Using Cards to Mark Memories in Life

In poker, as in life, there are certain moments that are blazed into memory. As I reflect on three decades of playing the game, those special memories are centered around particular hands. I'll never forget playing poker in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace in 1982. In a seven-card stud game (Hold 'Em wasn't popular back then), I got a royal flush, the 10, J, Q, K and A of spades.

To commemorate the occasion, Caesar's gave me a wonderfully tacky, faux gold medallion that I still treasure today. Another royal flush came at The Tropicana in Atlantic City in 1990, once again at seven-card stud. For that beautiful hand, I was awarded two tickets to their showroom that night.

Smoky Robinson was performing and, wow, what a show! At Casino Morongo in 2003, I was playing five-card Omaha hi-low, a brain twister of a game. In order for a bad beat jackpot to occur in Omaha, four tens or better must be beat. That's almost impossible. But there I was, holding 7-8 of clubs in my hand with the 9-10-J of clubs on the board, a straight flush.

Old Joe, an extremely tight player, was calling my every bet. Much to my delight, when the cards were turned up, Old Joe had K-Q of clubs for the higher straight flush. Why was I so happy to be beaten? Because I lost the pot, but won the "big end" of the bad beat jackpot - $3,800!

I ran around that room pumping my fists like Rocky. They aren't always super-premium hands. At the recent LIPS Championship final table, my simple pair of pocket 10's held up against A-10, A-J and A-K. I eliminated three players at a crucial moment with those unpretentious and unforgettable 10's.

June 8, 2006
Posted By Guy Akers
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!

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