Royal Flush

It was the summer of 2023 and I was invited to a Texas Hold’em game.  One of the greatest entrepreneurs I know, Trevor McKendrick, who founded Seis.com, was hosting this afternoon poker game at his office in SLC.

I was late because I was showing my good friend, Shane, different businesses along “Silicon Slopes” or the Wasatch Front.  Shane was visiting from Miyazaki, Japan, and came from a family of professional gamblers. Ironically, he is the son of a woman my dad converted to Mormonism almost 50 years, and that ended of the gambling. My dad is currently with Shane right now in Miyazaki with my Mom for the first time since he was a missionary there.

Shane was in Utah last year to find a place to build an Onsen, which is a Japanese spa.

Back to the game. There was a $100 buy in for this friendly poker game.  I got my chips and a seat for the game that had already been going for 30 minutes.  I played 2 hands and then my ADHD got the best of me and I felt like playing on my phone instead. I asked if Shane wanted to have my seat and chips.  He played one quick hand and then his second hand was something that will never be forgotten by any who was there.

I remember him showing me his cards and I didn’t really know what to tell him.  I had to pretend as if I wasn’t shocked and Shane was doing the “confused beginner foreigner” part well.  Somehow, he was able to get a handful of bets against him because no one thinks the royal flush is in their opponents hand.

I only have one photo of the moment that I found.  It was a royal flush in hearts, the best kind I think:)  We didn’t even have time to finish the game.  We had to go look at more places to put this new Onsen.  Luckily, since his visit here, a hotel in Midway has agreed to build Shane’s idea.

We came the poker party late, got a royal flush, left.  This is how I choose to live my life.

From Gemini: The odds of getting a royal flush in Texas Hold'em are 0.000154%, or 649,739 to 1,. A royal flush is an unbeatable hand, and it's not possible for two players to make one and the same hand.

Happy Friday and 4:20

Scott X