Straight Shooting on Superstition

Howdy Pardners! It's confession time. I have a "lucky hand" that I love to play out of the pocket no matter the situation. When I see A-8 in the pocket, my common sense (or Poker Sense) goes right out the barn door. There is just something I love about hitting the Dead Man's hand (see how the whole cowboy theme ties in here).

I would be a bit embarrassed by this if it weren't for the similar confessions I've heard from other players after a few beers and poker stories. Feeling bad about the insane need to play A-8 when they appear in my hand is rather silly compared to a friend who is obsessed with playing 10-4. And the guy is not even a trucker! Go figure!

Rather than hide my superstitious shame, I've come to embrace it as part of the overall Hold'em experience. Poker and superstition is not limited to just my "lucky" pocket cards. I've played in many a game with guys who had their special card cover or lucky hat. Players that will only touch their dealt cards with their left hand or have to tap the cards a certain number of times in order to "awaken the mighty Poker Gods into action". I've played with well respected professional-level players who are but a few idiosyncrasies away from the blue-haired Bingo Hall patron with her elite guard of "lucky" Troll Dolls and special colored card marker.

Now before I get bombarded with angry emails about comparing Bingo to Hold'em, let me point out that there is a pretty important difference between the two. Bingo is a passive game that requires no special skills and is a well known gateway drug to hard core use of Black Tar Heroin. The thing that the Troll Doll Bingo Gal and Lucky Hat Poker Player share is the FUN they bring to their respective games.

The best poker players in the world will tell you that Hold'em is a game full of boringly long periods punctuated by moments of edge-of-your-seat excitement. Now, just try to imagine what the game would be like without those players and their quirky habits and voodoo ceremonies. Without that fun flavor added to the poker experience, Hold'em would be little more than a calculatory project for Statistics students.

Join me in embracing your own quirks and superstitions associated with the game of Poker. Despite what the books may say, it's okay to have your lucky hand, wear your lucky hat and be a little goofy every now and then. Remember that the person who won't let in a few drops of insanity now and then is doomed to be engulfed by a tidal wave of craziness in the end.

Coach Travis