Just fold 'em!

As good as Debbie is at many card games, she may be one of the worst poker players I have ever seen! We went over to my sister's yesterday to help with some yard work they are doing (an understatement...they are ripping out their entire yard...you haven't lived until you try to get an Azalea bush out of the ground) and some furniture painting. Afterwards, we decided to sit out on the back deck and play cards. We started by playing Chinese Rummy at which Debbie did very well. We then got serious, broke out the change box and started playing Texas Hold 'Em.

There are only two games at which I like to gamble...poker and golf...both of which I feel like I am in some semblance of control. However, Debbie will pretty much gamble at anything and she prefers games of total chance (I've never seen anybody put as much money in the slots as her...and do it at such a pace as to make the rocket cars on the Bonneville salt flats look slow). The thing is, she usually does very well. She is blessed with luck which I think has a lot to do with her optimism about everything. Call it Karma, The Promise, Divine Intervention...she definitely has more than her share of good luck.

It doesn't work for poker. She went down in flames. Losing it all in a blaze of glory. Staring in disbelief hand after hand while watching her pile of change dwindle to nothing but some dust and a few pieces of pocket lint.

But, she's no quitter. She borrowed more money from me and got right back in the game. She had a renewed sense of optimism. She absolutely knew that the straight flush was coming in the next hand. She'd show us all and walk away with everything.

Not so much.

When the smoke cleared, she had nothing but an empty purse and and look on her face that she only gets when we talk about the Jazz losing to Michael Jordan and the Bulls.

I tried to help, but I just can't do it. Poker cannot be played like the slots. You don't push a button over and over until the lights blink and the sirens sound. It's more like Survivor. You have to lie at times, you have to win the challenges when you are in the stronger position and you have to know when you are beaten and save your energy (or quarters) for the next challenge. You take control at times and you play the quiet follower at times. And you have to do this while observing what everyone else does and learning how to take advantage of their weaknesses.

Debbie will probably learn the game and end up owning me like MJ owned the Jazz. She has the potential. She usually has luck on her side and she is a heck of a lot better at observing and understanding people than I am. She's smart and she is willing to take risks. Unfortunately, she doesn't yet understand the whole "risk/reward" dynamic. She'll bet the farm that the pig can fly. And if it doesn't fly the first time, she'll bet the farm equipment. And then the farm hands...you get the idea.

Sometimes, you just gotta realize that you can't win when you have John Stockton paired with Karl Malone and the other team has Michael Jordan paired with Scottie Pippin!