Facebook's Poker Palace is a Fun Game

I've always enjoyed playing card games. Growing up, my parents would visit their friends and play cards, so even very young, I knew it was a fun activity. Sometimes they would play Dominos, but not as often because everyone would start fussing at my mother. It always took her too long to figure out her best plan of action. In fact, everyone would play, and she would take as long as everyone else combined. Cards usually promoted a more pleasant environment.

My parents didn't play anything as sophisticated as Bridge. They would play Gin Rummy or Spades or some other variation of cards. In fact, my mother taught me to play Rummy as soon as I was old enough to count.

After I joined the Facebook population, I went through a few of the games listed and learned what city I should live in and what song apparently described me best (something involving a witch and a swamp), but I soon discovered that most of the quizzes and games weren't for me. That is until I found Poker Palace. Now, we're talking.

I assume like the majority of people in western hemisphere, I've seen the people playing Texas Hold 'Em poker on television. It's an exciting game of not just playing your hand, but also watching the other players and trying to figure out who can outmaneuver each other. Since there's no way under the sun I'm going to risk real money doing something like this, I thought hey, here's a great opportunity to learn the game.

When you go to the Poker Palace, you're given a certain amount of play money to begin. Then the Great and Powerful Oz of the Poker Palace sets you down at a table in your price range. In the beginning, that's more than likely a $10/20 table. It took me a few minutes to figure out the buttons concerning checking, betting and folding, but after a few mistakes costing me some of my money, I wised up pretty quickly.

And like with everything else concerning Facebook, there are these poker players who want to be your "friend" but in this case they're called "poker pals." It's really not too big a deal because when you accept their pal-ship, you receive some chips every time they come on line to play, and they can send you chips to add to the mass of chips you're going to win. A win-win situation, right?

Okay, I'm looking at a King and Ten of Hearts. Not a bad hand really. Good possibility of a flush or a straight, so I call. Wait a minute. The guy to my left is betting $100. He hasn't even seen the flop, or the first three cards yet. Back to me again, okay. I figure I've still got a pretty good hand all things considered. I call. Dealer shows the first three cards, the Jack of Hearts, the Two of Hearts, and a Six of Spades. Hey, look there, I have four Hearts. Flush, here I come. After all, there's still two more cards to go, and I've got four Hearts.

Look out, this guy over to my left is again betting, but this time he's upped his bet to $350. Wait a minute and let me calculate. That's over half my play money. He's probably just got a Jack or something. Even if he's got two Hearts, I've got a king.

Next card shown on the table is called the turn. It's a Six of Diamonds. Oh, I wish that had been a Heart. Everybody in front of me checks, so maybe old lefty over there will, too. No such luck. He's going "all in." All in! That'll take all my money, and I've only got four Hearts and a lousy pair of Sixes. Oh, well, if I lose it, they'll give me some more play money tomorrow.

I click the button, and the last card, or river card as they call it, is dealt. Great Scott, it's the Ace of Hearts. Take that, lefty! Ooh, I'm raking in the money now. What a rush! I've doubled my play money.

Confidence building now, on my next hand I start betting a little more. Oops, lost that hand. Oops, lost the next hand. Next thing I know, I'm busted for the day. Even though it's just play money, I feel disappointed. All my play money has disappeared into the hands of those poker strangers. I guess it's just like ole Kenny said in the song, you just got to know when to fold them. And in my case, know when to run.