The triumphant poker return of M&M

Temporarily, at least.

Michelle and I used to play cards together all the time -- usually a couple of times a week, and almost always on a Friday or Saturday night when the drunk frat boys are out juicing up the game. We had our ups and downs, like all card players, but as I always put it: In most games that we both were in, I liked our chances.

In the past year or so, though, my time off work has allowed me to play during the day when I've felt up to it, and that has changed the dynamic on a couple of levels. For one thing, it encouraged Michelle to admit that she really doesn't enjoy playing nearly as much as I do; it's fine with her if I go play by myself while she's working. And so we rarely play together, and almost never on the weekends. And that, I find, has toughened up the games and hurt my "win rate," as the gamblers call it.

We also don't play as much as we used to with our friend and (my former) boss David. Last Sunday, David asked if we wanted to join him at the Muckleshoot Casino, our favorite local room, after the girls went back to Greta's. We did, and it was a good night.

Michelle had that old impenetrable Nicolosi table image, plus she was catching cards, and she stacked chips all night. Betting her best hands, running inscrutable bluffs, raising on the come and hitting ... basically just running all over the table. I made a few hands too and finished up, although with a much smaller win than Michelle's. David, playing at our same table, had a little bad luck, got behind and made a slight comeback to finish narrowly down for the evening.

It was a very fun session, and when it was over Michelle and I cashed out $300 to the good (her $230, my $70). I thought: We're back!

If you're a compulsive gambler, the thing about winning -- curiously, like the other two outcomes, losing and breaking even -- is that it makes you want to play again. Sparing the details, I went out twice this week while Michelle was working and promptly gave back the $300 profit; two racks of chips in one session at the Muck and one over at the Roxy, near our house. Never won a single pot in either game.

Up and down, like I said.

Now, tonight, a rare Friday when we don't have Gina and Franny, we're going to try again. David may meet us.

Wish us luck. We'll report on the results later.

Midnight update: Not so triumphant. One thing I've noticed about this game: When you win, it's skill; when you lose, it's bad luck. Tonight our luck was extremely bad. Also, and this is possibly only coincidental, David didn't join us tonight after all.

The details are boring and infuriating, so let's just leave it at this: We didn't win as much last weekend as we lost this weekend.

Like Michelle says, we need a new hobby.