The Hard-Boiled Poker Radio Show, Episode 6: The Ambassador of Poker

The latest installment of the Hard-Boiled Poker Radio Show went up yesterday. It is already in iTunes, so if you subscribe to the podcast over there you’re already seeing it show up. I assume it also is appearing in the other feeds, too. Or, if you just want to listen online, click here.

This episode starts and ends with some audio I recorded at this year’s World Series of Poker. Vera gave me this little microphone attachment thingy for my iPod which enables one to record voice memos. I had thought at one point I might try to do some interviews along the way, but never got around to it. But I did grab some noise on the first day of the Main Event, and so am sharing it here.

I’ve included a short story about poker by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht. The story is called “Four Men and a Poker Game, or Too Much Luck is Bad Luck.” It was written in the 1920s, and definitely has a hard-boiled feel to it. As I have done at certain points on some of the other episodes, I added a bit of background ambiance to the storytelling to make it a more interesting listen. Still an amateur when it comes to audio theater, but am having fun learning.

That’s followed by an episode of Escape called “The Ambassador of Poker.” Kind of an adventure story, with a so-called “Virginia gentleman” using his poker playing prowess to swindle a Chinese warlord.

Neither of my usual partners in crime -- Tim Peters or the Poker Grump -- appear in this one, although both should be returning soon in later episodes. I had mentioned at the outset my goal was to produce a show at least once per month, so I am pleased to see six episodes have been cranked out here in the first four months.

If you haven’t heard the show yet, you might go back and check out Episode 1 to get an idea what it’s about. None of the episodes necessarily focus on contemporary happenings, so unlike some podcasts these don’t necessarily go out of date.

As I have said before, doing these shows definitely increases my respect for those who do them on a regular basis -- a lot harder than it looks to pull these together, believe me. If you do happen to listen to the show, I’d love any feedback -- either here, on the show’s blog, as a review in iTunes, or via an email at shamus AT hardboiledpoker DOT com.