All in the Game (of Thrones) Yo, All in the Game

[user253757]

Level 1 : 50/75, 0 ante

With best friends Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari sitting one table apart, the conversation has been free flowing to begin this first day of six handed action.

During a recent hand involving Laak and an unknown opponent, the "Unabomber" three-bet to 425 from the button, after the other player opened for 175 in the cutoff. On the flop of , the opponent checked to Laak, and then called the longtime pro's bet of 625, bringing the to the table on the turn.

Around that time, Laak's partner in crime sauntered over to the table, ostensibly to ask how Laak was progressing in his binge watching sessions of HBO's hit series and pop culture sensation Game of Thrones.

"You made it to Season 3 yet?," he asked, while Laak contemplated a sudden lead out of 1,100 by his time wizened opponent. "It's the greatest show of all-time."

Thinking the two were talking about HBO's other critically acclaimed series, fellow pro Shannon Shorr chimed in, saying "The Wire is the best."

Perhaps distracted by pondering the similarities between Westeros and Baltimore, both places of extreme danger where the wrong choice can result in death, Laak elected to surrender the hand, his conversation with Esfandiari never skipping a beat even as he tossed his cards into the muck.