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Poker
Topic Started: Aug 15 2005, 04:38 PM (394 Views)
Hoss
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Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
They played poker on the Enterprise quite a bit. They even used little silvery chips. My question:

What did the chips represent? Did they play for actual objects of value, some sort of credit? Money is supposed to be nonexistent in the Federation. It isn't like Voyager where there was rationing of replicator and holodecks. Did they just play for fun? Favors? Prestige? Promotions?
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DEFIANT
Commodore
They were just "playing." Just I like do, even though I have (some) money in this century.
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Hoss
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Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
Poker kind of loses its appeal a bit, if there is nothing to risk. Maybe that is just me, but when I am playing for nothing but fun, I start taking all sorts of stupid risks because it doesn't matter. :lol:
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Swidden
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
Even though it has been hotly debated time and again, I suspect there still had to be some kind of economic value system in the 24th century. Some form of expediting trade between individuals and providers of goods and services. Likely the chips represented this valuation system in some way.
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gdog243
Rear Admiral
Poker was a recreational activity on the Enterprise. The chips were just there to give the game completion and since it was a fun activity and R&R, the chips just represented chips.
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Franko
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Shower Moderator


Hmmm... I tend to disagree. I think that they were playing for some kind of stakes, however trivial they may have been in the overall scheme of things. I recall the first time Wesley plays poker with the "clique" he is actually quite nervous, and certainly hesitant to call Riker's hand. That other time that Shelby calls Riker and wins the pot he's pretty dismayed. Pretty odd reactions for a game of 'go fish' that has no consequences.

It may be that the chips represented holodeck priveliges, or even desserts at Ten Forward. The fact of the matter that playing poker for no stakes whatsoever is a waste of time. You could call every hand without liability to yourself, no matter what you were holding. There would be no point in even making a bet, bluffing, or the thrill of filling an inside straight.

Trust me.


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8247
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Apparently we look like this now
I agree. Trust Franko. ;)

He is right. :yes:
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24thcenstfan
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Something Wicked This Fae Comes
I always got the sense that the win was the bragging right. Nothing else.

After all, they got all of their food, clothing or anything else they needed for free (i.e. had access to replicators). Even in Ten Forward, they never seemed to indicate that credits were used or needed to obtain food/drink. I don't think there was ever a need to bargain for holodeck privileges. There always seemed to be one free whenever one was needed. :lol:

Hmmm.... now that I think about it. Were replicated gifts ever rationed?


Regardless, I am going to stick with bragging rights.
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gdog243
Rear Admiral
Wesley being nervous might have been because he was stepping out of his nerdy self. He's always studying, and if I was like that, playing with the "Big boys" might make me nervous too.
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Swidden
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Adm. Gadfly-at-large; Provisional wRench-fly at large
24thcenstfan
Aug 15 2005, 06:57 PM
After all, they got all of their food, clothing or anything else they needed for free (i.e. had access to replicators). Even in Ten Forward, they never seemed to indicate that credits were used or needed to obtain food/drink. I don't think there was ever a need to bargain for holodeck privileges. There always seemed to be one free whenever one was needed. :lol:

Isn't it possible that the ships computer, which seemed to do a very good job of keeping track of the crew at all times, might not have also simultaneously automatically debited their accounts?

There was commercial a couple of years back that featured a guy in trench coat walking into a store and grabbing all sorts of food items before walking out. A security guard comes after him but only to return some item he dropped, not to arrest him for shoplifting. The jist of the commercial was that in a few years smart technology will eliminate grocery store check out lines. My guess is that by the 24th century they've done that. All they've really eliminated is the actual transfer of currency or some other physical means needed to debit the account. Since it's all automatic, there is no point or need to discuss the actual transaction.
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Fesarius
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Admiral
Quote:
 
Poker kind of loses its appeal a bit, if there is nothing to risk. Maybe that is just me, but when I am playing for nothing but fun, I start taking all sorts of stupid risks because it doesn't matter.

I agree with this, for the most part. It's especially true when I am playing Poker with our children. It can be played for fun, but without risk, something is lacking. With our children we just see who has piled up the most chips by the end of the night, and that person is the big 'winner.' :D

Wesley's reaction to being bluffed by Riker intimates (to me) that he lost something quite valuable to him, although I have no idea what it could be.
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captain_proton_au
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A Robot in Disguise

Do they still use toilet paper in the 24th century, or is there some kind of sonic bideau?
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Hoss
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Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
captain_proton_au
Aug 16 2005, 08:05 AM
Do they still use toilet paper in the 24th century, or is there some kind of sonic bideau?

Transporter technology put to its most noble purpose. ;)
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Hoss
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Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
Fesarius
Aug 16 2005, 07:20 AM
Quote:
 
Poker kind of loses its appeal a bit, if there is nothing to risk. Maybe that is just me, but when I am playing for nothing but fun, I start taking all sorts of stupid risks because it doesn't matter.

I agree with this, for the most part. It's especially true when I am playing Poker with our children. It can be played for fun, but without risk, something is lacking. With our children we just see who has piled up the most chips by the end of the night, and that person is the big 'winner.' :D

Wesley's reaction to being bluffed by Riker intimates (to me) that he lost something quite valuable to him, although I have no idea what it could be.

pride, perhaps.
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Fesarius
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Admiral
^^^
That could be. :)
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