Winter Olympics

[cryptique]

Texas Hold 'Em sucks anyway. It bothers me that a lot of people think that's poker ... like there aren't any other poker games.

[gogo]

The sound of Vancouver when Team Canada wins gold. Pretty cool!

I love this! I also think it's pretty hilarious that whoever took this has the same problem I do: even though it appears that he used a tripod, the shot still manages to be several degrees off level.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

Texas Hold 'Em sucks anyway. It bothers me that a lot of people think that's poker ... like there aren't any other poker games.

 

Say what? There are other games, but Texas Hold 'Em is poker.

[cryptique]

The casinos have pushed Texas Hold 'Em on us because the game maximizes the number of players you can pack around a table (because each player only gets three cards, far more players can participate). But it's a shitty game, as poker games go.

 

I hope to someday have a regular poker group again, like I had years ago. We'll ban Texas Hold 'Em altogether, and strongly discourage wild cards.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I read that as "I'm good at it, so I don't like it."

[cryptique]

I'm no better at Hold 'Em than any other poker game. I just think it's a shitty game. There are probably at least twenty games I'd rather play before Hold 'Em.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

Like what? Enlighten me. I've only ever played Hold 'Em and 7 card stud. Both are great, IMO.

[cryptique]

Among my favorites are low-hole (a seven-card stud variant), five-card draw, Montana (another seven-card stud variant), 333, spit in the ocean, iron cross, Cincinnati, anaconda, guts, Indian poker...

 

Those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. We used to play any game for which we could agree to rules.

 

Low-hole was probably my favorite. It's regular seven-card stud, but your lowest hole card, and any other card you have of that rank, are wild. You have to take the seventh card face-down, so it could change your wild card right at the end. And of course, no one else knows what your personal wild card is.

 

Montana is seven-card stud with no wild cards, but two aggravating little rules: first, the low spade in the hole splits the pot. Second, if a red queen is ever dealt face-up, all cards are tossed in, you re-ante on top of the existing pot, and re-deal. If you fold at any point, you are not eligible to join back in after a re-deal. So everyone stays in, hoping for a red queen, and the pots can be huge. You have the option to take your seventh card face-up or face-down.

[gogo]

I realize that the bulk of the Olympics talk is probably over, but hows about one of you starts a poker thread, rather than taking this any further in this thread?

 

That's not a moderator request so much as a personal request, since I've got exactly zero interest in reading poker talk, but I keep getting excited when it looks like there's more Olympics talk going on in here. (Although, as a moderator, I can move the poker posts into a new thread to start that off, if you'd like.)

 

Thanks!

[Dreamin']

Okay, lets get back OT with the always enjoyable giant inflatable beaver. ( Bob Costas!) This is what happens when you have a psychedelic reaction to maple syrup.

 

I honestly don't know what to say about the closing ceremonies. I got a hint of what we were in for when I opened the pkg on my seat and found foam moose antlers. Hey, let's simultaneously mock and celebrate all those lazy Canadian stereotypes. Cringeworthy, but also genius!

[PopTodd]

A. Fucking. Men.

 

ESPN and ESPN2 show a LOT of crap in time slots that could be better used showing Australian Rules.

 

Amazing sport.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I realize that the bulk of the Olympics talk is probably over, but hows about one of you starts a poker thread, rather than taking this any further in this thread?

 

That's not a moderator request so much as a personal request, since I've got exactly zero interest in reading poker talk, but I keep getting excited when it looks like there's more Olympics talk going on in here. (Although, as a moderator, I can move the poker posts into a new thread to start that off, if you'd like.)

 

Thanks!

 

I don't really want to discuss poker actually. Just wanted to hear what games he likes over Hold 'Em. I have nothing more to discuss.

 

Back to the Olympics... I found out that a guy I do business with is the father of Justin Olsen, who was on the gold winning bobsled team. Pretty cool.