You have obviously never attended our Caltech home game :P

(sorry, searching for my SN, natch).

I need to get myself over to the USA just to join in one of these games! Maths + poker + alcohol sounds like my version of heaven!!!

I'm actually not in the US anymore, but the guy organizing them (a bigwig at JPL) still does one every time on of the old homegame members visits (there's a lot of turnover in astro).

http://www.deucescracked.com/blogs/b...-The-home-game

We've got a homegame here in Germany, but it's not as much fun. But there is still alcohol and even some math involved.

Why would anybody do this?

Because, strange as it might seem, not everyone who plays poker is a relentless sociopath focused solely upon winning every last chip on the table by any means necessary.

Occasionally, someone who actually likes the social aspect of poker finds their way into the game, and often that someone is motivated by wanting to be respected as well as being liked; and they see demonstrating their l33t p0k3r kn0wl1j as a path to being respected. Also, flagging 2+2 is a way to show other possible 2p2ers that one is a member of the club, and thereby earn "insider" status with them.

From a Mum Poker perspective, talking about 2+2 is obviously a bad idea. Not everyone at the table agrees that Mum Poker is a good idea.

Right, but at the table it's almost never a good idea to bring up strategy or hint at it. If somebody asks away from the table how to improve their game and somebody mentions 2+2, then that's perfectly fine.

Names, no. Addresses, yes.

That's actually why I don't like getting chips at the table: I have to sign the form at the table while the people around me memorize my address and account balance.

Why would I have to avoid it? Why would it ever even come up?

I never say 'Sup Bro....