miércoles, junio 21, 2006

Play poker

Paul Mendelson
Texas Hold'em Poker. Begin and win
Elliot Right Way Books
ISBN 0-7160-2172-2

Lo que tenemos aquí es una introducción a la variante más entretenida del segundo deporte puertas adentro practicado en Estados Unidos: el póquer. La variante Texas Hold'em se juega con dos cartas ocultas por cada jugador, y cinco cartas sobre la mesa. Tu combinación es la mejor que puedes hacer con las cartas que hay sobre las mesas y tus propias cartas.

Tras describir y fijar las reglas del juego, el autor nos da consejos para dar los primeros pasos en el juego, y no ser desplumados en juegos con dinero (cash games) o saltar a la primera de cambio en los torneos (tournaments). Y aunque no tiene el prestigio del ajedrez, el juego intelectual por excelencia, y la victoria depende tanto de la suerte como de la pericia del jugador, el póquer nos enseña algunas cosas. Por ejemplo, a valorar al adversario y saber explotar sus debilidades. Sin piedad. O que quien gana al final no es quien confunde la audacia con la temeridad, sino aquel cuya ambición es tan fuerte como para vencer el tedio y la angustia de tirar mano tras mano de malas cartas. Y cuando llega la buena mano, con sangre fría y semblante impenetrable, dar el golpe maestro.

1 Comments:

Blogger Feingeschliffen said...

On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
'Til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, "Son, I've made my life out of readin' people's faces,
And knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
so if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

now Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

so when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

9:20 p. m.  

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