I’ve played in dozens upon dozens of home game poker clubs—serious, casual, cerebral, goofy, low-stakes, high-stakes, soft, tough, family, friends, coworkers, strangers, future pros—but I don’t think I’ll ever play in one I loved more than this one, circa 2001-2006. https://twitter.com/mattg312cards/status/1340319297030279168

This game began about a year prior to the poker boom, and was therefore grounded in the pre-boom poker aesthetic. But it also existed through the boom, and eventually became an early nostalgic oasis *from* the boom, old-school despite not being old or distant.

But, of course, like any home game, then players were what made it magical. Future noblemen and magistrates, indeed. A near-perfect set of home game personalities. Ring-led masterfully by @TomPepinsky and, like they say, full of card players but not really about the cards.

I remember some famous hands from this club, but what I mostly remember is the trappings and jokes: the Schaffer beer, the flavor-blasted Snyder’s pretzels, the use of $2 bills, the unbelievable slow-rolls allowed in certain spots, and the endless play of London Calling.

I was playing a lot of 10/20 and 15/30 Stud at Foxwoods and Mohegan during this period, and playing in a more serious game in New Haven, and playing duplicate Bridge. But I didn’t look forward to any of that the way I did to this game. Just one of those games, man. Amazing.

LOL, some players in my current low-stakes home game (the modern equivalent of this game) not taking it well that I’m talking about my ex-girlfriend I really loved.

Another good thread on this game, which meets at 8pm tonight for the first time in a dozen years, and for the first time ever on a weekend night, I think. https://twitter.com/tompepinsky/status/1340349132200931331