First, a correction to my earlier post about the money bridge studio in Houston. I received an email from Betty Freedman yesterday who informed me that regular customers settle their tabs monthly rather than at the end of each session, something which makes it easier to pop in and play for an hour. Like pretty much every other bridge entity in the US nowadays, it's also a smoke-free establishment. I remember when bridge clubs and tournaments had smoking and non-smoking sections, and as with airplanes and restaurants, the distinction was mostly artificial. Anyway, there you have it.

As for poker, I'm afraid it's bad news. I called the Harris County District Attorney's office this morning and spoke to a woman who had already fielded a question about poker tournaments. As with Lubbock, a tournament that charged entry fees and awarded prizes to winners would be illegal in Harris County. Don't despair too much, though. Given the multiple attempts to expand the scope of legal gambling in Texas last spring and the obvious need of more revenue sources, both for school finance reform and general state funding, I will not be at all surprised if this becomes available in a few years.