What's your favorite poker memory?

I asked local folks that question at a recent hold 'em fundraiser in Moline, Ill., to help military veterans. Here's what I found out:

Tom R. was playing at the World Series this summer in Las Vegas when Dennis Phillips, a popular WSOP main event finalist in 2008, sat down right next to him. "He was very personable. I already was a fan just from watching him on TV," Tom said.

First-time player Amanda S. made the local tournament's final table, then later said she was thrilled because "I wasn't the first one knocked out!" (See the event's results at luckydogpoker.com.)

Scott H. recalled the five-card draw games he played with friends back in the 1970s for pennies, nickels and dimes. "As we got a little older, we upped the stakes a little, but mostly we were just there to have fun," he said.

Dick R. remembered a huge pot he won with pocket A-A in a $3-$6 limit hold 'em home game. The flop was A-K-K! He let a woman holding A-K on his left lead the betting each round. At showdown, she exclaimed, "You (blankety-blank), why didn't you bet?" Dick calmly replied: "I didn't have to. You were doing it for me."

Barry P. ticked off an opponent in a local casino's no-limit game. Barry raised pre-flop to $25 with pocket queens and got three callers. Everyone checked the K-10-10 flop, but an aggressive opponent fired $30 and $50 bets on meaningless turn and river cards. Barry called him down. When the guy saw his pocket eights were no good, "he blows up, calls me the biggest donkey he's ever seen."

Friendly home games with buddies from Arsenal Island, a local Army military installation, were the favorite memory for David T. "A case of beer, a few chips and just enough of a pot so that no one got hurt too much," he said.

Teri S., a volunteer dealer at local Army tournaments, said she was just as excited as the winner of a key all-in hand when the last community card she dealt gave the player a straight flush. "The underdog came out a winner!" she said.

Bryan B. recalled a $3-$6 limit hold 'em hand he played at a local card room. He was dealt J-7, and the flop came J-7-J! He slow-played his powerhouse hand and let a young guy holding pocket sevens take the betting lead. "He was not happy to see my hand. His girlfriend took him away from the game immediately."

The best come-from-behind story belonged to Austin H., who faced a 10-to-1 chip deficit heads-up in the spring 2009 Arsenal Island tournament. "I came back and won, which got me into the worldwide Army championship event," he said. "That's my style. I never give up."

Chuck L.'s favorite experience was at a casino in Tama, Iowa, where the flop gave him top pair and a flush draw. He aggressively raised his female opponent on every betting round. She hit a straight, but Chuck's winning flush came on the last card. "She got mad and said I played the hand like an idiot. At the end of the evening, she apologized," he said.

Poker novice Becky P. said the fundraising tournament might give her some poker courage. "My husband always asks me to go with him to the casino and play, but I always say no because I wasn't confident," she said. "I think this event will help me get my confidence up."

Confidence wasn't an issue for Curtis L. "We played all the time when I was in the Army, usually five-card draw or Omaha. We were all MPs (military police), so the games never got too wild and crazy," he said with a smile.

Bob S. had a wild time last fall, winning the local United Way charity hold 'em event against about 240 players. He received a bracelet, a jacket, a trip for two to Las Vegas and a seat at a World Poker Tour Academy training seminar. "It will be a nice holiday, but I play for fun, not the money," he said.

Steve G. remembered the poker spree he and five buddies had in Vegas a few years ago. "The wives and girlfriends stayed home!" he said.

For Sherry M., poker at home used to be a holiday highlight. "My family all got together to play — mom, dad, aunts, uncles, cousins," she said. "We bonded over poker. It was a tradition. I miss it."

E-mail your poker questions and comments to [email protected] for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.