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Archive for 'This Game Of Ours'
This Game of Ours, Conclusion
As I sit back and reflect on the last three and a half decades of my life I cannot help but to consider myself very fortunate indeed. From losing my first nickel at eight years old until today this game of ours has driven my every decision. In the real world of poker, people like [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Twelve
The realization of being viewed by my daughter as a paper pusher, creating nothing of value, was grim, to say the least. In one sense I was pleased as she proved to be a chip off of the old block. She got a read and stuck with it. Regardless of what I was to say [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Eleven
With a wife and a degree, all my life needed now was to fulfill my professional aspirations. As soon as I left the military, I had the vague notion I wanted to work in finance. As my four years studying came to an end, I narrowed my options down further and decided that Mergers and [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Ten
One of my favorite games to frequent at that time was a game back in the suburbs. It was held in a dining establishment after closing time and I had first played in it after I had moved out from Queens, at the age of 17. After my return from the military, it became my [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Nine
Unsurprisingly, living through events in Beirut did change my outlook somewhat. I wouldn’t say it was so much that my experiences in the Marines changed me as a person, more that I chose to change myself based on those experiences. It was a fully conscious and rather humbling thought process. On one hand of course, [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Eight
I had asked my buddy for a post which would get me out of the States as soon as possible and I certainly got my wish. After I finished basic training, I didn’t even get time to unpack my duffel bag. I was sent out to join my unit, who were on a field exercise [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Seven
Nothing in my poker career thus far could prepare me for my first experience of Vegas as it was in the early 80s. I felt like a Greek peasant villager must have felt when going to Athens for the first time. The sheer scale of a city entirely built on gambling and entirely run for [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Six
As the months gave way to years, I was earning a good living from the underground games in New York. I could turn in profitable sessions while losing enough pots here and there to maintain the longevity of the game. Even my mother, once so anti-poker, had come round to appreciating her son’s earning potential [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Five
My father was only 46 when he died. That’s young by anyone standards. He had been in great physical shape and blessed with immense mental tenacity, so his departure left a huge hole in our lives, most particularly my mother. She was numb. She was pretty much a walking zombie. It took her the best [...]
Full StoryThis Game of Ours, Chapter Four
I took my high school diploma and tried to make sense of what to do next. Mostly, I played a lot of poker. That kept the money coming in. My parents were understandably less than impressed with what had happened, so I basically tried to make sure we led separate lives. My father kept extremely [...]
Full Story