A Chip And A Chair

I was reading a tweet earlier by Ian Simpson about how he had been 10 bigs away from busting out but managed to spin it back up at the WPT. And in response I wrote my favourite poker mantra – Chip n a Chair!

And so I felt inspired to write this. But it’s going to be short and sweet. Yes, if you’ve read any of my other posts, you’ll know that the one thing I don’t do is concise. I do long and broad. Short n sweet does not come easily. But for this simple mantra, that’s what’s required and what is deserved.

Chip and a chair - The poker player’s final refuge. And not only for poker, but for all of life itself.

It’s about hope. It’s about never giving up. It’s knowing that as long as you’re at the table, there’s no throwing in the cards while they’re still gripped in your hand.

It’s holding onto that dream. However weak and vulnerable it may be. However fragile and disheartened you may feel. It’s not over yet.

It’s rejoicing in the fact that everything that has happened – however bad – is long gone. It’s all over and in the past. Anything can happen. The future lies undiscovered and is up for the taking.

The cards have no memory.

Aye, there’s another mantra that I love – the cards have no memory. Each shuffle brings new opportunities. New flops. New horizons.

New hope. New dreams. New chances to grasp and win the future.

So it’s not over until it’s over. Until the final showdown.

A Buddhist went to Las Vegas (no, it’s not a joke – true story!) and he saw when he arrived a huge billboard on which was written…

You Have To Be Present To Win

To win you have to be here. In this moment. Nowhere else. The past is dead. The future is yet to be born.

All you have is this present moment. The NOW. Use it. Grasp it. Win it!

So it’s simple. I told you it would be. But I’ll say it again in case you didn’t hear me the first time….

A Chip.

And

A Chair.

Ok dealer, come on, shuffle up and deal!

We are ready to go….