Know when to hold 'em

The World Series of Poker began on June 2 at the Rio. Today's event is No Limit Texas Hold 'Em. Players buy in at $5k and stay at the table until they lose it all- in tournament play, you can't cash out your winnings and buy more chips to stay in the game.

For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't obsess about the shows on The Travel Channel or ESPN, here's how the national poker craze is played: Players receive two cards face down, followed by a round of betting. After the first round of betting, three cards are "flopped" face up in the middle of the table and are used as community cards, meaning that every player can use the cards in the middle, as well as their hole cards, to make a hand.

After the second round of betting, the fourth card (called the "turn") is placed face up in the middle. After the third round of betting, the fifth card and final card (called the "river") is placed face up in the middle. Then the fourth, and final, round of betting occurs. With all the cards out, each player tries to make their best five-card poker hand using the five community cards and the two cards in their hand.

Me, I'm not good enough for this level of gambling. But I am good enough, along with my girlfriends Nikki and Anna, to handle my brother Joey and his friends at our monthly poker night. Should be a good one- I'm feeling lucky.