Do any of you play cards? I play Rummy (all versions) and Whist (my favorite). I can play Poker, Black Jack and a whole bunch of kids card games. It's great to have friends over, play some cards, talk, eat, and (hopefully) watch the Celtics put away the Hawks.
I used to play poker, but I sucked at it, so I no longer throw my money away. Playing "Go Fish" with my kids is about the extent of my card playing these days.
I grew up playing pinochle with one side of the family and spades with the other, until both sides of the family fell apart entirely. These days, I play pinochle on occasion with the remnants of the former pinochle side and play spades online. What can I say, I LOVE those games. They are similar enougb so that skill in one easily translates to the other, but not without talinf great care to analyse the subtle dynamics of each unique play. I hate to come off as a braggart here, but I am somewhat of a Spades guru. Sometimes I surprise myseld with my uncanny ability to correctly figure out the hands of the other players, how quickly I learn to adapt to my partner's playing style (even if he is horrible) and even project accurate bids time after time. My top rankings on several online servers prove to myself anywah tbat I'm not just blowing smoke when I say that Oddly, despite the similarities in game play, I can't really do the same in Pinochle. I guess I'm alright at the game, but mid-play I often suffer bouts of brain flatulence.
