Announcing the Gold Coast's New "Bad Beat" Jackpot.

Monsters are tragic beings. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy. -Ishiro Honda, Creator of Godzilla

[This is a work of poker fiction set ten thousand hands in the future. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.]

Since 1954 Godzilla has rampaged through the film world, watched by millions.

Since 2004 Cardzilla has rampaged through the poker world, watching millions.

A pot-limit Omaha/8 player wrote a question to another publication that was answered by the very knowledgeable author and player Bob Ciaffone. The question dealt primarily with, "I don't know how to play unsuited aces without good low cards or face cards (like A-A-9-9 or A-A-7-J)." While I agree with most of what Mr. Ciaffone wrote, I take exception with two of his statements.

Poker is a selfish and lonely pursuit, and played in Las Vegas, a city swamped in moral decay, there's the potential for disaster in the quest for wealth and indulgent pleasures. Sin City corrupts people and leads them down a path of self-destruction. The end result? Their intoxicating hopes and unattainable dreams are annihilated and burned to a crisp in a valley of ashes.

I'm normally very level-headed when it comes to poker. I recognize that my profit in the game comes from the difference between my skill level and the average level of skill of my opponents. I seek out games where I am better than my opponents. It's all very logical. I play for money-period.

Well, not quite. I make at least one exception to that rule. Once a year, at least, I play in a tournament that is, quite honestly, probably over my head. I play in the World Series of Poker. I play for glory.

About two months ago I wrote an article titled Getting Up, where I focused on why players should leave games. Something happened today that reinforced my views on the subject.

The Power Poker Seminars, at the Rio, presented by Mike Caro and Doyle Brunson concluded their sixth and last seminar on June 28th. It was a grand finale with ESPN in attendance, filming. The topic was "50 Best-Tip Countdown."

Unique to live cash games, a straddle bet is an additional and voluntary pre-flop blind raise. In effect, a third blind. Before any cards are dealt, the under-the-gun player can announce "straddle" and put out chips amounting to twice the big blind. In some locations, a Mississippi straddle is allowed from any location at the table. With the straddle, betting limits double for the first round only, and the straddler will always act last before the flop.

Hobby said on my voicemail was, "Come to Lazybuns about two o'clock. There's someone I want you to meet." When I walked into the salon I was surprised to see a well-dressed woman, maybe in her mid-thirties. She looked like she had come for afternoon tea.

"Joe, meet Aubrey Ames. She's chairlady of the West Los Angeles Republican Women's Club. She wants us to organize a poker party fund raiser." Oh crap, I thought. "I said we would." Oh double-crap, I'll kill him. "It's six weeks off; it'll be at the Beverly-Hilton."

As in the 1939 Jimmy Stewart movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but without the madcap comedy and foreign intrigue, I had the opportunity to visit Washington, DC as a player representative for the Poker Players Alliance. In conjunction with National Poker Week, PPA state directors (http://theppa.org/), lobbyists, and many professional players called on more than 100 members of Congress to plead our case for the overturn of the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006).