Cheap and Free Events in Dallas This Week

Texas Hold 'Em Tournament
Trinity Hall
5321 E. Mockingbird Lane
7:15 p.m. Monday
Free
Someone once said that if you're playing “a friendly game of poker” then you're really not playing poker at all. Poker is a game of deception, psychological manipulation and occasional cruelty. It's about fleecing your fellow man. Well, let's just hope the Mr. Grumpy Poker Puss who said that doesn't show up at Trinity Hall (5321 E. Mockingbird Lane) on Monday night when they host a weekly no-cost, family friendly Texas hold 'em tournament. The game is played for bragging rights, a few gift certificates and a chance to return next week to the championship table. And fun, which should come pretty easy since the games in a pub that pours a fine glass of Guinness, plus Irish whiskey alonside a mean plate of fish and chips. Maybe that's not “real” poker, but it sounds a lot more enjoyable sitting across from mum douche in a ball cap, mirror shades and a loud shirt who's trying to fleece you. Sign-up is at 7:15 p.m. and the games run 7:30 p.m. till 9 p.m., with an eight-person finals table playing 9:30 p.m. till 11 p.m. Visit trinityhall.tv. – Patrick Williams

Drawing:Attn
Holly Johnson Gallery
1845 Levee St.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
Free
Houston-based artist John Adelman shares his latest collection of work, consisting of ink drawings on canvas in an exhibit titled Drawing:Attn. In his fifth solo show at Holly Johnson Gallery, 1845 Levee St., Adelman goes outside traditional boundaries of canvas pieces, literally and figuratively, with some pieces in the exhibit physically manipulated to join them with others. Varying in size, subject and resources, Adelman’s meticulous gel ink drawings accumulate through heavy layering, turning a nuts-and-bolts canvas platform into an opulent backdrop of rich ink strokes. Drawing: Attn is on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through Dec. 23. The exhibit is free to attend. For more information, visit hollyjohnsongallery.com. – Diamond Victoria

Video Game Night
Renfield's Corner
2603 Routh St.
9 p.m. Tuesday
Free
Do modern video games confuse you? Do you long for a time when controllers had fewer buttons than the control panel of an Apollo spacecraft? Renfield’s Corner (2603 Routh St.) will take you back to the magical days of video-games-gone-by — the early '90s. At 9 p.m. every Tuesday, the Irish pub dusts off its collection of video-game consoles for Video Game Night, when customers can compete at new and classic arcade-style games such as Mario Kart 64 for the Nintendo 64, Dr. Mario for the original NES and the recent reboot of Mortal Kombat. If you fancy yourself something of a video-game wizard, you can even compete in a bracket-style tournament for the chance to win special prizes. Admission is free. – Danny Gallagher

Ewing Night
Dallas Comedy House
3025 Main St.
9:30 p.m. Thursday
$10
Texas may not have left as big of a mark on the art of comedy as places like the Borscht Belt scene in the Catskills or Chicago’s storied Second City theater, but at least we’re trying. And for once we’re not referring to the fact that Rick Perry gave Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show some of its best material since Dick Cheney mistook lawyers for quail. What we’re talking about is our beloved Dallas Comedy House, which has come up with its own unique way to deliver comedy with its weekly Ewing Show, in which some of the club’s stellar performers create a fully improvised scene based on audience suggestions. See it at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday nights at the Dallas Comedy House, 3025 Main St., for just $10 at the door. – Danny Gallagher

Commerce Street Night Market
444 W. Commerce St.
6-10 p.m. Friday
Free
In 2014, Little D Markets jumped on the opportunity to bring people into lovely spaces that weren’t being championed for community events. Thanks to Little D, we have the Commerce Street Night Market, 444 W. Commerce St., from 6 to 10 p.m. the last Friday of each month in the Pike West Commerce outdoor pavilion. The free, open-air market offers a family-friendly stroll with live music; food options to satisfy cravings for tamales, ice pops and more; and vendors selling wares ranging from clothing to natural skincare to stained glass to pet attire. The Oddfellows-run bar will serve beer, wine and watermelon sangria while DJ Durty Laundry spins tunes. Culture vultures will appreciate the pottery workshop by James Olney of Oak Cliff Pottery from 7 to 9 p.m. For more details, visit the event page on Facebook. To learn about becoming a vendor or hosting a workshop, visit littledmarkets.com. – Merritt Martin

Soul Bounce
Ship's Lounge
1613 Greenville Ave.
9 p.m. Saturday
Free
Wanz Dover and a rotating guest list of some of the city's best soul DJs throw a retro party, touching on funk, soul, psyche rock, surf, protopunk, garage rock and other assorted old school jams, every Saturday night at Ships Lounge. With tunes from Velvet Underground to Otis Redding, this weekly Lower Greenville gig is a great alternative for those not wanting to brave Deep Ellum on its busier nights. It's truly a night dedicated to perfect dive bar jams for mods and rockers of all stripes. – Diamond Victoria

Board Game Night
Alamo Drafthouse Richardson
100 S. Central Expressway
5 p.m. Sunday
Free
We may have the most advanced video gaming technology in the history of the medium, but the board game will never die. They're way more immersive than an Oculus Rift headset can ever hope to be, and the most inclusive form of friendly competition. A board game can be deceptively simple and become ridiculously complex in a matter of minutes. Alliances are tested and rivalries are formed. Of course, booze always makes the experience better. That’s why Glass Half Full bar and restaurant at The Alamo Drafthouse hosts a free, regular board game night at 5 p.m. Sunday. Players can enjoy a game of “Munchkin,” “Settlers of Catan,” “Say Anything!” or “Arkham Horror” or play a game from their private collections. The Alamo Drafthouse is located at 100 South Central Expressway in Richardson. For more information, visit drafthouse.com/dfw. – Danny Gallagher