We used to play nickel/dime a point backgammon back in college, using the doubling cube. Made my beer money that way. Of course, a cheap six was only $1.50, but I digress. The point is that I am a consistent winner in backgammon, though I've never gambled on cribbage, but can see how one can lose his shirt playing only a nickel a point what with skunks and double skunks (have never seen a triple skunk, nor ever a max 29, but plenty of marlboroughs, though). The casino games are stacked against the player, and poker is a skill you either have or you don't (I don't). You can study and raise a mediocre poker player to something not so horrible, but a good poker player can still read you like a cheap newspaper (that's the innate, people reading skills required). That's why I do wonder at all those poker book 'testamonials'; they remind me of so many prepaid cooking product advertising on tv at 4 in the morning.
