Another thing that's never coming back

 For much of my adult life I have played poker.  I played in the poker rooms that played 5 card draw and lowball.  I played 7 card stud at the Oaks card room and in Reno. I have played hold-em in Reno, Las Vegas, and in a tournament on a cruise ship.  But the most fun (with one exception) I have had was the every other weekend game I had at my house.

It was a friendly game, nickle, dime, quarter, three raise limit, dealer's choice.  Most people bought in for twenty dollars.   We drank beer, smoked a little weed, and played from around 7 in the evening til midnight or thereabouts.  Nobody lost their rent money but that didn't mean we were not all serious about winning.  It wasn't about the money, it was about winning.

We played 5 card draw, lowball, seven card stud, hi-low split and some other variations that I can't remember.  Whatever the dealer called as the deal rotated around the table, that's what we played.  I moved twice, and the game moved with me.  As host I supplied the beer.  It was a small price to pay for the evening's entertainment.

Nobody plays those games anymore.  Texas Hold-em and poker have become synonymous.  I have enjoyed playing Hold-em, but it was never my favorite of all the different poker variations I have played. I don't begrudge those that was to play it I just wish there were choices.

 Oh, and the one exception was a hand I played in Reno.  It was 7 card stud.  I had 3 queens on the deal.  I wasn't first to act and I just called when it was mine turn to bet.  After that, with a queen up I was first to act.  I checked.  When another player bet I raised.  The following card, I checked again, and one player bet into me.  I raised again.  The other remaining players between me and the bettor had also checked.  They didn't need to be taught twice.

I check-raised all the way to the river and he bet into me every time.  I have won more (and lost plenty too) playing poker, but that had to be the most fun I ever had.  But that too, will never happen again, because nobody plays 7 card stud any more.