Poker at The Ohio State University
The number of distinguished graduates of The Ohio State University is so great that it takes an entire wall outside the ballroom in the Union building to accommodate all their signatures. From cartoonists to astronauts, surgeons to football players, the array of skills represented by those who have worn Buckeye sweatshirts is truly impressive. And while it's not likely that skill at bluffing with an unsuited 6-2 is going to lead to an invitation to sign that wall, it's unquestionably true that a very large number of Ohio State students are developing increasing competence at poker.
With more than 50,000 students attending Ohio State, it's no surprise that virtually every imaginable variation on the campus poker scene is to be in Columbus. From spontaneous pickup games in residence-hall rooms to well-organized tournaments in bars near campus; from two-dollar buy-ins to games with pots that could supply an English major with the cash to buy the collected works of Gertrude Stein. From hot and contemporary hold'em to traditional draw and stud games, pretty much any kind of poker craving can be satisfied in any quadrant on campus. From the new South Campus gateway to north of Scott House, and on any number of floors of Lincoln Tower and the other Olentangy residences, there's always a poker game to be found.
Students interested in playing on campus will find plenty of interesting options available, some of them officially sanctioned by the university. For example, an on-campus event awhile back drew more than 300 students who played for the opportunity to compete in the final rounds against Daniel Negreanu, the tournament's celebrity guest. Other residence-hall activities have included introductions to poker for the novices on campus who haven't been educated by the popular TV poker showdowns.
Gaining knowledge from friends and acquaintances is a tradition at OSU.
In learning communities, a distinctive academic-plus-residential arrangement at Ohio State, certain groups of students share not just living space, but classes and free-time activities. Not surprisingly, some of these live-and-take-classes-and-study-together groups have found themselves drifting into poker as a favorite leisure-time activity. It is not true, however, that the "Exploration Learning Community," which helps undecided undergraduates discover the majors and careers they're best suited for, is going to add "professional poker player" to such recent options as zoo worker and "turf grass science."
According to Nishanta, who graduated in 2002 with degrees in both math and chemistry, Ohio State offers "a myriad of different games." While in OSU's medical school during the two years following graduation, he participated in a tournament sponsored by med-school students that raised money for charity. With both a $10 buy-in and a $1 shootout fee that provided a pool of money for the lucky and skillful players who took out specified targets, the tournament provided great fun for dozens of enthusiasts, cash bonuses for the shootout winners and a significant sum for charity. (Nishanta, by the way, would have fared better in that particular outing if his pocket eights hadn't run head-on into another med student's pocket tens.)
