Category Archives: Poker Night in America

Poker Money

In my many years of poker playing, I never missed an opportunity to engage in this magnificent pastime. I have lost all my money and more many times in my 50 plus years of dedicated allegiance to this fascinating game, and I would like to pass on an important bit of wisdom about enjoying the game.

Play only with poker money. Only use extra money that is designated for fun. I did not enjoy playing the game nearly as much, and I didn’t play as well when I was playing with money that was slated for bills or otherwise intended. In other words, I believed that I didn’t have the money to play, but I played anyway. Lucky for me, these occasions took place before I got married and had family responsibilities.

As a single man, I learned a lot and came to the conclusion that poker truly should be played with extra money after your personal responsibilities have been met. Remember, no one wants to take food out of your kid’s mouth or stress your wife out because one of your poker buddies check raised you all in, when you were using the mortgage money to stake your place at the table, even if you were staring at pocket aces again.

Poker is an honorable game, and it is played by honorable ladies and gentlemen.

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America

One for the boys,

Be careful about inviting your wife to play poker with you and your poker buddies. You might find that she will threaten your place at the table. That is to say that since my wife started playing poker in our weekly neighborhood poker game there have been more than a few occasions where I was check raised by her and I am out, my bluff was called by her and I was out, or she calls a questionably high bet on my all in, only to hit on the river.

The moral to this story is nobody knows you or can read you better than she can. So if you want to enjoy playing the game longer and not end up cleaning the mess in the kitchen, because you are out while she is still taking your friends chips, you might want to adopt a simply fold when she is committed to the hand philosophy. Going head to head with her can be very disappointing. Especially if the there is a sink full of dishes.

I speak from experience.
They don’t call her the Black Widow for nothing.

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America