during the war (dice being the smallest of gaming tools, easily transportable) and among informal neighborhood gambling. And it spawned the classic musical, Guys & Dolls, the musical about how a confirmed “happy” bachelor and gambler can find love with a member of the temperance movement. It later was part of the action in Diamonds are Forever and Indecent Proposal.
Craps is the most numbers-intensive of the Vegas games. Understanding odds and doing calculations in your head is part of the fun. Sadly, dealing with odds is too complicated for many. Among an increasingly math-illiterate crowd, this math-centric game and the collegiality it generates is being replaced by the lonely and mechanical pulling of the arm on a slot machine, all alone. Sign of the times? More of “bowling alone”?
In any event, I’ll stick to friendly poker games with friends.
Have a great day,
Glenn
FROM THE ARCHIVES