Chip and a Chair

Chip and a Chair

A few weeks ago I started playing Texas Hold’em Poker. I had never really played it that much before but I have been enjoying it a lot lately as my understanding of the game has improved. I enjoy the element of strategy vs. luck and a successful bluff always feels like an achievement when successfully scaring someone away if I have a bad hand or tricking them into betting more if I have a good hand. I am still a young rookie but I am quite pleased with the way I have been playing for my level. I’ve been in the last round of quite a few games already.

My first attempt at playing poker was during my college years and did not go so well. I didn’t lose money and fall into massive debt but I did have to give them the shirt off my back. My shirt was not the only item of clothing I lost either. We were playing strip poker.

I can’t claim that it was not having an understanding of the rules that made me lose. However, I can blame the alcohol. We were all fairly drunk but I was the only one drunk enough to be playing a different game entirely to the others. A few minutes (and items of clothing) into the game I was asked a question that made me realize my mistake.

“Stuart. Why did you just pick up two cards from the deck?” One of the girls asked me.

“Because a two was just put down and I didn’t have one,” I slurred back.

There was a short puzzled silence before she asked, “Are you playing Black Jack?”

“So that’s why I am losing,” I suddenly realized.

Even when I started playing the right game it did not do me much good. We were playing no-limit poker and I lost everything.

Luckily the last few games have gone a little better and I am very happy to say that we have been betting with poker chips instead of clothes. I think there has to be at least a 1:1 girl/boy ratio for playing strip poker to be legal.

My house mate and I have already set up a regular poker night with some friends (we had our second this weekend). I bought a nice set of poker chips a few weeks ago and the other day my house mate got a poker mat for the table. If we carry on we believe it will only be a few weeks before we get a roulette wheel, some slot machines. Anyone who would like to apply for a job as a croupier or a member of bar staff should leave their application in the comments. Available positions are only temporary since it may only take a few days for us to be arrested for gambling with out a license.

Stuart

Stuart is an accident prone Englishman who has been living in the Netherlands since 2001. Even his move to the country was an unintentional accident, the result of replying to a cryptic job advertisement he found one day in a local British magazine. Since then he has learned to love the Dutch (so much so that he married one of them) and now calls the country home. He started the blog Invading Holland in 2006 as a place to share his strange stories of language misunderstandings, cultural confusions and his own accident prone nature.

9 Responses

  1. zed says:

    i offer to take care of the money. temporarily, naturally ;)

  2. ChickyBabe says:

    I can’t even keep a Poker face, let alone play!

  3. Matt says:

    I’m a big big no limit hold ’em player. I love the game. I’ve had some successes but generally stay about even with my gambling. I play on line…. wait a second…If there are many others willing to play we could always arrange a private online game!??? Get about six of us – I’m going to look into this.

  4. Charlemagne Stavanger says:

    Love Hold’em man, wish I as there :)

    Me & some guys use to go to Las Vegas and play blackjack until they started to use like 10 decks…

    If you ever start the Invading Casinos give me a call, maybe I’ll be the bouncer

  5. Invader Stu says:

    Zed – It sounds risky but at least when the feds come we can say you are behind it all.

    ChickyBabe – I’m slowly learning how to make a poker face and reduce the amount of tells I do

    Matt – I’d be interested in that

    Charlemagne Stavanger – Will you be able to keep the feds out?

  6. Charlemagne Stavanger says:

    For a place where you can buy drugs openly, Holland has a pretty strict Casino policy huh?

    If all the feds are guys then I’m cool, otherwise I’m smoked. Another idea, how about an online casino?

  7. Bonestorm says:

    I once won a hearts tournament blind drunk. I don’t remember anything past half way through the semi final. All I know is I woke up the next morning with the trophy next to my bed.

  8. Invader Stu says:

    Charlemagne Stavanger – I don’t know the details but from what I have heard Holland does have strict gambling laws.

    Bonestorm – You’re either very lucky or very unlucky that it’s the only thing you woke up next to.

  9. Rose says:

    Texas HoldÂ’em Poker are they not spammers? LOL