Pocket Rocket Bebop

Holy Nut Flush! Recently I have become infatuated, virtually indoctrinated into the world of poker, from Texas Hold 'Em to Lowball, from the classic cowboy demeanor of Doyle Brunson to the slick-wrist twists of Chris "Jesus" Ferguson to the holographic evil eye poise of Raymer the Fossilman.



I have always enjoyed poker, but never really took deep heart into the game until I saw the 2003 World Series of Poker on ESPN with my dad. The hea was on; Dan Harrington had just been eliminated from third place in the Main Event, with Sammy Farha and Chris Moneymaker going heads-up in what would become the most memorable match-up in WSOP history. After a half-hour of tug-and-war with their hands, Moneymaker was about to pull off a one-two knockout punch.

The first punch would become what is now known famously as "the bluff of the century". Moneymaker was dealt 4-7, both spades, while Sam Farha got a K-9. The flop comes 2-9-6, with the 6 being a spade. Moneymaker had nothing while Farha had the top pair. Farha betted and Moneymaker called. Then the turn was the 8 of spades. That gave Moneymaker a flush draw and an open ended straight draw. Farha betted and Moneymaker made a huge raise, which Farha called. Finally, the river was a harmless 3 of hearts. Moneymaker had nothing, and Farha checked. Knowing Moneymaker had nothing, he realized the only way he could beat Farha was to attempt to bluff him. So he went all-in, knowing he could not win the hand and putting his entire fate on the line. Sam Farha knew in his gut that Moneymaker was bluffing, even saying "Missed your flush, huh?", but in the end, Farha's head overruled his gut and it was that very moment that served as the dramatic turning point of the championship.



Then came the final knockout punch. Chris Moneymaker got a 5d, 4s, while Farha picked up a Jh, 10d. Farha raised $100,000 and Chris called. The flop came Js, 5s, 4c. Moneymaker earned a two-pair while Farha had only one-pair. Absolutely confident, Moneymaker check-raised $275,000, and Farha moved all-in. Moneymaker called. The turn brought only 8d, being of no help to either player, but then the river gave Moneymaker a 4 of hearts, which gave him the full house AND the WSOP championship! :)

I was fascinated by that final game, and ever since I have never missed a single episode of the World Series of Poker. I just find poker to not merely be a game; it is an excellent exercise to help you balance your left and right brainpower. It helps influence your decision-making skills, understand balance and when sometimes you’ve got to be rational, while other times you just have to be playful. And, most importantly, poker helps you learn a lot about people, for we all are unique, therefore we all play our hands differently as well. There’s personality behind every hand, and you’d be surprised how many times I successfully identified ones astrological sign by how they play their cards! (giggles) They’re really not that difficult to figure out! ;)

No more than two months ago, I finally started getting into the on-line poker scene, in which I have become instantly victorious, up over $17,000 in play chips since starting. (and that is NOT no-linit!) I have no intention to become a professional gambler, as I have always believed that gambling too much money, especially if you’re raising a family, is selfish, for your family and kids should ALWAYS come first and to risk it all with the strong possibility always there you can lose it all, like with someone’s flush beating your straight or someone’s straight flush beating your four of a kind, has just always upsetted me. I believe it is OK to gamble small increments of money every once in a while, and I will gamble a tiny bit of real money soon, but I really want to appreciate poker for the love of the game, and not get twisted up in the avarice like a pile of nappy blankets over you on a cold winter day in Duluth, Minnesota and scream in that you just can’t deal with that kind of claustrophobia! (giggles) Nope, I’m just a gypsy who loves his game! :)



My dream heads-up match would have to be either against Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Erik Seidel (I love his sense of humor yet relaxed aggressive demeanor at the table), Antonio Esfandiari the Poker Magician, or, if it is possible, Faye Valentine, the Lady Luck in tight yellow hotpants of “Cowboy Bebop”! :)



I have a bigger crush on Faye Valentine than any other animated female character! :) She was actually born 80 years before when she makes her first appearance on “Cowboy Bebop”, at 23 years of age, after being crygenically frozen for that long following a shuttle crash. Then, when the company that restored her asked for a fee in return, she ran away and has since been living her life trying to pay off the massive debt in a series of adventures through time and space. I just find her a very inspiring, sexy heroine who, despite being thrown in a situation she never wanted to be incarcerated in, handles herself so very well, and that’s a sexy attitude to have in life.





Her birthday is on August 14, which makes her a Leo, who I’ve always found Leos to be magnetic personality types. She has type B blood (in Japan there is a common superstition that ones blood type is an indicator of a person's personality), which means she is a curious person and is interested in everything, is able to manage her many interests or loved ones are the ones that are really important, the ones they should hold on to, and has the image of being bright and cheerful, full of energy and enthusiasm, but some people think she is really quite different on the inside, explaining why she often on her own, gambling and stealing money to get by. We all need to get by, and I’d sure love to draw dead for her if I could to help her complete her quest to pay the debt completely! :)



Hey, we’re reaching the end of this post, so if you don't know who the sucker at the table is by now…….it’s me! Ohhhhhh mercy, I’ve been livin’ on the river too much, haven’t I? Easy come, easy go.

Love,
Noah Eaton
(Mistletoe Angel)
(Emmanuel Endorphin)