Poker Pals

Route 66 is a lovely American highway. it spans the United States from Chicago to Los Angeles. And even though portions of this great American road no longer exist, it remains a symbol of U.S. independence and freedom.

A while back, I published an article on Route 66. I titled it 'America's Blue Sweetheart Highway' and was published in 'American Legion Magazine.'

There are many casinos along or within driving distance of Route 66. St. Louis has a couple of great gaming spots near the famous arch. I have played at the Presidents Casino which sat on a riverboat. Although the Presidents no longer exists, the Luminary does. It sits within a stone's throw of the arch and has a full service gambling casino including poker room and lodging for the guests.

I think it would be a great idea to take a poker pal on a week or a month's tour along Route 66, stopping to play poker along the way.

Your poker pal could be someone of the same or opposite sex. This is more about poker than relationships, although I am sure the two can work together.

I have personally played poker at Downstream Casino in Quapaw, OK. The casino sits just 10 miles west of Joplin, MO. and lies along the Route 66 line.

Albuquerque, N.M. is another favorite poker city for me. I have played poker at Sandia and in some of the other smaller casinos in the Albuquerque area. The games are fun, you can latch onto cock fights or peyote seances if you talk to the right people, and the nights come alive.

Phoenix is my old stomping grounds. While working as a reporter for the Phoenix Gazette, I spent many happy nights battling poker sharks at Ft. McDowell, Wild Horse Pass and Talking Stick Casino near Scottsdale. It was there that I met basketball great Connie Hawkins. Connie, nicknamed 'The Hawk,' was a center for the Phoenix Suns professional basketball team.

At the $4-8 Omaha High-Low table where we played, i referred to him as 'the gentle giant.' Connie was a huge man with big hands, but he was the most gentle giant I had ever met. He rarely raised a pot and was content to simply call with the winning 'nut' hands.

I have many friends at the Wild Horse Pass Casino near Chandler, AZ. The card room has a daily tournament with a $50 buy-in that drives me crazy. I have played it so many times and have won it only once. It's enough to drive a tournament player up the wall.

Poker Pals really does seem like a good idea. If any of our website members would like to hook up with another poker pal, just write to me. My personal gmail address is glawrenzi@gmail.com. Let me know if you wish to hook up with someone of the opposite sex or the same sex for a possible poker journey across America.

This message goes out to all my readers, but I extend a special welcome to jade, jen, oopaloo and the others who have delighted me with your emails. Good luck to all of you. Let the games begin.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).