- The Record Archives
- Volume CXVIII, No. XIX - November 3, 2005 - opinion
Take advantage of fun opportunities at Canterbury
Staff writer
Texas Hold ‘Em has emerged on the social scene during the past couple of years with the airing of the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
The number of neighborhood poker games has risen significantly, and many people in the Midwest have headed to the Canterbury Park in Shakopee to try their luck at higher stakes Texas Hold ‘Em.
Take it from me, if you want to win at Canterbury, stop at the race track instead of the Texas Hold ‘Em tables.
My grandma was the woman responsible for teaching me how to play poker when I was 6 years old.
When I was 15, my best friend invited me to play cards with his relatives at his uncle's place.
Not a big deal, except for the fact that his uncle was in training to be a priest at the University of St. Thomas' seminary.
I accepted the invite, played for about two hours and left with $30.
To this day, Fr. Treacy continues to tell the story of how I was "dumb like a fox" on that fateful night in St. Thomas' seminary.
With my card shark background, I started an underground casino in my basement during the Texas Hold ‘Em craze two years ago.
My friends and I played all the time and developed a good grasp on the game.
Naturally, when we all turned 18 we went to Canterbury to play.
We sat down at the table with $2 and $4 blinds, the cheapest table, and played.
I lost $40 in 20 minutes and walked away.
All of my friends lost as well.
One reason why first timers lose money at Canterbury is because it differs from neighborhood card games.
It is almost impossible to bluff at the 2-4 table because it is cheap for the other players to call your bets and eventually see your cards.
Older adults who play against you aren't reluctant to throw money around because they can afford to lose it.
College kids such as myself cannot, which puts us at a distinct disadvantage.
Another reason why it is difficult to win is due to the amount of people playing at one table.
About 10 people are situated at one table.
Usually only one of the 10 is going to win the hand.
Unlike smaller neighborhood games, the winner typically has a great hand.
Winning at Canterbury requires extreme patience and discipline.
You have to fight your boredom and wait for really good starting cards to play in the game and win.
Even if you do everything right, there's still a chance that one of your opponents will get lucky and win the pot on the river card.
A better alternative to playing cards at Canterbury is betting on the live horse racing.
It is more affordable, exciting, and laid back than playing Texas Hold ‘Em.
On Thursday nights, admission to the track is only $2 while pop, nachos, and hot dogs are $1 each.
The minimum bet is $2 so even if you lose you won't lose nearly as much.
Dumb luck is the key to winning, and it is very possible to make a profit.
All of the different betting options are explained in the free programs.
I went to the track only twice this summer and made $500.
Whether you choose the chubby horse, the crazy one or the favorite, you are sure to be entertained and have a decent shot at winning some money.
This is the opinion of Peter Larson, a sophomore English major at SJU. Contact him at pjlarson@csbsju.edu.