Which Is More Difficult, Poker or a Ph.D.?
Had a hand right before -- and during -- the break we wanted to share.
With the board reading 
and about 18,000 in the middle already, a player had bet all in with his last 16,000, sending Michael Binger into deep, deep contemplation.
And when we say deep, we ain't kidding. This was the sort of serious study that resembled that which was probably required for that Ph.D. in theoretical physics Binger earned from Stanford University. The hand began about five minutes before the break began, and we were 10 minutes into the break before Binger finally made his decision. No shinola.
"Feel free to call the clock," Binger said along the way, but his amiable opponent refused to do so. Binger estimated out loud his opponent's possible hands. "8-9-10-J with hearts?" he said. He noted what to all watching had become obvious -- he thought it was a very close call.
"Wanna chop it?" he asked, and they both laughed.
Finally he delivered a summary of the work he had done. "Even though against your range I have a slight chip equity," he said, "I like having this many chips." He pointed to his stack of roughly 34,000.
At last he folded, and after all that his opponent was willing to show his 
.
"Oh man, I shoulda called," grinned Binger.
Onto to Level 9.