Poker Convention Gig

[Content Disclosure: Poker 44%, Poker Related Job 44%, Viable Income Stream 44%, Actual Use of Ph.D. 34%, Life Goes On 24%, Hillary Clinton -3%, Barack Obama -3%, John McCain -14%]

I got an offer recently to do a poker presentation at a business conference at the Four Seasons Hotel here in Las Vegas. The idea was for me to be the "entertainment" at the opening evening of the Collection and Recovery Solutions 2008 Conference.

It was an interesting and I believe successful foray into another area of both revenue and further combining my skills at public speaking and my knowledge of poker. The event was the open bar, open appetizer (the lobster corn dogs were great!) and multiple-booth evening session. This meant there were lots of people wandering among the fifty or so booths where various companies displayed their products. Down at the far end, near one of the many bars was a poker table and a really great set-up for me to do my "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Poker" routine. I had a full professional table with chips, cards etc. Great lighting and even an overhead camera to project the flop cards on the wall.

Basically, I dealt Texas Hold'em to an ever changing cast of players, while discussing the basics of Hold'em to the first table of novices; where to play in Las Vegas to the next table of players, some intermediate strategy when the onlookers wanted to know why I made the lady in seat one play her straight flush draw and near the end of the evening a group of fairly knowledgeable players got to play several hands I had set-up earlier with my spare decks.

All in all, it went very well and I am now circulating myself to the various convention bookers in Las Vegas for future performances. The Poker Shrink on All Things Poker in Las Vegas. Suggestions for a better title are solicited.