Imagine this—we finally get some winter rain, and it’s time to think about baseball. Many of our local boys play in either the St. Hedwig Pony Baseball or the Los Alamitos Youth Baseball Pony leagues. These leagues, which just recently held their tryouts and drafts for the 2010 season, are the feeder programs for the main local baseball action—Los Alamitos High School Baseball. And, that local baseball action begins now, and this coming Saturday, January 23, at 5:30 PM, Texas Hold ‘Em and baseball come together.

the inaugural “Texas Hold ‘Em” Poker Tournament benefiting the Los Alamitos High School baseball program will take place this Saturday, 1/23/2010, at the American Legion Post 716 in Los Alamitos, 3252 Florista Street.
Check-in starts at 5 pm and play begins at 5:45. For more information or to register, contact Tournament Chair Tom Panarisi at (562)-822-0123.

The evening’s chip champion will go home with the top prize of a new high definition television. Players will vie for Angels Diamond Club seats, Angels tickets near player dugouts, field level Dodger tickets, 4th row Chivas soccer tickets, “hog packs” from the Naples Rib Company, cash, and more.

Panarisi said “The tickets that have been donated to us are all really good tickets for those events. Everybody at the final table will get a prize. The last two prizes will be food from Naples Rib Company, what they call a Hog Pack, which serves 6-8 people and is worth about $90, and a Pig Pack, which serves about 10-12 people and is worth about $115. Naples Rib Company is also serving food the night of the event.” Panarisi indicated the TV is worth about $700.

The Naples Rib Company donated the two food prizes, plus they are providing the dinner. Panarisi added that the dinner will be a buffet of “chicken, brisket, sausage, and baked beans, cole slaw, corn bread, all the stuff that goes along with it.” Anyone may attend for the dinner only for a donation of only $15.00. My mouth is watering already.

For the players, it will set you back $100 to enter the tournament. In addition to a shot at the prizes, this price includes the dinner, cocktails, provided by the American Legion, and a night of fun.

“No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em” rules will apply for the evening. Everyone will start with an equal amount of chips, and blinds and antes will escalate as the night progresses. Players will advance down to a final table, playing for the prizes and bragging rights as the best poker player in Los Alamitos.

According to our resident poker shark, Texas Mike, “As far as card tournaments go, Texas Hold ‘Em is probably the most popular card game. Everybody likes to play it—from teenagers to grandmothers; from $20 games to $20,000 games; from games in your living room with friends and family, to world poker championships in the Vegas casinos--it’s a game for everybody. In fact, the top player at the 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit Tournament recently won nearly $10 million—people really like this game.”

While winning that kind of money might require well tuned card skills, the basics of Texas Hold ‘Em are pretty straight forward. After an initial entry to join the hand, called the blind, the game begins with each player receiving two cards which they hold through the hand. These cards are called the hole; as in “in the hole”. After reviewing these two cards, the players must place a bet to stay in. Next, three cards are dealt face up on the table. These are called “the flop”. Then, there is another round of betting. The idea is that each player looks at the best five card hand they can create with the two cards they are holding, plus the cards on the table. Next, one more card is laid face up on the table, and the players bet again. This fourth card is called the “turn card.” After the betting, the final card, called the “river”, is laid face up on the table. This is followed by the last round of betting.

The winner makes the best five card hand with the two cards “in the hole” and any of the cards on the table. Texas Mike says there are a few other finer points to the game, but these can be explained to newcomers at the tables. So, if you have not played before, it is a game you can easily learn on Saturday.

According to Kelly Ford-Harris, Corporate Fundraising Chair, Los Alamitos High School Baseball Booster Club, “100% of the proceeds are going to the rebuilding of the field.”
This will include a complete replacement of the 43 year old irrigation system, a new backstop, as well as other field improvements.