A "Friendly" Card Game

Today after our morning practice our coach decided to give us a well-deserved afternoon off to rest a little bit for our first preseason friendly match tomorrow. As we have afternoon we all decided to cook a lunch at my apartment and hang out as a team to work a little bit on our team chemistry as we are new team and chemistry is important if we are going to have any success on the basketball court. It is important to work on our relationships on the court, but also off the court.

After we cooked and ate lunch together we rested a bit and decided to play 2 vs 2 in a card game called Treseta. It is a traditional card game played in Italy, and in Croatia as well. It is a fun game which demands great concentration and attention. Attention to follow which cards are still in play, and concentration to keep track of it all. As it is not an easy thing to do. The more you are following which cards are out and in the game, you have a better chance of predicting the next opponent move. Just like in any other card games. Memory is important.

Just to teach you little basics of the game. Each game is played to 31 points. The maximum amount of points you can get in one card dealings is 11. We decided that whoever gets first to 3 wins is the winner. Each player gets 10 cards to play with for one dealing. Basically, what you get in those 10 cards, make the most of out it. I am not going to be explaining too much on how the game is played and the rules as it is really not important in this story.

So we all sat down at the table and started playing. After first couple card dealings, I already knew who is counting the cards which left the game and what cards are still in play and who is not. As like I said it is important in this game. The first game me and partner teammate won easily. We were getting good cards and using them well against them. l thought we are going to wipe the floor with these guys. lol But like in any card games getting good hands is a matter of luck. You can't go against bad luck and no good hands.

The second game our luck had turned for the worst. We just could not get any good cards, or when we did my teammate and I could not connect as either I would not have cards he needed or the other way around. We were just not connecting at all. I mean nothing was going our way. While for our two opponents everything was going smooth.

They basically started to kick our butts. We lost games 2 and 3 and they needed only one win to finish us off. They were making fun of us a laughing and we could not do anything about it. The opposing teammate was actually doing this "ridiculous" thing before he would play the card knowing we can't stop him. It was bugging the hell out of me because I could not do anything. lol It is that not liking to lose kind of attitude I have with basketball. But this is not basketball, and I can't control even a tiny little bit of it. The cards just played out this way.

I asked him to repeat his move so I can help you guys imagine his move when we would have good cards. Each card he played he would go like this.lol

I was actually laughing with them while being a bit frustrated on the inside as we just could not get any luck on the draw. I mean nothing. The fourth game started and our luck have not changed at all. Still getting bad hand deals, but we are hanging in there somehow. Before I continue with this story I want to ask you if you believe in karma? Because I believe what I am about to tell you perfect example of it. lol

So this was the deal. They were leading 28-21 in the 4th game and they needed only 3 points in the next dealing to win the game. I thought we were finished as it is really hard to keep them from getting 3 points. But, if anything I am not a quitter. Fight to the end. No matter how hopeless it locked at the moment. And, it did look extremely hopeless. lol So I pick my first 5 cards and notice this is the best hand I had so far in the game. I turn the other 5 cards and it becomes one of the best hands I had in my life. lol Thank you, God. :)

But wait, it gets even better. Not only that I got the great cards, but it looked like my teammate partner and I handpicked each other cards. I had what he needed and he had what I needed. All it needed is for us to synchronize. There is no talking in this game, but there are signs you can use to ask for the cards you need if you partner has them in order to synchronize. And, o boy did we do exactly that. It was like we were reading each other minds, and synchronizing in the symphony of playing cards. I think even Mozart would be proud hearing this symphony of cards. lol

The other guys did not know what hit them and I could not wait to rub it back in their face as they did to us when they were winning. So like he did to us I did same to him and mimicked the move he was doing to us earlier. lol Plus adding some dance moves of mine. lol These are all great guys, so even when their faces turned a bit from happy to a I can't believe it faces, nobody was really getting mad, but rather having fun with it.

We ended up winning 10 points that hand and tying up the series to 2-2. In the deciding match, our luck continued and we were getting some great hands. We ended up whipping the floor with them and the winning 30-9 as they surrendered before we could get our last point. They did not even want to shake our hands. Instead, I heard a lot of Italian curse words. But in a funny kind of way. lol

If this is not the great karma of playing cards than I don't know what is? Life is amazing and karma can be a b.t.h . lol They did celebrate too early and they did sure did rub it in our face, but karma got them good this time. Even though I try not to return the favor by rubbing it back in their faces it was too good not to do it. lol Karma will probably haunt me in the next match I play against them but I don't care. This was well worth it. The looks on their faces were priceless. Priceless I tell you. lol

Anyways, the afternoon was a fun day and to close out this great day we all decided to go for dinner to a pub near our apartment. We got the bragging rights for the day for winning so we used it to joke around a bit during dinner. But, not too much. lol We ended up having a great dinner. Especially, since they ordered 3l of beer like it was October Fest in Italy. I am sure my great friend Uwe Lang would approve. lol Don't worry guys. I am a professional. I ordered water. Aqua per me perfavore. lol

So that is it guys. My eyes are closing from writing this article as it is 1 am here in Cosenza, but I just really wanted to share this story with you guys so I stayed up a bit late. Tomorrow is our first friendly match and I am excited to see what this team can do on the court. If they can play anything like they can drink beer I have nothing to worry about. lol

The moral of the story: Karma is a beautiful thing sometimes. lol

I hope you enjoyed the story, and I hope it brought a smile to your face.

Thank you for reading, much love,

dbjegovic

Previously posted My Life's Journey entries:

My Life's Journey - A first amazing weekend in Cosenza, Italy. Part 2-Part 1/2

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-a-first-amazing-weekend-in-cosenza-italy-part-2-part-1-2

My Life's Journey - A first amazing weekend in Cosenza, Italy. Part 1

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-a-first-amazing-weekend-in-cosenza-italy-part-1

My Life's Journey - The Adventures of Dama(our cat) Part 2

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-the-adventures-of-dama-our-cat-part-2

My Life's Journey - Flying to a new basketball adventure in Cosenza, Italy.

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-flying-to-a-new-basketball-adventure-in-coarsen-italy

My Life's Journey - The Adventures of Dama(our cat). Part 1

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-the-adventures-of-dama-our-cat-part-1

My Life's Journey - Forest fire above my hometown Drnis, on a mountain Promina.

https://steemit.com/news/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-forest-fire-above-my-hometown-drnis-on-a-mountain-promina

My Life's Journey - Forest fire above my hometown Drnis, on a mountain Promina. Progress Report
https://steemit.com/news/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-forest-fire-above-my-hometown-drnis-on-a-mountain-promina-progress-report

My Life's Journey - Unexpected gift on the horizon.

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-unexpected-gift-on-the-horizon

My Life's Journey - Finally rebuilding our home with my father after it was ravaged by war.

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-story-finally-rebuilding-our-home-with-my-father-after-it-was-ravaged-in-war

My Life's Journey - Finally rebuilding our home with my father after it was ravaged by war. Part 2 - Progress

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-finally-rebuilding-our-home-with-my-father-after-it-was-ravaged-by-war-part-2-progress

My Life's Journey - Amazing day with my brother Nikola.

https://steemit.com/tsufamily/@awakentolife/my-life-s-journey-amazing-day-with-my-brother-nikola

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