Tournament of Politics

Campaign 2008 as a Texas Hold'em Tournament.

We've returned from a commercial break, and now join the hand in progress at the final table.
It's still any body's game

We still haven't seen the flop. Bets are being made, three players in the hand, and the players are sizing each other up with a little not-so-friendly banter.

Clinton might be on tilt at this point, judging by her tells. But her image at the table has been a bit erratic, so it's a bit hard to read her. That bluster we've been seeing in the last few hands could be calculated for effect. Her name is well known in poker circles, but this is her first tournament at this level. Even so, she was an early favorite to make it to the final table.

McCain looks confident, and will surely play tight until one of the other two is eliminated. He was short stacked early in the tournament, but he's come back strong. He's virtually guaranteed a spot in heads up, so why waste his chips on a risky bet right now?

And Obama? He's the youngest player in the tournament, and it's also his first presidential tournament. He's holding his own, has been reading his opponents well, and has a good shot at a seat in the final two. He's got some really enthusiastic fans in the audience, and he's representing a strong hand. He's slightly ahead of Clinton, just going by their chip count. But I think he's been the more consistent player throughout, and I'm going with Obama for the win.

How about you, Bob? Who's your pick to win?