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 — slowplaying 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 ...
BUT WHAT IF YOU WEREN ’ T INVITED AT ALL ? WHAT IF YOU WEREN ’ T ONE OF “ THE BOYS ”?
* Don ' t worry if this makes no sense to you — we ' ll see you through .
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