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Through the curling smoke, you eye evil Black Jake with suspicion. Do those tobacco stained fingers conceal a winning flush? Billy the Kid leans back in his chair and fingers his gun suggestively. Doc Holliday strokes his chin and regards you through hooded, hostile eyes. You stare at your hand, seeing the cards through a panic-stricken mist. Should bluff it out and raise them? Stick? Fold? You've got $200 riding on this...

Moll the barmaid appears at your shoulder and you turn to her frantically for advice. You are an innocent in a den of lions, and you know it. "Stick," she whispers in your ear. Matt Dillon swears under his breath and throws in his hand. Joshua Smith grins and raises another $20. You sweat. The Mayor wipes his brow and sticks. So does Black Jake.

"Stick," breathes Moll into your ear. You do so. Smith follows suit. Black Jake smiles unplasantly. "I'll see you," he greates. The Mayor groans and throws in his hand. Smith shows his cards - a pair of queens. Black Jake turns up a pair of aces and a pair of fives. You show your hand - three fours. You win! With shaking fingers you gather up the cards and deal another round...

This is the flavour of this excellent introduction to Poker, written by the superbly named Tom Pinone. It starts by offering basic instructions, which you can recall at any time, then dumps you in the middle of a smoky saloon among six seasoned players with $1,000 to lose.

You are not entirely alone, however - the computer can sort your hand and make your discards for you, and of course there is always Moll.

The text is blocky and unpleasant to read, but it's also amusing and racy, so what the heck. You can slow down or speed up the action, which continues regardless of whether or not you have folded.

Fancy yourself as a latterday Mavrick? Now's your chance, pardner.