The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-09
IA BIRTHDAY HUNCH.H
nterestina Story of Poker Played TRANSPORT

A party of congressman. after
bountiful dinner. were enjoying their
post-prandial cigars and swapping po-
ker yarns. All kinds of stories were in
order, and some Of the experiences were
hearsay, but majority were of per-
sonal nature Charms. lucky pieces
superstitions of gamblers and every de-
vice utilized 10 tempt the tickle god
dess of fortune occupied conspicuous
positions N the 1arrat.ves; but 1t was
reserved for o"e of the younger mem
bers of the pa.,Y 10 spring new tails
man
did any of VAN ever have birthday
hunch?" he quer.ed. while coming
over your cards to see what your hand
was Worth?"
There was a chorus of negatives. ana
the request followed to know what a
birthday bunch was.
THE best explanation l can give" re-
piled the author of the new term in po-
ker, will be to relate an actual occur
renee in which 1 was an active partlci-
pant
1T was a balmy. pleasant afternoon
when party OF five gathered on the
deck of a transport lying at anchor In
the harbor of Ponce, Porto Rico. our
captain, a jovial Englishman. and as
good a sailor as ever trod the quarter
deck proposed, in order to while away
the time. that we indulge in the Amer1-
can game of poker There was a ready
assent, and five of US were soon i'm
mersed In studying our hands and try
ing TO relieve the other of few dol
lars. We played along pretty evenly,
and luck was fairly distributed for up
ward of an hour During this period
nothing larger than three of kind had
been held, and two pairs generally suf-
feed to win the not We were playing
25-cent ante and $3.50 limit. Everybody
was feeling good. and the chips were
rafting actively and merrily.
A Jackpot Started.
Finally a jackpot started. 1t went
around several times, each player
sWeetening 1t the amount Of the ante.
When the seventh turn came around
the man next to the dealer passed. Our
captain opened the pot for the limit.
The player next to him threw his cards
in the deck 1t was my turn, and in
thumbing my cards / found an inside
straight, flush, or straight flush, for
! had four spades-the six, eight, nine
ana ten or the suite. | stayed, ana
when it reached the dealer he raised
the limit, which had been started by the
captain. 1t was the turn of the player
next to the dealer, but he declined TAX
ing part and threw his hand into the
deck Being of bulldog tenacity, the
captain raised the dealer and again |
simply stayed with the captain, when
ii was up to the dealer again. He
raised, only to be raised again, and !
pursued my trailing tactics. This pro-
cess continued until there had been sew
en- raises and rera .ses before cards were
drawn. Finally the dealer followed
my suit ami did not raise the captain,
saying it was about time TO draw cards.
Captain took one card, I took one and
the dealer took one Then the fun be-
gan. 1t was an unlimited game, and If
a player did not have the chips In front
of him he was privileged to dig down in
his pockets as long as they would stand
the strain.
With a satisfied air the captain laid
his five cards face down on the table
and proceeded to bet the limit. eau
tiously peering at my one card, / found
the seven of spades. and it flashed over
me that it was my birthday, the 7th
of October. To my mind this accounted