SONGS WITH CARD - PLAYING LYRICS

During the past 50 years, there have been several "Pop", Rock, and Country Sonfs which have had card - playing themes in their titles or lyrics. Most of us know -   "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, "Queen of Hearts" by Juice Newton,  or "Ace In The Hole" by George Strait.  And there are many others, too. My favorite card theme song is - "Deck of Cards" , which was originally sung by Tex Ritter (who is also famous for the theme from the movie "High Noon").  This song was written by "T. Texas Tyler", and is supposedly based on an actual experience by Mr. Tyler in World War II. The  lyrics are transcribed below.  I am sure you will enjoy the story.....

 Deck of Cards,  Copyright  1948,  Sung by Wink Martindale  (1959)

During the North African Campaign. a bunch of soldiers had been on a long hike, and they arrived in a little town callled Casino. The next morning, being Sunday, several of the guys went to church. A Sargent commanded the boys in church, and after the chaplain had read the prayer, the text was taken up next. Those of the soldiers who had a prayer books took them out, but, this one fellow had only a deck of cards,and so he spread them out.The Sargent saw the cards and said, "Soldier, put away those cards".
After the services were over, the soldier was taken prisoner,and brought before the Provost Marshall.The marshall said " Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?" For playing cards in church Sir.""And what have you to say for yourself Son?" "Much, Sir," replied the soldier. The marshall said, " I hope so, for if not, I shall punish you more than any manwas ever punished."The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on the march for about six days, I have neither Bible nor prayerbook, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions. And with that, the  man started his story.

"You see sir, when I look at the Ace,
it reminds me that there is but one God,
and the deuce, reminds me that the Bible is divided
into two parts, the Old and the New Testament.
When I see the trey, I think of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
And when I see the four, I think of the four Evangelists who preached
the Gospel There was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
And when I see the five, it reminds me of the five wise virgins
who trimmed their lamps, there were ten of them,
Five were wise and were saved, five were foolish,
and were shut out.
When I see the six, it reminds me that in six days,
God made this great Heaven and Earth.
When I see the seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day,
God rested from His great work.
And when I see the eight, I think of the eight rightous persons
God saved when he destroyed this Earth.
There was Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives.
And when I see the nine, I think of the lepers our Saviour cleansed,
and, nine out of the ten, didn't even thank Him.
When I see the ten, I think of the ten Commandments,
God handed down to Moses on a table of stone.
When I see the King, it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven,
God Almighty.
And when I see the Queen, I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Who is Queen of Heaven, and the Jack of Knaves is the Devil.
When I count the number of spots in a deck of cards,
I find 365, the number of days in a year.
There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year.
There are four suits, the number of weeks in a month.
There are twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year.
There are thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter.
So, you see Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible,
an Almanac, and a prayerbook.
And Friends, the story is true, I know,
I was that soldier. "

Do you believe this story?

Happy Holidays!

Christmas  Songs -  A Modern American Tradition

   Contemporary Christmas Songs became part of our culture when Bing Crosby recorded Irving Berlins' "White Christmas" in 1942. It was featured in the movie "Holiday Inn". This beloved song become so popular that it became the top selling record of all time (until the age of the internet established itself in the mid 1990's.) Radio stations play this classic  during the Holiday season.  As a matter fact the original master recordings of "White Christmas" were worn out due to overuse! Bing Crosby was asked to come back to the studio and re-record the song (as best he could) in 1948. This is the version which is heard every year. However, if you watch "Holiday Inn", there are some subtle differences in the song!

   Here are my twenty favorite Christmas Songs:   (no particular order)

1. White Christmas  / Bing Crosby  (A most wonderful Holiday Classic)

2.  The Christmas Song  / Nat 'King' Cole.  (It was written by Mel Torme)

3.  Santa Baby  / Eartha Kitt  (No artist could ever capture this sultry style !)

4.  Blue Christmas / Elvis Presley  (Only the "King" could give this interpretation !)

5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / Judy Garland  (Here is a song which has been '"covered" many times. Judy's performance in "Meet Me In St. Louis" is legendary)

6.  The Little Drummer Boy / Harry Simeone Chorale  (The original and best version)

7.  Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer  / Gene Autry  (This was his biggest hit song! )

8.  Holly Jolly Christmas / Burl Ives  (This rotund actor was great in the "Rudolph" movie)

9.  Rocking Around The Christmas Tree / Brenda Lee  (Interestingly enough, this song was recorded in 1958, and was a "dud". It was not until 1960 that it got "air" play and took off!)

10.  Jingle Bell Rock / Bobby Helms   (The artist of "My Special Angel" struck gold here !)

11.  I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus / Jimmy Boyd  (Another late 1940's classic)

12.  The "Chipmunk" Song / David Seville  (Who does not know Alvin, Theodore, & Simon?)

13.  Marry Christmas Darling / Karen Carpenter  (Her wonderful voice is remembered)

14.  Mary's Boy Child / Harry Belafonte  (A great "cover" of this song is by "The Boney M")

15.  Little Saint Nick / The Beachboys  (I like the lyric "Christmas comes this time each year" at the end of the song)

16.  Oh Pretty Paper / Roy Orbison  (It was written by Willie Nelson. the country singer)

17.  All I Want For Christmas /  Spike Jones  (All he watned was his two front teeth !)

18.  Felice Navidad  / Jose Feliciano  (A very unfogettable song with a lievel beat )

19. Home For the Holidays / Perry Como  (Perry was a great 1950's - 60's crooner)

20.  The Most Wonderful Time of The Year / Andy Williams (Another annual Classic !)

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Did I forget  "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer", or  "The Barking Dogs"?

Many of these songs may be found on "You Tube" !   Enjoy them!

 Bridge - An American Pastime -

       Bridge is one of the classic card games, and is relatively new, having evolved in the early 1900's from the game of Whist. It is also very kindred to Spades, its newest cousin (1937)  The "duplicate" concept of Whist was introduced in London in the late 1850s, and was improved by J. Clay, whose early instructional pamphlets also explored rudimentary bidding systems. There is a mention of the “Vienna Coup", which became the term for an advanced Bridge play. By the late 1880s, Whist was second only to Euchre as the most popular game in the United States. In 1896, a very basic form of Bridge - taken from "Biritch", or Russian Whist - became the foundation for the game. Then came the adaptations.

      Auction Bridge (the predecessor to the modern game of Contract Bridge, was created in 1905, and featured multiple rounds of bidding with ranked suits, and a no trump option. This was a vast improvement over the system used in Whist, which declared the trump by cutting the deck, or using the bottom card. Two decades later, Ely Culbertson created Contract Bridge and added the premium feature for bidding and making Slams. Another pioneer, Harold Vanderbilt, created the vulnerability option, and improved the scoring system. During the depression years, celebrity Bridge matches were front page news. The Lenz-Culbertson challenge matches of 1931 and 1932 captivated the American public. As time passed pioneers (and household names) such as Charles Goren, George Coffin, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken , Sam Stayman, and E. Blackwood, to name a few, elevated Bridge to its zenith. At one time, Goren was a regular columnist for Sports Illustrated magazine and hosted a weekly television show all about Bridge! The legendary Italian "Blue Team" of the 1960s and the great American Teams (including the "Dallas Aces" of Bermuda Bowl fame) stirred much interest in the Bridge community. The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL in Memphis, TN.) was founded in 1937, and is the official governing body for all Bridge events in North America. Duplicate, or comparison Bridge became the standard for most events, and the basis of the rating system (master points).

     Although some of their membership which peaked in the early 1960's, has declined, the ACBL is still an outstanding organization. They organize / coordinate  three National events every year (in rotating cities), more than 200 regional / sectional events, and several thousand local Clubs. Check out their official web site (www.acbl.org). There lies a treasure trove of information and fun facts! If you like Spades, you will love Bridge!

Modern (Commerical) Card Games - Part  1 of 2

Most of us are familiar with Spades, Hearts, Euchre, Cribbage, Pinochle, etc. During the past 100 years, new card games have been "invented". Some are very similar to their traditional counterparts; others are competely new inventions. All are  perfect  introductions for aspiring young card players!  Check these out:

1. WIZARD   (Oh Hell!)

This is a good, challenging game, and a nice improvement over the original "Oh Hell" classic. There are on line Wizard Tournaments, a Wizard organization, and an annual Championship! U.S. Games Systems (Stamford, CT) has basic and Deluxe editions.

2.  HAND & FOOT   (Canasta)

This a Melding Game, and is very similar to Canasta. The unique "twist" of this game is the separation of the deals. Players are required to complete the discards from a "Hand" before picking up another deal called the "Foot". Tranco Games (MI) has a Web site with lots of information.

3. UNO  (Crazy Eights)

Uno became an immediate fad when it was released in the early 1970's. It is the ideal card game for youngsters as it is easy to learn. However, adults enjoy the game, as well. There are lots of challenging variations.

4.  FLINCH   (Spite and Malice)

This game was created in 1901, and was purchased by the former Parker Brothers Games Co. (now Hasbro) in 1904.  It is played with a 150 card deck, and provides hours of fun and entertainment. There is also a "live" Flinch tournament scheduled in the Fall of every year!

5.  PHASE 10  (Mhing, Liverpool Rummy)

Phase 10 was introduced in the early 1980's by Fundex Games of Indianapolis. It is another one of those classic progressive Rummy games.  Players try to complete various card combination in each successive hand. Phase 10 is fun for all !

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10TH Annual World Series of Classic Card Games

Las Vegas, NV. -- Oct. 17 / 18 -- List of Prize Winners :

SPADES:

(Total Prize Fund - $ 6000) ($2400 - $1200 - $800 - $600, Consolation: $600 - $400)

 MAIN EVENT -

1ST Place - Damon S. & Dustin S. 2ND Place - Craig P. & Eric V. 3RD Place - Hugo S. & Frank L.   4TH Place - Wayne C. & Jessica G. Consolation / 1st Place - Christy S. & Nicholas S.  Consolation / 2nd Place - Linda D. & Penny R.

 EUCHRE :

Total Prize Fund - $ 6000) ($2400 - $1200 - $800 - $600, Consolation: $600 - $400)

MAIN EVENT -

1ST Place - Breanne L. & Joshua P. 2ND Place - Phillip K. & Tracy T. 3RD Place - Tom K. & Carolann C. 4TH Place - Emilio S. & Loretta D. Consolation / 1st Place - Harvey L. Consolation / 2nd Place - Steve K.

PINOCHLE:

(Total Prize Fund - $ 6000) ($2400 - $1200 - $800 - $600, Consolation: $600 - $400)

MAIN EVENT -

 1ST Place - Donn W. & Karen A. 2ND Place - Joseph O. and Clyde R. 3RD Place - Benzona B. & Renee P. 4TH Place - Eva D. & Lorelei D.  Consolation / 1st Place - Jeff G. & Tom F. Consolation / 2nd Place - Diane H. & Charles D. 

 HEARTS: 

(Total Prize Fund - $ 2000)

MAIN EVENT -

1ST Place -  John S. 2ND Place - Ross R. 3RD Place - Dee T. 4TH Place - George K.

Special thanks to our Sponsors - Cases' Ladder & Demand Media - and to all of the staff and volunteers who helped make this event a success!  See you in '09!

"Man  vs. Machine"

It has been more than ten years since the IBM  "Deep Blue" Computer program defeated former World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, in a widely publicized 1997 challenge match. This represented the pinnacle in programming and expertise. Chess was (and still is) considered to be the ultimate game of pure skill.  When the Russian Grandmaster lost to a machine, the "Mount Everest" of Artificial Intelligence  had been scaled!  It reminded me a little bit of the "Hal 9000" computer in the 1968 Classic - "A Space Odyssey" !

How about card games? Well.....?

In order to discuss Artificial Intelligence (often called "AI") programming for card games, we must consider the skill factor of various card games. Let us review these five:

Bridge, Spades, Euchre, Hearts, and Pinochle

There is no doubt that Contract Bridge tops the list as far as skill is concerned. Duplicate Bridge is the ultimate challenge. Double deck Pinochle is a close second place. Hearts is a superb individuals' game (the other four games are usually played in a Partnership format. ) Euchre is an easy game to learn, and tends to be very intuitive and gambling in nature.

Contract Bridge has a one hundred year history, and is very complicated, especially regarding the bidding phase (use of conventions), play of the hand, and defense. More than 1000 Bridge Books have been published in the past 50 years! Pinochle requires a thorough knowledge of the Meld counts, bidding techniques, and trump management. Spades, a descendant of Bridge, has  one round of bidding, Nils, Bags, and emphasis on playing the  hand. Euchre is a relatively simple game with an accent on developing a rapport with your partner. Hearts rewards counting skills, the ability to make the right pass, and working together with the opponents in order to aim for "low" scoring player.

The early days of computer card games featured the games of Hearts and Rummy. Most Microsoft  programs had a very basic version of  Hearts.. The program was weak, and for all intents and purposes, followed suit, and played randomly, without any strategy. For a while, the only positive aspect of card playing computers was that it was impossible to renege (revoke). Then came the "Game Packs". You could could purchase ten or more card games on the same CD. Some of these were better than others, and were useful for the novice player as a learning tool. It became obvious that quality programming would be very limited with so many games. Then came the era of Internet card game sites. The opportunity to play against other humans was terrific.  However, if a fourth player was needed (or if someone left the table in a middle of a game) a "Bot" (robot) player would become a substitute. Bots were very weakly programmed, and did little more than follow suit, and play independently. Often, the outcome of a game would be decided by a fundamental mistake by a Bot. As time went by, some sites (most notably, Hardwood / Silvercreek Games) did improve the AI of their Bots.

The most significant advances in AI were seen in the game of Bridge.  Great Games Products of MA, has issued "The Bridge Baron" series since 1985. Their programs are tested  regularly and featured at  ACBL  (American Contract Bridge League) tournaments. The results reveal strong play in Life Master Pairs events.

Unfortunately, the other card games still await AI programming which will provide a strong challenge for their devotees. Let's start with the game of Spades. The bidding is the key to success. Defense against Nils, Bagging strategies, and End Game techniques separate the good players from the great players.  What you want is a "partner" who is reliable, counts the cards, and knows what to play in any given situation. -And you want the opponents to put a good stiff fight!  As mentioned above, the Hearts expert wants strong opposition, and opponents who do not "duck and dump" randomly, or give up easy "Moons". Euchre players expect aggresive bidding, strong defense, knowledge of "Next" and "Donating " strategies, and logical opening defensive leads. Pinochle demands precise bidding and strategy.

If we are to purchase one of these programs, we demand the best. The "relief" is on the horizon!  Within a few years, I expect the arrival of high quality computer games. Then we will have excellent teaching tools, as well as great entertainment. The best part of all is that there will be no cheating or emotional outbursts if the going gets tough!

GRAND PRIX CHICAGO OPEN
     AUGUST 15 - 17, 2008

An enthusiastic group of players gathered at the Doubletree Hotel in suburban Chicago, IL for the Summer Grand Prix Open event. The games of Euchre, Spades, Hearts, and Pinochle were offered. The Prize fund was a guaranteed $10,000 for all of the Sections, with payouts for the top two places in Spades  and Euchre,  and  1st - 4th  places in Hearts and Pinochle.  All of the sections had multiple round qualifiers, with Hearts featuring a ten round preliminary! Lucite card theme paperweights and medals were presented to the winners. Ten players walked away with Cash, including First Place Prizes of $2,000 in Spades and Euchre!

   Here are the results:

Spades -- FIRST PLACE   -- Frank M. & Hugo S. 

Euchre  -- FIRST PLACE   -- Linda A. & Peter V.

Pinochle -  FIRST PLACE  -- Don P.  & Leo R.

Hearts --  FIRST PLACE -   Nino  S.

    Many games were decided by spetacular hands toward the end of the match. In Spades, Frank and Hugo were trailing by 40 points on the ninth hand (of a ten game match.) It was the third game of the best 2 out of 3 Final.  Frank (Spades)  picked up this hand:

Spades ----   A Q 10 9 3 2  /  Hearts - K Q 10 9 7  / Diamonds - K    / Clubs - 2

   A 12 bid was on the table with Frank's side having bid  8 tricks, and the opponents bidding 4 tricks.  The 6 - 5 -1  - 1 shape of Frank's hand was overwhelming . A Spade "cut" on a Club lead opened up the trump suit. The opponents were limited to two red Aces and a high trump. Frank's side raked in 10 combined tricks, and the "set" blew the opponents out of the water!  The outcome was already decided, and the last hand was a formality.

  In Euchre, the best 4 out of 7 Final, came down the to the 7th game and a tie score of  6 - 6 in the last game. Linda and Peter then "Euchred" the opponents, and closed out the proceedings with another two point hand.

  In Hearts,  Ryan and Brendon K. (two brothers) were sitting in 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. The scores were close in the Championship game of 150 points. Then their cards went "south"!  Nino S. forged ahead to a 40 point lead, and was served this hand, with the other three opponents on the verge of "going out" with very high scores.

Spades - K Q J 8 7 2  / Hearts - A 10  2 /  Diamonds -  A 8 2  / Clubs -  Q

After passing the ten of hearts, eight of diamonds, and Queen of clubs, Nino received the 6 of hearts, Ace of clubs, and Jack of Clubs.  Clubs were removed in two rounds. The Ace of Diamonds was tabled, and then the eightspot.  The  Ace of Spades was jettisoned by an opponent. Spades were promptly stripped in four rounds (with the receipt  of some nuisance hearts.)  Now the red suits were eliminated, and the two of hearts provided easy passage out of the hand.  The Queen of Spades ended the game soon thereafter.

Pinochle was "easy" for Don and Leo, as they romped through the 6 game qualifier, and won the playoff (and the $1,000 top prize) !

The Hosts (Charlie Braatz and Bill Walker) were superb. Michael and Brett of Cases' Ladder provided tremendous support.  Special thanks to Demand Media / Cases' Ladder for their generous sponsorship of this event.

And last, but not least - "A good time was had by all".

The World Series of Spades, Hearts, Euchre, and Pinochle

The Grand Prix (GP) of Classic Card Games celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. More than four thousand players have participated in GP "live" events since the original 1999 Las Vegas event ! GP started with Spades and Hearts.  Euchre and Pinochle were added in 2001, and 2005 respectively. A few years featured "split" tournaments, with two cities having two games each. Some GP's have also included invitational Cribbage and Bid Whist tournaments. Here is a list of the cities which have hosted GP Championship events:

1999 - Las Vegas, NV  (Spades and Hearts)

2000 - Orlando, FL  (Spades, Hearts, and Cribbage)

2001 - Atlanta, GA   (Spades and Hearts)

2002 - Covington, KY  (Spades, Hearts, and Euchre)

2003 - Cincinnati, OH ( Spades, Hearts, and Euchre)

2004 - Chicago, IL  (Spades, Hearts, and Euchre)

2005 - Cleveland, OH (Spades, Hearts, Euchre, and Pinochle)  

2006 - St.  Louis, MO  (Spades and Pinoche)

              Lansing,  MI     (Euchre and Hearts)   

2007 -   Atlanta, GA      (Spades, Pinochle, and Bid Whist)

               Lansing, MI    (Euchre and Hearts)

2008 -   Chicago, IL    (Spades, Euchre, Hearts, and Pinochle)

               Las Vegas,  NV  (Spades, Euchre, Hearts, and Pinochle)  

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 Grand Prix ' 99 -  (The Unted States "Open")  Spades & Hearts Championships

The first tournament was held at Harrah's Casino and Resort on the strip in Las Vegas.  It was sponsored by MSN  (Microsoft) and USPC (Bicycle Playing Cards). Three hundred and eighty players participated. (210 for Spades, and 170 for Hearts) The Prize Fund was $15,000. In addition, a donation of $4,000 was made to the Las Vegas chapter of  The American Heart Association. Here is a list of the winners:  (8 Spades Players and 8 Hearts Players divided the $15,000 pool)

Spades - 1st Place     ($4,000)    ---------------  Jason & Jerry Kersey   (TX)

Spades -  2nd Place   ($2,000)   -------------     Vanessa Molinaro  (WI) & Jeff Morre (PA)

Spades -  3rd  Place - ($1,500)  ------------      Wanda Beaver  (NC) & Patrick West  (OR)

Spades -  4th Place -  ($1,000)   -------------     Lois Fosdal  (WI)  &  Jon Slater  (CT)

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Hearts ----  1st Place    ($2,000)   -----------------   Abbott  Weatherly  (NC)

Hearts  ----  2nd Place  ($1,500)   ----------------    Ed Holcomb  (IL)

Hearts  ----   3rd Place  ($1,000)  ------------------  Steve Iler  (GA)

Hearts  ----    4th  Place  ($500)   ------------------   Russ Stoops (OH)

     Consolation Prizes (5th - 8th Places) of  $400 each were awarded to Rick Root (CA), Rose Genna (IN), Alex Werner (CA), and Billie Brueske (NV)

     Grand Prix '08 returns to Las Vegas and will be held at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. $20,000 is guaranteed to be awarded, thanks to Cases' Ladder & Demand Media. Check it all out at the Official site, and sign up for a weekend of "Fun and Games"!

                            www.grandprixtournaments.com

     Yes, I know, "Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas - EXCEPT for the pictures!

RANDOM DEALS -

SPADES, HEARTS, PINOCHLE, EUCHRE, WHIST, ETC.

Almost every on line gaming site offering traditional partnership card games has been besieged with these two questions -

Are the deals truly random?

Why do I (or my Team) always get the bad cards?

WELL....  I will make a few comments. 

Most sites use a RDG (random deal generator) that is as close to realistic as possible. In other words, it simulates deals which will occur in "live" games. Of course, there are occasional games in which your side will be served lesser hands. And there are games in which you will have decidedly better cards. If you play often, you will see that this all tends to even out. Play 10 or more games and track the results. There is a luck factor in any fresh deal card game; however, the skillfull players do have the better records. A future post will examine in great mathematical detaIL how the RDG works. You will be amazed how the programming works!

Now - Here is some "tongue in cheek" humor....

WINNERS - If you are fortunate enough to win games of Spades, Euchre, Hearts, etc. without really trying because you had great hands, lots of trumps, lots of Aces, Loners, Nils, "Moons", etc. , tell your opponents "GGA", when the game is over, and move on. (and smile and thank the card "Gods".)

WINNERS - If you are better than your opponents, and you are croaking them, be gracious, and tell them "they played well" or that you were "lucky". You might even want to consider "tanking" or throwing a hand or two if you are blowing their doors off by 300 or more points.

LOSERS - If you think that you got rooked or shafted because the cards were stacked against you and the opponents had better hands, lots of trump, lots of Aces, Loners, Moons, etc., blame it on the "Debbil" or Darth Vadar!  

LOSERS - If the opponents are better than you and YOU were clearly outplayed, and you got pulverized, you can blame that on the "Debbil",  too.

LOSERS - But, don't whine and moan like some wounded animal on the Serengeti that has been eviscerated by a pride of lions, or grimace as the legendary Scotsman, Wallace, did in the movie "Braveheart", as he was brutalized. Accept your loss, and type in "GGA". After all, you just could not cut it against superior opposition. Maybe you were the better player or Team, and the cards went "South"! NEVER blame it on the Random deal generator. It's only a game. LOL

Perhaps when they introduce Poker Cash like they do on TV into the traditional card games such as Spades or Euchre, then you can complain. Now, who's ready for some "fun" card games? Play on, enjoy!