Rounders gets an A from a professional

     JCT: I finally got to see Rounders, the recent Poker movie. As 
I'm celebrating my 25th anniversary as a professional gambler later 
this month, the first 2 and last 10 at Poker, Blackjack and casinos in 
between, I can attest that it offered an eminently fair portrayal of 
the life of my life as a pro. 
     The hands were realistic. He blows his initial bankroll with
second best full house only with odds against best hand of 360:1. He 
eventually comes back to win big with a 75:1 flopped straight. It was 
a wonderfully played and very believable hand. And best of all but the 
bad guy at the table, the Russian mobster who'd kill you as soon as 
look at you, blew his cool but ended up being the perfect gentleman 
that any true sportsman would be. Some might rip you off in 
innumerable ways but paying an honest win is most often treated as a 
matter of honor.
     I found that his always-in-trouble friend was an extreme 
caricature of some of the characters I've met over the years in the 
gambling profession and the breakup with the non-gambling university 
girl-friend was also something that happened to me. Paths can part so 
quickly. 
     I too had to turn professional gambler than professional
engineer. It was a challenged that would be fun to take. I've enjoyed
it immensely though I hadn't realized it would be only 5 years of fun
and games in Vegas until I was called to the a project in banking 
systems engineering that needed my attention, a sacrifice of time I 
always consider myself having been privileged to make at this 
particular point in time.
     But even if he doesn't beat Johnny Chan again, I hope he keeps 
beating that $10-$20 game in Vegas like he always used to. 

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