Back in the Saddle by Johnny Hale | Carol, today we want to give a tip of the hat to one of our
poker friends!
It is with regret that we must report the passing of a great
poker player, John “Bono” Bonetti, a member in good standing of
“The Seniors” World Championship of Poker/Players Hall of Fame.
John was a fearless competitor at the poker table. Ill pass
along one quick story about playing with him at The Orleans Open a few years
ago.
One of Johns repeated expressions when he won a hand, and
even sometimes when the other player was dragging in the chips, was “Forget
about it!”
Most poker players that John played with will never be able to
“forget about it.” He was one of the most unforgettable poker players
I ever had the pleasure of playing with.
The event was a limit Omaha Hi/Lo Tournament, one of Johns
and my favorite types of poker! We were at the final table, the chips were in
the pot and the winner would be the champion.
I had the big flush and John flopped a set. I raised him all in
and John, quick as a wink, called me! I turned over the big flush and John
turned over the big set. He began to chant, “Board to pair, board to pair,
board to pair!
The turn card was a blank, but John continued that chant. The
board did pair on the river. John beat me one more time, but then turned and
said softly, “Johnny, forget about it.”
I have never forgotten about it!
To the fellows in the big game upstairs, save me a seat on Johns
left. And, dont ever let John go into a chant or you will have to
“forget about it.”
To the business at hand, we did play Oklahoma Holdem all week
at the Summer Poker Rodeo in Pendleton, Oregon at the Wildhorse Casino. The
Waddies up there liked the game and the head wrangler, Roland Waters, said he is
considering putting Oklahoma Holdem in the Fall Poker Roundup at Wildhorse in
November.
It is an exciting game and puts some fire and life back into the
old Texas HoldEm. Here is just one of the ways Okie Holdem can be played.
Like Texas Holdem, it follows the same blinds, antes,
bets, flops and the turn cards. The big change is that theres no river card.
Instead, its an Ocean card, an Oklahoma Johnny card or simply an Okie card!
If still in the pot when the old river card is turned up
as a fifth common card, you would receive the Okie or Johnny card as your third
personal card.
Players may arrange their three personal cards and the four
common in the best way possible to make a five-card poker hand. This puts some
gamble back into the game. A poker player may have three different blinds, four
of a kind, a full house or just about any hand. A lot of the time he is the only
one who holds that hand since there are very few split pots.
Try it and I bet youll like it!
I talked to the poker officials at the Orleans in Vegas about
sitting in the Oklahoma Holde0m game next week! Come on out. I will bring
some of my own chips and some money!
OK-J Tip of the Week
It has been said that love and laughter hold us together! I like
to say, “The family that plays poker together stays together!”