Always the bride's maid!

For 4 weeks in a row I've come in second place and for the second week in a row Bobby's come from behind to beat me! Dam you Bobby! But my consistent play has placed me atop the leader board, so there! Nyah!

11. Devin 2
10. Dustin 4
9. Yippee 6
8. Matt 8
7. Ish 10
6. Lisa aka Cher 12
5. Chris 14
4. Adam 16
3. Justin 18
2. Jeff 22
1. Bobby 28 (Including the retaining of his bounty point!)

Back on track

Well, Justin & I were absent from last week's game, as was Adam & Dustin, and while the remnant tried to play, Bobby & his entourage had to leave early for rehearsal, therefore last week's game is hereby declared null & void. Sorry Yissell. So, this Thursday is double points night.

More of the same

For the game on April 15, 2010

8. Dustin 1
7. Ish 2
6. Markus 3
5. Devin 4
4. Justin 5
3. Adam 7 (Including 1 bonus point for quad 9s)
2. Jeff 8
1. Bobby 12 (Including 1 bonus point for quad queens & Devin's bounty point)

The Shine is off the Apple.

With the new wearing off of writing poker blogs, it's back to Joe Friday, just the facts mam, just the facts. So, for the game on April 8, 2010.

9. Dustin 1
8. Ish 2
7. Adam 3
6. Markus 5 (Including a bonus point for quad Jacks)
5. Chris 5
4. Lisa 6
3. Bobby 8 (Including Chris' bounty point)
2. Jeff 9
1. Devin 11

The Game of Death

THEN

Flashback to previous episodes featuring plot points relevant to current episode
- Zachariah telling Dean that he's Michael's vessel and Sam is Lucifer's.
- Castiel explaining he has limited powers since being shut out of Heaven
- The fates of major demonic characters Azazel, Lilith, Ruby, and Meg
- Castiel telling Sam and Dean that the Trickster is the angel Gabriel
- Various scenes of Bobby helping the boys

NOW

Dean opens his eyes and discovers he's in a pitch black room. There's a voice across from him that he recognizes immediately, it's Zachariah. "I'm sorry I had to bring you here, but you've left me no choice. Until you say yes and allow Michael to use you as his vessel I'll just keep popping up and make your life as well as Sam's miserable."
There are grunting sounds, Dean guesses it must be Sam. Zachariah snaps his fingers and the room fills with light. Standing next to Zachariah is Lucifer. "I can understand if you're a little confused" says Zachariah, "but it really is the most practical alliance if you think about it. I need you to say yes to Michael while Lucifer here needs Sam to say yes for him. Then we can get this whole little war going. So we've decided to play a game with you two. You win and your friend Bobby lives for now, lose and he dies and we will be one step closer to getting what we want. Now the rules are simple, I think you play this quite often Dean, its Hold'em Poker. Now just four players is not fun at all so we've arranged for some old friends to join us."
"Bring it on"



Ruby, the double crosser, is the first one out. She expected Sam to be a little more shaken up at the sight of her considering their past relationship, but Sam gave no signs of weakness around her. Before she was sent back to hell for a third time she tried to convince Sam that the only way he'd get out of the game alive is to drink her blood and use his powers. Sam doesn't and she's sent packing.



The next out is Meg. Now Meg is one uber bitch. She tormented the brothers and their father years ago but got herself sent back to where she came from. Now in a new body she seems even tougher, but poker is not her game and was sent home once again.



Bobby Singer is gone next. Father figure and friend to the boys, his heart was just not in the game. After years of feeling guilty about his wife dying and having her back as a sleeper agent zombie was just too much to bear. So as he left the table a bright light engulfed him surprising all.



Lilith, daughter of Lucifer and sister to Azazel, is out next. Breaking the final seal to release Lucifer from Hell has taken its toll on her. Once one of the most powerful demons in existence, she now barely has enough power to control body she is possessing.



Lucifer bows out earlier than expected. His current vessel, not meant for long term use, is degrading each day. Without the proper vessel of Sam, he just doesn't have the power to keep in the game. He leaves the table and vanishes, presumably to check on his remaining horsemen, Death and Pestilence.



Azazel receives an extra boost of power when his father leaves, but it just wasn't enough to keep him in the game. The boys' oldest enemy has to be satisfied with the looks on their faces when he showed up because that image is all he'll have back in Hell.



The next eliminated is Gabriel, aka the Trickster. Not being on either side of the upcoming war, the outcast angel was only playing because he was trapped by hellfire. Once free he disappears only to be seen again sooner rather than later.



Sam is out next. Since he's suffered withdrawal from his addiction to demon blood, he just hasn't had the stamina he used to. Unable to leave the table until the very end he has to sit and watch as the game continues.



As the game was reaching the end, Dean made some foolish bets and was out. As Heaven's chosen soldier God was just not on his side and it was a blow to his already diminishing faith in his and Sam's abilities to stop Armageddon.



Zachariah, tasting victory over the brothers who have been an annoyance to him because of their stubbornness to refuse what is destined to them, was surprised when another player entered the game and challenged him to heads up. Zachariah just couldn't compete after having his plans for Dean stopped.





Castiel shows up with a flutter of wings and surprises Zachariah enough that he easily takes his chips and wins the game. Castiel, savior of the brothers on more than one occasion, has done it again. "Bobby is safe, I was able to get him out before anything could happen to him. Sorry if I was a little late getting here but without my full powers I am ... getting used to doing things differently." And with that he vanishes. Sam, Dean, and Bobby turn around and they are now back in Bobby's house.

END OF EPISODE


Kristi (Ruby)- 1
Markus (Meg)- 2
Bobby (Bobby)-3
Yissell (Lilith)- 4
Adam (Lucifer)- 5
Dustin (Azazel)- 6 + 1 for Adam's bounty
Justin (Gabriel)- 7
Ish (Sam)- 8
Devin (Dean)- 9
Jeff (Zachariah)- 11
Chris (Castiel)- 13

The poker table won't let you come alone

I opened my eyes to find myself in a place that seemed dark and mysterious, unlike any place I had been before. My body ached (especially the ass part) as I took a seat at a poker table with 9 other people like myself. We all looked shocked to be there, and it seemed just too improbable for 10 people to have their lives all lead up to this moment, but here we were. What we were about to learn is that this was no ordinary poker game, and that control of the poker table for the rest of time would lie in the balance that night. Our entire lives had led us to this moment.

We had figured out that the stakes in this game were going to be high when we suffered our first casualty of the night. Boone's recklessness had paid off for him in the past, but at this poker table the dangerous throwing around of the chips led to a quick, hilarious demise. Off to the losers lounge!


The next victim of the poker table was new to the game, but despite some early success Kate's criminal past caught up to her. The poker table is a place for redemption but just couldn't forgive a rare female participant for murder. If only there were a way to get another chance... Off to the losers lounge!


The next sacrifice that the poker table demanded was John Locke, one of its most loyal believers. Despite insisting that we couldn't tell him what he couldn't do that crippled old man was sent away faster than he could fall eight stories. He may have thought it was his destiny to win this night but bad cards trump faith in the poker table every day. Off to the losers lounge!


The poker table offered Ana-Lucia a chance to prove that female cops are more than just a sassy attitude with a gun, but her run came up short after a quick, sudden shot to the chest. She made a great run, but at the end of the day the poker table is a power struggle amongst men, and the final six candidates to control the table all carried a third leg into battle. Off to the losers lounge!


The next candidate to be banished from the poker table was Michael, who spent too much time trying to find his kidnapped son instead of concentrating on winning. He tried to make up for some early struggles but finally the poker table had had enough and blew him up into a million pieces. Off to the losers lounge!


Next to be eliminated was Desmond, who had spent years at the poker table, always doing his task every time in the hope that it would get him towards his ultimate goal: control of the poker table. But destiny is a fickle bitch, so see you in another life brother, indeed. Off to the losers lounge!


Things got off to a promising start for Charlie, who quickly found a Virgin Mary statue full of quad-2s to give him some early momentum. Unfortunately he would have to break his addiction to big hands and would finally have to sacrifice himself to 4th place. Off to the losers lounge!


Things seemed destined for the Monster to use the forces of evil to win control of the poker table, but alas the forces of good prevailed. The Monster used his deceptive ways to shapeshift into a dancer, poker player, and cookie chef but his antics would only get him a third place finish. Off to the losers lounge with the other seven!


So control of the poker table came down to the final two candidates. Ben came into the final battle with a chip lead and a bounty point from strangling John Locke in a cheap hotel room. Using his conniving bluffs and raises had taken him far, but the hour became late and defeat seemed certain...

MEANWHILE, back in the losers lounge the 8 candidates that had been eliminated were growing more frustrated with the hand that destiny had dealt them. Suddenly a white flash of light took over the room and the losers had discovered that they were in a dark, empty house. Confused, they tried to figure out what had happened. Bags were packed throughout the house and after checking their phones to see what the date was they realized that they had GONE BACK IN TIME exactly one week to the time when everyone in the group was away from the poker table. An idea came across the group: they could change the past so that the results of the game that was taking place would be forgotten and a new game could start anew next week, giving them all a second chance at control of the poker table. The Monster went back to its bedroom/bomb-making facility and emerged with a hydrogen bomb. "This snatch should do the trick," he told the group. He shifted his shape into an attractive blonde woman, knowing that that was the best way to go unnoticed among this group, and went in to destroy the poker room...

BACK AT THE POKER TABLE IN THE PRESENT DAY...

Finally after a long fight against nine other candidates, Jack finally fulfilled his destiny as ruler of the poker table. He struggled finding faith in the table early on, but after realizing that it was meant to be he accepted his role and realized that this was his life's purpose: to win this poker game.

FLASHBACK TO THE MONSTER IN THE PAST...
After sneaking into the poker room to destroy it, the Monster, still disguised as some blonde hussy, was getting ready to detonate the hydrogen bomb to reset the game. She tripped and fell, gravely wounding herself and failing to set off the bomb. Just when it seemed that Jack was going to win, she mustered her final ounce of strength:


The story resumes with the same group sitting around the same table next week, having the game of ultimate destiny reset by the power of the human spirit.

10. Dustin (Boone) - 2 points
9. Yippie (Kate) - 4 points
8. Jeff (John Locke) - 6 points
7. Lisa (Ana-Lucia) - 8 points
6. Bobby (Michael) - 10 points
5. Chris (Desmond) - 12 points
4. Justin (Charlie) - 16 points (bonus for quad-2s)
3. Ismael (Monster) - 16 points
2. Devin (Ben) - 22 points (bonus for Jeff's bounty point)
1. Adam (Jack) - 24 points

"Last week most of us were strangers, but we're all here now. And god knows how long we're going to be here. But if we can't live together, we're going to die alone."

DALLAS

Southfork Ranch will never be the same. After the last board meeting at Ewing Oil, it was decided to settle, once and for all, who would head Ewing Oil and Southfork Ranch. The entire family, even Cliff Barnes, were told to prepare to end the feud and settle the conflict with a game of poker.



With the stakes as high at they were, everyone who had an interest in Southfork was there, including the ranch manager Ray Krebbs, whose poor play sent him back to the barn, where he and Lucy Ewing had made love on more than one occasion.


Once the darling of the Ewing clan, Bobby Ewing, youngest son, has had a run of back luck with no end in sight. He hopes to end his losing streak soon.


J.R. Ewing. Conniving, backstabbing, womanizing heir apparent of the Ewing empire, even with his impressive victories over the past few months, could do no better than third place this night.


Miss Ellie Ewing, matriarch of the Ewing clan and the only one who strikes fear in the heart of Jock Ewing, managed to last longer than 2 of her sons, but had to leave the table when things got rough.


Arch rival of the Ewing clan, Cliff Barnes, representing his sister Pamela Barnes-Ewing, was soon ousted from the game when his underhanded efforts to cheat were discovered.


Fast and easy, Lucy Ewing will use her charm and good looks to get anything she wants. And it usually works, except for tonight, for not even the tramp could do better than 4th place.


Always with an eye on the Ewing ranch and Miss Ellie, Clayton Farlowe was next to be eliminated, even though his performance from previous weeks insures his return to the heads up table!


Flying in from California, middle son Gary Ewing, seldom seen at Southfork, made a rare appearance and almost won it all. Could this portend things to come?


Finally, the last man standing and never in doubt patriarch of the Ewing family, Jock Ewing continues his reign as head of Ewing Oil and Southfork Ranch. Others will come and go but Jock will always be around.

And so it ended, as it should. But there's always next week and who knows what will be found inside the walls of Southfork Ranch.


CAST:

9 Ray Krebbs (Devin) 2 pts
8 Bobby Ewing (Bobby) 4 pts
7 J.R. Ewing (Ish) 6 pts
6 Miss Ellie Ewing (Lisa) 8 pts
5 Cliff Barnes (Chris) 10 pts
4 Lucy Ewing (Dustin) 12 pts
3 Clayton Farlow (Justin) 16 pts (including 1 bonus point for quad 10s)
2 Gary Ewing (Adam) 18 pts
1 Jock Ewing (Jeff) 24 pts (including 1 bonus point for Ish' bounty point)