Sunday, May 17, 2009

A poker term that has nothing to do with poker, really

It's Helldorado Days in Las Vegas. Lots of bustling activity downtown. Friday night as I was walking on Fremont, I noticed a sign that said "Poker Run Stop." It was not on a casino. I couldn't figure out what it meant. There was a sketch of a motorcycle on the sign.

I thought I should find out, though, because if the bikers were having some sort of open poker event, it might be a good opportunity to take some of their mobneys without having to worry much about getting beat up over it.

OK, I'm naive about many things in this world. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I had never in my life heard the term "poker run." But now I know what it is, and now I understand that it has essentially nothing to do with poker, and that it is not any sort of occasion for me to make money from the motorcycle gangs.

From the Wikipedia entry:

A Poker run (also known as a Poker Derby), is an organized event using a
motorcycle, boat, car or other form of transportation where participants travel
over a predesignated route and, at designated stops on the route, draw playing
card(s). The object is to have the best poker
hand
at the end of the run. Prizes (usually cash prizes) are awarded for the
best hand; some runs will award smaller awards for lower hands. Poker runs
usually require a fee to enter; part of the fee goes to funding the event
(including the prizes), while the rest goes to the event's cause (usually a
charity of some sort).

So in case any readers were similarly ignorant, now you won't have to wonder the way I did.

1 comment:

Minton said...

poker runs are usually for a charity or to raise money for someone's medical bills. They are usually ran between bars, and the only think that makes it a poker run is the fact that you get a card at each spot. They are usually just an excuse to visit a bunch of bars and make some money for charity