I recently e-mailed  some friends in Cincinnati to say I’d be visiting soon and that we should play poker. Years ago we would play every Sunday night. It’s hard to imagine now that we had the time for a weekly game. But we played regularly for at least a couple of years.

( Above are the poker chips used by Harry Truman while he was President.) 

Now, ten years after I left Cincinnati, the game is played once or twice a year when I’m in town.

We played our weekly game before poker became a big deal on ESPN. I’m 99% certain none of our regular players could name a big time pro poker star.

Bets larger than a few dollars were frowned upon. Rude behavior at the table was not allowed. And women were always allowed to play. I promise that the words “Texas hold’em” were never used. I can’t imagine the word Texas itself was ever used except to make fun of the place.

I miss our weekly poker games. I hope we are able to get one together soon.     

Here is a history of poker.