Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-11-15
ODD SUPERSTITIONS
OF SOME VETERAN DRAW.
POKER PLAYERS.

OF SOME VETERAN DRAW
POKER PLAYERS.
"Pop' Greene Says They Should Always Be
Resarded-He Relates Some Instances
Advises Players to Walk Three Times Around
Their Chairs When Luck Seems to Be Against
You.
Pop" Greene sat in one of the we'll
known cafes on upper Broadway talk
ing to a crowd of friends who had
been showing him the city. They had
stopped at the cafe to have ga small
bite and glass or two"
The conversation led up to poker
playing and all of those present at
tempted to speak at the same time.
Thompson gained the floor finally and
held it for half an hour relating Incl
dents OF a game he once helped play.
Then Matthews had his say and told
of what happened when he held three
kings and a pair OF queens.
"I thought did some good draw.
ing that night. l held pair of kings
when opened and I caught the
others. could hardly keep my face
straight when l saw what the hand
was and of course l saw every fellow
who came in and raised him q few
dollars. But sitting opposite me was
quiet, pale faced little fellow with
watery eyes who said never word,
but just raised back. Well, when it
seemed the chips would touch the
ceiling, 1 called him. l felt sure I'd
win, for there hadn't been a decent
hand all night. He had four aces,
that was ALL" Aud Thompson's face
heightened as he recalled the sad epi.
sode.
One or two of the boys made their
speeches and then "Pop" Greene, as
the eldest man present and as the best
poker player of his time, proceeded to
give them little fatherly advice.
"Well, Matthews. you deserved to
lose. You did not regard the super
stitions OF the game"
All present laughed heartily at this
remark, but Pop" took himself seri-
ously and made wry face at his lis
teneIs, whereupon the smiles disap-
peared from their faces.
Eyes, boys, I know you'll think Pm
fossil by this time, but there is more
in this superstition thing than you
would think"
Every one present became interested
Immediately, for "Pop" did not habit
ually make remarks unless he was
sure of what he was saying.
"Now," continued the elderly gen.
tleman, "Tll give you a few stories
about some OF my experiences and
those of others in games 1 have
played.
"Out in one OF the Western States
in 'S5 l got into one of the biggest
games you ever saw. 1t all happened
in peculiar way, too. was sitting
on the piazza of one of the hotels
when a carefully dressed gentleman
accosted me. Good evening, stran-
ger, he said, how would you like to
enter a small game to-nightT went
with him down the street to q club
where they had two negroes who did
nothing but wait on the poker players.
The negro at our table was named
Simon, but he proved hoodoo to an
other stranger who was in the game.
"On the third hand / opened for
$40. Everybody else trailed in, salts
fed with the opener, but when it
came to that watery-eyed little dick
ems, confound my buttons if he didn't
raise me $40. What do you think OF
that? Well, of course l had to stay.
"Then l drew-made split OF it,
you know. Ishould have known better
than that, too. The man on the right
Of the dealer should never split.
He'll make the draw once in thous-
and times. perhaps. Better lay down,
get out, or take to the alley.
"Of course, l missed. But /
thought I'd try that watery-eyed chap
out and see how he played. l lost $85
to him. He had a pat hand, which, l
learned afterward, consisted OF a pair
of aces and q pair of kings, and, by
hokey, he caught an ace on one card
draw. Luck! Well, should rather
think.
But evened matters up with him
in good shape. You see, every fourth
hand the waiter got rakeof. In our
game it was dollar for each player.
We were all satisfied except the
watery-eyed chap, who insisted that
the waiter no doubt had more money
in bank than some of the players.
That was all he said during the whole
game. Well, Simon got only 81. BY
the way, let me tell you that when
I'm in game I always drink the
same brand and smoke the same
brand of cigar. Don't ever change
'em, or you'll lose, sure.
"Simon was worried about the dol
lar he didn't get, so he went and stood
behind the pale faced chap and put
his foot on a round of the chair.
That was just before opened the pot
again. Well, opened for ten. every