The Elbert County tribune., 1911-09-22

Ihe man WHO sits INTO game "
poker in strange region without nrst
understanding the rules Of the game
u liable TO get into trouble. says an
old Californian. For there's lot Of
different kinds of poker played In this
country; and the worst Of 1t is that
the man who plays the kind of game
he was raised on in his own section
Of the country IL always blind to the
beauties OF the entirely different game
that he drifts into when he gets away
from his own neck o. the woods.
once saw game Of poker that re-
suited pretty seriously for two play
ers on account Of the lack OF under
standing betwewen them before the
game started as to Just what the
hands were worth. II was in Vallejo,
back in SO. and Vallejo was then .
red-hot town. was in Ned Car
baugh's big Vallejo faro mill on Sun
day afternoon-for the game was a.
wide-open on Sundays as on any other
day-trying to pump little sense
into the head of fool friend of mine
who had dubbed away nearly every
dollar he had In the world at VAL
le5o's brace games. when one OF the
lookouts. who knew OF the interest
l took In watching good game Of
poker. although never played the
game except with friends. came over
to where l was standing and said:
"Iou's got a good game Of two-hand-
ed draw on with man upstairs; go
up and take It In" He referred to
n Cnrhx ~ -
hottest poker player in tho state OF
California-he went out to the bark
of several Arizona shotguns about is
years ago. When went upstairs to
the poker room Corby was sitting in
his shirt sleeves opposite a solid
looking man OF 10 or thereabouts,
dressed In the uniform Of a steam
ship ofncer. He was the chief eh-
gineer ON one Of the big PenAma boats.
and having been transferred some
time before from the east to the west
coast. he was ignorant Of the Call
fornia brand OF poker. There was a
big jack pot In the center Of the table
when I went upstairs to look on at
the game. 1t had been sweetened half
a dozen times and already contained
something close to $1,000 in double
eagles, but neither man seemed 70 be
able to catch openers. It went around
a number of times, and every time
It passed each man sugared It for $50.
The chief engineer dealt . hand. Corby
was one Of those frapps chaps who
pick up their cards one By ono. and
when he had picked up his drst two
cards he calmly jolted $500 into the
pot. remarking: IT'S open." before
looking at the other cards.
"This fistfull OF mines worth $500
more" said the chief engineer. who
was q pretty self-contained chap him
self. showing the yellow stun into the
pot.
Then you want to play It for
keeps" said Corby. standing for the
raise. and discarding two of his cards.
The. chief engineer stood pat, closed
up his hand like a fan and laid It face
down on the table before him.
do your blunng," said he to Corby.
We'll, say $1,000 WORTH" said Cor
by. looking up at the ceiling.
Thousand more'n you." said the
engineer.
And another" murmured Corby.
Now, had been standing behind
Corby when he drew his cards, and
when saw him catch pair of mines
to his three kings figured that Il
was all over. especially a. the other
fellow had been nipped in two OF
three standing pat bluffs before. But
the way the sailor man kept hitting
back at Corby finally got me to guess
Ing. and by the time that he had
scooped out nearly all Of the coin
from his sack I had almost began to
believe that he had caught pat fours
When the 81 1000 raises had gone back
and forth several times, and there was
nearly $1,000 in the pot. the chief en-
gineer. cool as q mountain trout In
. shady hole. emptied out his sack and
found ont that he had little more
than $1,000 left. He showed the
money to the center.
Call you." he said.