Heaven's Gate & Beyond

Paul Murrell and Bill Grinstaff, both prior Air Force Medical Service Colonels, are positioned just inside the pearly gates of HPC (Heavens Personnel Center).  They are there to assist all 3,000 deity's (Earth's declared forms of God, Buddha, Allah and so on) with the placement of new arrivals. As part of their duties, they also periodically support placements on Mother Earth because there are simply too many humans wandering around without any form of guidance... aimlessly so to speak.

One day, they receive orders for two health care administrators in Izmir, Turkey, a hotspot of human wandering.  Paul says to Bill, "They need two medical turkeys in Turkey. I have checked with our earthly representative, Tom Campbell and he says he knows two birds of a feather who clearly fit the bill.  Bob Bunker and Don Palen have been 'winging it all their lives so they'll be perfect."

Bill responds, "By (3,000) Gods you're right Paul. I clearly recall when Bob tried to leverage New Jersey into one entire, huge Air Force Base medical complex. Plus, I remember when Don stepped into a heavy rainstorm and looked to the sky with his mouth open.  Poor guy almost drowned and joined us here. Gotta' love those two pesky turkeys."

Paul says, "Okay, we'll get'er done.  We'll drop the card and those two should receive their orders forthwith.  Folks in Izmir will never know what hit them.  Bob will teach half of them how to wrestle and Don will teach the other half how to hoard vinyl albums. The Turks will end up grappling on the mats while listening to a scratchy version of Lawrence Welk's Greatest Hits. The resulting quantum improvements in health care there will so impress the world that 'WrestleVinyl" will become the rage at concerts all over the world. Why, it'll be bigger than freakin' Woodstock."

And that folks, is the way it is today, February 5th, 2024. RIP Paul and Bill. 

The Doyle Brunson Hand

Second only to poker's Aces & Eights in notoriety, the Doyle Brunson (RIP) hand is widely known in Texas Hold'em circles.  Wild Bill Hickock's hand became famous as he was shot and killed while holding Aces & 8s in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876.  Doyle's is, hands down the second most legendary name in poker circles. 

The Doyle Brunson hand would become famous right at 100 years later in 1976 and 1977 respectively. The hand was a pocket ten and deuce and Doyle won the World Series of Poker with that very hand two years running.  In 1976, he won when the same hand filled to a full house after the remaining 5 cards were dealt.  In 1977, Doyle won when, from the pocket ten and deuce, he hit two pair to top his opponent's two pair.

Yesterday, on New Year's Eve, at Sacramento's finely hosted and appointed Stones Casino, I encountered those famous Doyle Brunson cards in two consecutive hands. (Note: this story isn't about playing poker well, it's about playing, that's all.)

The first time, I was in the big blind so I had a mandatory couple of thousand chips in the pot before any of the cards were dealt.  After the two-card "pockets" were dealt, the betting went around the table with a few callers but no raises.  As the last in the action, I looked down at Doyle's hand, a ten and two off suit.  I just called and the "flop", three cards were dealt face up on the table.  Among them, I was happy to see another ten and two, giving me two pair.  I checked mine, hoping someone would have caught something to make a bluff or bet, giving me a chance to trap. It checked around, no bets.  When the next card was dealt I saw no threat and checked again. One player then threw in 8 thousand in chips.  Everyone else folded.  I raised to around 20 thousand and, after pausing a while, my opponent folded. I showed my winning cards, which I rarely do, and happily announced the "Doyle Brunson" hand.

The very next hand, I was in the small blind, so I had a thousand chips in there before the cards were dealt.  I looked down and again, there was a ten and a deuce. It was another Brunson, back-to-back. A genuine rarity. AI considers the chances of this happening in the millions to one.  Betting commenced and there were a couple of calls then a large raise to around 12,000.  When the betting came to me, then 8th of 9 players at the table, I quickly announced "all in" with about 55,000 in chips. 

Just to be clear, my hand was a really bad hand to be playing at all.  Players quickly folded to the big raiser and, after a long couple of minutes of thinking, he folded. Up to that point in the tournament, I had not been playing loose at all and I'm sure he took that under consideration.  I again showed my hand with announced remembrance of Doyle Brunson.  It was a find moment in poker for me folks.  A fine moment.  Thanks for the inspiration Doyle and thanks for the entertainment Lady Luck.