| Becoming The Queen of Hearts (or how Poker saved my marriage!) |
By Pippa Dique We were getting into a habit. Once a week we'd drop the kids off at school, head off to the local coffee and have a good moan about our non-existent social lives and husbands who appeared to be glued to the sofa every evening as soon as eight o' clock hit. But after a few weeks I'd had enough. I was determined to find something that would shake both of us up, but the difficulty was what? We've little spare cash, and having three children to baby-sit makes it complicated. Furthermore, my husband moaned that he didn't actually want to go out once he'd battled his way home. And then it hit me. Poker. I used it play it at secondary school, when my friends and I used to bunk off during games lessons. I'd always found it great fun and very sociable, although I must admit that those poker games were generally conducted through a fog of cigarette smoke and teenage innuendoes. We found a friend of my husband's who is a complete poker pro (I'm sure he'd prefer that label to a “poker nerd”) and he came over for an evening to teach us and a couple of other friends the rules. There are lots of online resources than can teach you these, but nothing beats having someone take you through the game first-hand. Will taught us a slightly different game to the one I'd played as a teenager. We now play Texas Hold ‘Em, which seems to be the flavour of the moment in the Poker world. It's not at all difficult to pick up. To put it into perspective: I taught my eleven and thirteen year old in an hour. The betting can get a little tricky, but by the second or third game you've got it nailed. We now hold a poker night at our house once a month. To make sure there’s no chance of losing the car (or your shirt), we all put a couple of pounds in the pot and the winner takes it all. It may not be a great deal, but it's the glory that counts…isn't it? Our Poker evenings are fantastic for us because a) we don't have to go anywhere and worry about a babysitter, b) they are incredibly social, and c) they don't revolve around alcohol. Some of us (yes, me!) may have a glass of wine, but that's generally all, as too much and you feel your game being affected. I’ve made lots of new poker friends, been invited to their games, and even taught some of my old friends how to play, so that we’ve had something different to do when we meet. We’ve even been playing with the in-laws – a great way to offset an otherwise TV orientated afternoon. I’ve also loved watching my own progress. When I began playing I relied on a hope and a prayer and did nothing but watch what cards fell into my lap. Now, I can look at the communal cards and work out what hands other people might have. Apparently, the next step is to learn the likelihood of what hands they’ve got. All I can say is bring it on! I’ve also learnt a great deal about my friends – who’s tight, who’s reckless and who has got the attention span of a gnat. So, has it really saved my marriage? Well, we still blob in front of the TV some nights so that may be a bit of an exaggeration. But what I will say is that should Daniel Craig come calling with an invitation to join him for Poker in Monte Carlo, I’ll be ready! |
| Posted: 11/10/2009 19:26:36 Last Updated: 16/09/2010 12:47:06 |
Chick Lit > Lifestyle :: Becoming The Queen of Hearts (or how Poker saved my marriage!)