37,260 : 133,784,560

I played poker last night with some buddies. We get together, $5 buy-in that lasts quite a while. None of us are in any position to play with much more and I never understood how playing with more money was supposed to be better or "more fun." I suppose there is that whole "win more" possibility, but there's that whole "lose more" part, too.

Late in the evening, I was trying to either win big, or lose big. I had about $4 of my original $5 at this point. In one hand, I get a pocket spade 3 and heart 5. Oh, why not? Sucky cards, but maybe I'll get lucky with the straight.

On the flop, the 2-3-4 of hearts all come up. Now I have 4/5 for a straight flush. I stil have to admit, the probability of the A or 6 in the next two cards sort of sucks. Why not? 50 cents!

Next card down is something not helpful. Still one card? Crappy odds, but it's going to cost you $1. One person stays in. I really have nothing else in my hand if one of those two cards I need or antoher to make a pair comes up, so thus far, I've bought the pot.

Last card... the A of hearts. All in! $2 and change. Dude wimped out, mostly because 4/5 of a straight was showing on the table. I don't blame him. Typically, I wouldn't show what I had if I won like that, but we're totally not professionals and the probablity of getting that hand again anytime soon is really freakin' low.

I was up a few bucks late in the evening and I had to drive a friend home who actually had to go to work today. First, I was trying to lose and not succeeding. Then the luck ran out and a few big hands sent me home with nothing. But I don't feel too badly about losing. 5+ hours of entertainment for $5? Hell that's cheaper and longer than the matinee these days.