Stuart Pfeifer about to school poker pro Mimi Tran.

In Saturday's Los Angeles Times, reporter Stuart Pfeifer wrote a great first-person essay (along with some cool web features by graphic artist Tia Lai that allow you to "play" some of Pfeifer's hands) about his recent quest to win a World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. I don't want to spoil the ending, but Pfeifer's journey makes for fascinating reading. When not playing Texas Hold 'Em, Pfeifer -- a friend of mine -- has been covering the story of indicted Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona.