Plenty of Poker Faces in Aldie T
By Leonard Shapiro
here were many memorable lyrics in the iconic Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, including a paean to the “Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York.” Locally, just make it the Oldest Established Permanent Floating Poker Game in Aldie.
It’s the 30th anniversary of a monthly neighborhood game called “The Retired Gentleman’s Afternoon Poker Game,” or RGAP. The first group was called RGAP1, and it’s now up to RGAP3.
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Tucker Withers, owner of the Little River Inn and the unofficial mayor of Aldie, has been all-in from the start. The Gentleman portion is no longer applicable. His wife, Mary Ann, is now a regular, and for good measure, their son, 35-year-old Calder, also plays. The game had its origins at the annual Christmas Shop at Middleburg’s Emmanuel Episcopal Church. A congregant, the late Andy Bergner, recruited some friends to serve as bartenders. Then he asked if any of them played poker. Tucker already sat in on several games, but joined immediately, as did his late father-in-law, retired Admiral George Shick. The late Rev. Neale Morgan, Emmanuel’s rector, also was an enthusiastic participant. Tucker is the only survivor from that first bunch, the rest surely playing and, of course, never losing at heavenly RGAP sessions on high. “The first time we played, Andy laid out some cold cuts, chips, pickles, beer and soda,” Tucker said. “After three hours, he looked at me and George and said, ‘Do you two guys already know each other?’ He didn’t know George was my father-in-law.” Tucker comes by poker naturally. His late mother, Virginia, loved to play. “She has a full house on her tombstone,” he said. “Three queens and a pair of sevens.”
MIDDLEBURG SUSTAINABLE COMMITTEE| Spring 2022
