Poker News

George Epstein

The other night, while seated at a hold’em table at the Bicycle Casino, an attractive older woman tapped me on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you?” she asked, with a big smile. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. (Beautiful women don’t tap me on the shoulder very often.) Lynne had a copy of my recent column in Poker Player in her hand, but she really wanted to ask me about the cards used in playing poker. It seems that the design of the cards has been essentially unchanged since invented by the French some 300 years ago. I don’t know the authenticity of that data; but I certainly agree that we need a change in the design of the cards that are so essential in playing poker.

Isn’t it time for a paradigm shift? : Poker is now big business; there is even talk of making it an Olympic event. Religious and charitable groups hold tournaments to raise funds. It has been accepted as a viable form of business and entertainment throughout the world. Poker has come a long way - a very long way - since it was played in back rooms and even scorned by many people. It is now respectable and accepted in all walks of life. Both young and old play the game in all sorts of venues.

Being a senior citizen, Lynne recognized the need for improvement in the design of our playing cards. I agree with her. In fact, my first book (The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners!) discusses the importance of table seating so that you can better observe the cards in play. As we age, our visual acuity usually diminishes. Being seated in seats No. 4 or 5 helps in this regard. And, for my poker classes at the Claude Pepper Sr. Citizens Center, I use special cards with larger figures that are easier to read. (One of my students bought two decks for her pinochle group.)

Lynne also noted another problem with the cards: It is sometimes hard to discern a club from a spade since they are both black; and a heart from a diamond since they are both red. She has actually designed a deck of cards with four different - and very attractive — colors so that the suits are readily distinguishable from one another. And it has other features too.

A Coincidence?: After our discussion, I returned to my hold’em table; then it happened. . I was seated at the far end of the table and was dealt A-9 diamonds; I called the blind from a late position in a multiway pot, hoping to make a flush. The flop brought two more diamonds - or so I thought. I played the hand on that basis the rest of the way; and, on the river, another diamond fell. Wow! I thought, I had a big diamond flush. There were no pairs on the board so a full-house was not possible. I raised the bettor, believing I had the nuts. He hesitated but called. I showed my hand, declaring “flush!” As he revealed his two-pair, he shouted, “no flush!” The dealer repeated, “no flush!” I had misread the board cards, thinking there were three diamonds, but one of them was a heart. That error cost me. . . Sure, I have resolved to be more careful in the future; but, just think, if the cards were more easily read, it would make the game more equitable for all of us, young and old alike. Progress should lead to improvement: So we are using cards designed hundreds of years ago. Would you be satisfied flying across the country in the old DC3 aircraft? It set a record in 1936 when it flew across the country in 13 hours. How about driving a Model-T Ford from Los Angeles to Las Vegas? What about our medical care, our TV sets, computers, cell phones, etc.? Change is part of progress. Change is desirable when it improves on performance or utility.

Perhaps it is long past the time when there ought to be a change in the design of our poker-playing cards. So, I have a question for all poker players: What do you think Lynne should do with her new deck design? You can reach Lynne at BookLuvver@hotmail.com.

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