is in training for Las Vegas with his internet poker set

IN one of the quirkier stories to make the news this week, I was somewhat tickled by the story of a Chinese woman who was being sued for divorce by her husband due to her addiction to gambling.

She pleaded with him in court not to go through with it and finally agreed to make a public statement in the local paper. Basically, she has publicly declared that if she ever gambles again her husband can divorce her - no questions asked.

Apart from the staggering facts attached to the story, this one grabbed me because, of late, I too have been dabbling with a new-found gentle attraction to gambling.

Apart from a torrid time as a teenager when the attraction of fruit machines became just a bit too much to handle and the odd couple of quid with the girls from Ladbrokes on a Saturday at Easter Road, I've never been what you could call a betting man.

That was until recently when I was drawn to a fantastic set on the internet - and, before you ask, no, not that kind of set. I'm talking about a Texas Hold'Em Poker set containing cards, chips and even a cut of green cloth in case you don't have a card table handy.

The idea of sitting round a mate's kitchen table with a stack of chips in front of you, knocking back a couple of beers and dealing some cards with the lads seemed ideal. I was so excited I even bought an extra tin of a hundred chips.

Now I'm not advocating everyone gets into trouble by suddenly throwing themselves into a draw of the cards, but played sensibly this is actually a great way to spend an evening.

This sudden found desire for a flush or a full house hasn't come completely out of the blue. Some might say there is even method in my madness as a small group of friends and myself are saving up for our 40th birthdays when we all plan to head to Las Vegas for the ultimate boys' weekend.

There is a small concern amongst us that we will arrive and not really know what to do. This is where my wee poker set comes in.

By my reckoning, if we start practising now, we should be up to speed by the time we all hit the big 4-0 in two years' time. (I know, I know, I don't look it!)

I decided to schedule the first poker night last Thursday so we could all go over the rules and slowly pick up the game together. I duly got word around all seven lads and, let me tell you, we may all be married with children these days, but it doesn't take much to get us lads out for a night with the boys.

Aye, right.

Three out of a potential seven turned up. Me (of course), Mino (it was his house) and Paul (he lives in Bonnyrigg now, so is always keen on a night in Edinburgh). Not exactly a full house, but more than enough to get a couple of hands in.

A top night followed and there were plenty empties to tidy up by the time we were finished. As it was a learning process, no money was at stake, but I can't guarantee that will always be the case, especially as three of us now have one night's advantage on the rest of the lads.

I have to admit I am getting more and more into poker, which by all accounts is becoming more and more cool. Just check some digital TV channels of an evening and you'll see a number of shows featuring pros and celebs all huffing and bluffing their way through seven cards.

But will it get to such a state that I will have to publicly declare that if, like the Chinese lady, I'm caught gambling, my wife can divorce me? To be honest, I don't think things will ever be that drastic.

However, if I had to publicly promise that if I ever went near a Chinese takeaway I'd get a divorce, I may find myself ordering the special banquet for one. Unless, of course, the lads were coming round for a game of cards!

Slots debated in briefs

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Authors of the state's slot-machine gambling law slipped it past an uninformed Legislature, opponents wrote in Supreme Court briefs filed Friday, while the legislation's defenders contended it was constitutional and subject to plenty of debate. State Supreme Court justices will hear arguments March 9 in the lawsuit, which could have significant bearing on whether the newly legalized slot machines can deliver property tax relief in Pennsylvania in the next few years. Five lawmakers, religious groups, good-government advocates, and gambling opponents sued in December. Gov. Ed Rendell, Attorney General Tom Corbett, the newly created Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and legislative leaders are defending the seven-month-old law.

Tribe faces many hurdles

JEMEZ, N.M. -- Jemez Pueblo wants to open a casino in southern New Mexico, but the tribe is finding out that off-reservation ventures are facing increased opposition. The pueblo and Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters have an option to buy a privately owned parcel of land at a busy location next to Interstate 10 between Las Cruces and El Paso, Texas. The pueblo is seeking to put 78 acres of the property into federal trust. Peters is an investor in the project. In 2004, the pueblo submitted a trust application to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs regional office in Albuquerque. If approved, the land would become part of the Jemez reservation. But the tribe could be looking at a long battle to get the initiative approved, according to gambling and tribal experts. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, is considering introducing an amendment to the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to ban or restrict off-reservation development projects. The measure would prohibit tribes from acquiring land in another state for gambling operations.

Taverns told to fold 'em BAY CITY, Mich. -- Players might argue otherwise, but state regulators say there's enough luck to Texas hold 'em to make it illegal for bars to host the wildly popular poker game. "Gambling activities in places with a liquor license are illegal," said Barbara Subastian, deputy director of enforcement for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. The commission in November ordered Art Dore Jr., owner of the Hooters restaurant in Bay City, to shut down a Texas hold 'em tournament that had drawn 25 to 40 people over several nights.

Police bust illegal game CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Officers from the Cheyenne Police Department cited seven people at a bowling alley for playing Texas hold 'em, a poker game, a news release said. Officers went to Two Bar Bowling to investigate potential gambling offenses Friday. When the officers arrived, seven people were playing hold 'em for money. The players were issued a summons and a $250 fine for gambling. The establishment's owner was also cited for giving the gamblers a place to play.

Fargo considers more sites FARGO, N.D. -- A bar owner wants charitable organizations to have at least half as many gambling sites as their counterparts in neighboring Moorhead, Minn. Brad Hemerick has asked city leaders to raise Fargo's limit on charitable gambling sites from two to three per organization. Hemerick says there are businesses looking for gambling organizations with none available.

The City Commission is set to debate the request today.