Visitors to Washington may wonder where the smoke-filled rooms have gone, where power brokers can kibbitz over a stogie and shape deals that steer the country.

They’re gone, except for some, ahem, rarefied air in the Capitol and spots here and there.

In case you’re not one of those privy to the inner smoke-filled sanctums where Speaker John A. Boehner lights up, there is still a place where patrons can drink a cold one, light a cigar and chew the fat on one of the capital’s great mysteries: Will the Washington Nationals make the playoffs?

Shelly’s Back Room (1331 F St. NW) tonight is hosting “Light Up with Loverro,” a chance to watch the Nats-Phillies game and hang out with sports columnist Thom Loverro, co-host of ESPN 980’s “The Sports Fix.” Loverro, for those not familiar, is a throwback sports journalist — earthy, wise-cracking and gleefully irreverent — the perfect fit for the 980 crowd. What kind of Nats talk can you expect? Well, here’s one of his recent tweets: “Think #Nationals
should have a Steve McCatty Playgirl bobblehead night” — a reference to recent revelations that the Nats’ pitching coach posed for Playgirl back in the 1980s during his playing days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTL03odTFio

It all starts at 7 p.m. at Shelly’s, which will also be running beer specials to go with the ball-game atmosphere.