Positively Puzzling Poker

Once a month, my friend Michael hosts a poker night at his home. He's a very gracious host and I always enjoy the good company (usually fellow theater guys) and great music (Michael always puts together excellent iTunes playlists for the events).

Interestingly, I've been attending these poker nights for — what is it? — two or three years now and yet, my game really hasn't gotten any better. Or to put it another way: I'm a downright lousy poker player. In fact, I'm pretty lousy at most games involving strategy. I've never been good at chess and despite having a B.A., M.A. (graduating as only one of two people in my class with a 4.0 G.P.A.), and a teaching credential in English, I'm even horrible at Scrabble. For the life of me, I can't figure out why this is. I don't have a reputation as being a particularly unintelligent person among friends and coworkers; but every time I play one of these games, I make Ashton Kutcher look like a genius in comparison.

At least the poker night guys don't complain. Then again, why should they? My frequent mistakes (throwing out cards when I don't need to, forgetting that I can only use two cards in my hand when it's that third card that would give me something worth betting on, etc.) ultimately benefits them.

Not that I really mind. I go for the good company and good music.

But still, why am I so bad at games? Do I have some sort of focus/concentration issue? Is there some weird gap in my brain that doesn't affect my academic/professional abilities, but which seriously inhibits my being able to win at strategy-based pursuits? Could it be my inclination to over-think everything? Could it be that I ask too many questions?