Marines find new way to practice tactics

Photo By Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe | A Marine shuffles a deck of playing cards before dealing to the participants of a Texas Hold’em tournament at The Palms Club on Camp Hansen, Oct. 1. A tournament takes place every weekend at different enlisted clubs throughout Okinawa.  

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN

10.01.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP HANSEN, Japan - Nearly 50 chess and poker players shuffled decks of cards and arranged game pieces during a chess and Texas Hold’em tournament at The Palms Club on Camp Hansen, Japan, Oct. 1.

The event allowed participants the opportunity of entering into either poker or chess tournaments, said Alexander F. Demitras, club operations assistant with The Palms Club.

Chess and poker are good games to build a military mindset, said Demitras, who works with service members daily.

“You have to think three moves ahead of your opponent or you’re toast,” he added.

The tournaments were open to all status of forces agreement personnel.

Participants in the chess tournament played until they lost twice, while the poker players were eliminated when they ran out of poker chips.

“Everyone walks from the table a winner,” said. Paul N. Lane, a poker participant. “It’s the equal social environment that draws people to play. You can be a businessman making $100,000 a year and your odds of winning at poker will be the same as a school teacher who makes $50,000. It makes for some interesting conversations.”

Whether competing against a circle of opponents in poker or facing off one-on-one in chess, each contest requires patience, strategy, foresight and luck, said Edwin G. Vargas, a participant.

“It’s important to know how to read your opponent’s body language and try and pick up on their strategy,” said Vargas.
Poker tournaments are hosted every weekend at the different enlisted clubs on island, while chess tournaments are held less frequently, according to Demitras.

“Hosting tournaments like this is one of the ways that we look to help Marines stay entertained,” said Demitras.

The poker tournament ended in a tie between Lane and Abel H. Rosario, while Nickolas A. Wolff took home first-place honors in chess.

“It was a good time,” said Rosario. “The only way that this tournament would’ve gone better is if I could play chess and poker at the same time.”

• Date Taken: 10.01.2011
• Date Posted: 10.05.2011 18:56
• Story ID: 78080
• Location: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP