The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-06
"COWBOY POKER"
An English Dissertation on the Great
American Game.

| An EuSnsn DbsorthtlOu on tne Groh
American Game.
1t was with the greatest grief anC
sorrow and pain that one read in the
st. James Gazette of last Saturday ar
article on the "game of poker" calcu'
lated to do an immeasurable amount Of
harm to those in England who have
turned their attention and given theil
days and nights to the study of the
great American game. From begin
ging to end the article in the st James
Gazette was unsound and rank with
heresy against the canons of the true
game. 1t purports to be based on the
writer's experience of play in the far
west and among the cowboys of Texas.
We have no desire to say anything
against the cowboys of Texas, and it
may be that their views upon this mo-
mentous question are properly repre-
sented in the article which we have
taken as our text; but if so, the cowboys
of Texas are addicted to the degrading
vice of playing deboshed perversion
of noble game. The very first asser-
ton of the writer in the st. James
0dLOblC ouOWS UAO CnOh Dlitl VI
their conduct; it is to the effect
that "the game of poker is
played with pack of fifty-three cards."
the fifty-third card being called the
'joker." Now we do not mean to
deny for moment that the cowboy of
Texas plays game which he calls
poker with pack of fifty three cards;
very likely he does; the cowboy of
Texas will do anything. But we do
deny, with whatsoever strength may in
us lie, that the classical and scientific
game of poker is ever played with
more than fifty-two cards. 1t may be
that in some of the upper hills Of the
Alps the Swiss herdsuen indulge in
game which is called whist, and they
use in this a regular tarok pack Of
seventy-two cards, but he would be
wicked person who would dare to re-
fer to their example as one to be fol-
lowed by the whist players of England.
1t is true that American manufacturers
of playing cards are wont to include a
blank card at the top of the pack; and
it is, alas, true also that some thrifty
person suggested that the card should
not be wasted. This was the origin of
the "joker," which has led astray many
players of euchre and poker. And to
a thoughtful mind no further argument |
is needed beyond the existence of the
''joker" to prove the doctrine of the |
total depravity of man. Only a totally
depraved man could ever have sug-
gested the use of the 'joker,"
Throughout the article in the st. |
To,,,oo Go1otfa tb,c borocou r,tr,c opd |
the whole article is vitiated by it. We
note, also, other errors and blunders,
in the treatment of that i'm
oortant subject, the "limit." The
article may be recommended for study
% those about to play poker with the
cowboys of Texas-and to no others.
To those who may chance to play it
With Americans more learned in the
aw, the article in the St. James Gazette
IAN only do harm py uLsettling their
ath. Unfortunately the laws of poker
lave not yet been codified with the GER
aiuty and the skill revealed in the codi-
ication of the laws of whist. AS yet,
,oker may be said to be governed by
he common law as modified by local
ustom and usage. More than one i'm
'ortant point remains undecided, de-
pite the obiter dicta of self constituted
Judges. The supremacy of the
straight flush" has slowly got itself
at last. But a legiti-
nate doubt exists as to whether
beat "threes" or not, we I
re inclined to believe they do, and in
be proposed code drawn iup by the ,
American once resident {
t the court of St. James the same po- {
tion is taken. There are those, how !
YER, who do not recognize "straight" |
all, and there are others who ac I
spt the Mississippi obtrusion of
blazes." 1t is to be hoped that these S
ital questions may soon be settled au j
loritively, for the game of poker, in i
bite of what the beginners may think, '
aves less to chance than to any other C
anne into which chance enters at all. +
/ other words, there is no other game c
which skill counts so high as in a
oker. And it is skill of an elevated b
der, since it is exercised chiefly in the t
udy of other players. If the proper v
udy of mankind is man, then poker Il
lght 10 flourish, for no where else n
ay man be studied to such advantage.
his is indeed the prime merit of poker, u
at it calls for the highest exercise of q
g human intellect, the study and 4
lowledge of ones fellow man. In no =
her game is the personal equation so o
lpOrtant. q