For those who don\’t know, I\’m a mild-mannered programmer by day. Okay, I\’m actually an Internet Applications Developer. But lately, I\’ve been earning the title of C.P.O (Chief Poker Officer). It\’s not a bad gig, either. And since I don\’t do football or fantasy versions thereof, I can rest easy knowing that I\’ve still got a little cooler-speak always on deck. Sure, I might be a lacking conversationalist on almost all other topics, but if you want to debate ways of playing small pairs in early position, well… I have very open-door policy. As I said, It\’s a great gig if you can get it.
I do, however, have a word of caution to any person considering treading this rung of the corporate social ladder. Make sure you can back it up. I would like to believe that I can, however a certain recent event proved anything but.
Still fairly new to the company, I accept the task of co-hosting our IT department\’s newest team-building exercise. A company sponsored, multi-table freezeout. It truly says something about the perception of poker when a well-to-do, finance-based company kicks in for prizes for such an event. No red tape. No talking to legal to ensure that cash games would not break out. For that matter, I should also mention that we were kindly greeted with a keg of beer for what was intended to be a two-table tourney. Not a bad ratio of beer to player.
Tables are setup and chips are distributed. Poker Timer is running on the big screen and away we go. Fast forward to about 30 minutes later. I am dealt 8c8s in early position. I make a 4x raise, as I\’ve been pretty inactive and hope that I have enough image as CPO to induce folds around. Two callers. Board comes 4JJ, rainbow. I bet out and find out that I am exactly where I want to be. A pot size bet is called and the turn brings trash. I am short-stacked and pretty committed at this point. I don\’t want to see any more cards, so I move in. After about 30 seconds of thought, I get called by QhKd. No pair, King high. The turn brings the Queen and the CPO is the first player eliminated. My prize is a well-deserved copy of \”Poker for Dummies,\” which is, semi-ironically, co-authored by one of mine and Dan\’s Hold\’em Radio colleagues, Lou Krieger. Next up in my Amazon wishlist… \”Walking the Walk – for Dummies.\”
