Episode 5: The Queen of Spades

Show notes for Episode 5:

“Tales from the Tables” by Bob Woolley
(a.k.a. Rakewell, the Poker Grump)

The “Poker Grump” shares some anecdotes about drunks he has encountered at the tables.

If you don’t know who Red Skelton was, here’s a short biography of the comedian and long-time star of radio and television.

“Little Queen of Spades” (1937) by Robert Johnson

She is a little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be.
She is the little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be.
Every time she makes a spread,
cold chill just runs all over me.

And I’m goin’ get me a gamblin’ woman
if it’s the last thing that I do.
Goin’ get me a gamblin’ woman
if it’s the last thing that I do.
A man don’t need a woman,
hoo, fair brown, he got to give all his money to.

And everybody say she got a mojo
baby been usin’ that stuff.
Everybody says she got a mojo
‘cause she been usin’ that stuff.
She got a way trimmin’ down
hoo, now babe, and I mean it’s most too tough.

Well, now little girl, since I am the king,
fair brown, and you is a queen
Since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Let’s we put our heads together
hoo, fair brown, then we can make our money green.

“The Queen of Spades,” Mystery in the Air (originally aired September 11, 1947)

Starring Peter Lorre, Henry Morgan, Maureen Tuttle, Peggy Webber, and Ben Wright. Based on the 1833 short story by Alexander Pushkin.

Here is a description of faro that originally appeared in The Merry Gamester: A Practical Guide to the most popular card, dice and board games of the English speaking world, from ancient times to 1900 by Walter Nelson. And here is that site where you can play faro online, a nifty flash player created by Sean Gleeson.

Download.

Episode 4: Hitchhike Poker

Show Notes for Episode 4:

“Poker Woman Blues” (1929) by Blind Blake

I love to gamble, gamblin’s all I do
I love to gamble, gamblin’s all I do
And when I lose, it never makes me blue

I gambled away my money, I gambled away my shack
I gambled away my money, I gambled away my shack
Same way I lost it, same way I get it back


I won a woman in a poker game
I won a woman in a poker game
I lost her too, win another just the same

Sometime I’m rich, sometime I ain’t got a cent
Sometime I’m rich, sometime I ain’t got a cent
But I’ve had a good time, every way I went

I got a new mama, ain’t gonna gamble her away
I got a new mama, ain’t gonna gamble her away
Goin’ to keep her with me each and every day

“Tales from the Tables” by Bob Woolley
(a.k.a. Rakewell, the Poker Grump)

The “Poker Grump” returns with the continuation of his list of stupid things players say at the tables, including the ever-popular “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.”

For the first part of the list, check out Episode 2.

An excerpt from The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky

In which Granny comes to Roulettenburg and wants to go to the casino.

A couple of years back, I wrote a series of four posts about The Gambler titled “Dostoevsky Is Not Considered Summer Reading” in which I discussed how the novel might be of particular interest to poker players. Those posts begin here.

“Hitchhike Poker,” Suspense (originally aired September 16, 1948)

Starring Gregory Peck (Ray Fowler) and Ed Begley (Belden). Produced and directed by Anton M. Leader. Written by John and Gwen Bagney.

Here is the Wikipedia entry on Suspense. Hundreds of episodes of Suspense remain available. Here is a page containing a sampling of some of the best.

And here is a story about Utah’s recent license plate poker contest.

Download.