It was ’74, maybe ’75. I was out in Vegas, supposedly for a bowling tournament, but I spent more time at the poker tables than on the lanes. Vegas back then wasn’t like it is now. It was grittier, and the gamblers were serious.
I found myself in this high-stakes game at The Dunes. This wasn’t some casual Friday night home game. This was for real money. And sitting across from me was this fella—tall, quiet, with a beard starting to go gray. He wasn’t a “celebrity” yet, just a serious player from Texas who everyone respected. We’ll call him “The Gambler.”
The game had been going for six, maybe seven hours. I was exhausted. My beer was warm, and my chips were low. I was staring at a hand that was garbage—a 2 and a 7 off-suit. Pure trash. The Gambler was sitting on a monster stack. He looked up at me, real slow, and I knew he was trying to figure out if I was just going to fold or if I was desperate enough to bluff. I was too tired to bluff. I was just done.
I tossed my cards into the muck and looked him right in the eye. I didn’t even think about what I was saying; I just wanted the hand to be over.
I said, “You got to know when to hold ’em, and know when to fold ’em.”
He just stared at me. For a real long time. Then he nodded, pushed a decent-sized stack of chips my way, and ordered us both a fresh drink. He didn’t even play the next hand. He just sat there, thinking.
I left the table an hour later, up a few hundred bucks and completely beat. I didn’t think about it again until a couple of years later when I heard that song on the radio. I suppose it means I should’ve gotten a songwriter credit.
Anyway, that fella knew the real secret. It’s not about getting lucky. It’s about knowing when the cards are junk and having the patience to wait for the real hand. If you’re playing every garbage hand, you aren’t a gambler; you’re just a donor.
So when you show up for our first Thursday night Texas Hold’em tournament with Smoke’s Aces Poker on April 2nd, remember the lesson. Don’t get desperate.
Bob’s Back Room Texas Hold’em. Thursday Nights.
Sign-in: 6:30 PM. Shuffle Up: 7:15 PM.
Come ready to know when to hold ‘em. Or don’t. It’s up to you. I’ll be here at the bar, keeping the beers cold.
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