ALL IN
Somewhere in an off-campus apartment, students are shuffling
cards and stacking chips for what appears to be a friendly poker
game. You can bet on it.
The game looks like any old boys' club. Someone gnaws the end
of a toothpick. Players share their bad beat stories. The game
may seem more about the conversation than the cards, but
don’t be fooled by the back-slapping.
The amount of cash a college student can put on the table may
be low-stakes, but making a move on an opponent—
slow-playing the flop; check-raising on the turn*—carries as much
gravity as it would in any room at a Las Vegas casino. Even with
less skin in the game, an aggressive play or a misstep can put a
player on tilt and turn a friend into a rival.
It’s difficult enough to walk into a home game when you’ve been
invited. You take a seat, fold hands, show little emotion when
you lose and even less when you win. The goal is to get invited
back week after week ...
*Don't worry if this makes no sense to you—we'll see you through.
BUT WHAT IF YOU WEREN’T INVITED
AT ALL? WHAT IF YOU WEREN’T ONE
OF “THE BOYS”?
