Q: Who taught you how to play poker?
Karina: My parents play poker, so I would hear all of their bad-beat stories at the dinner table.
Chip: My family played all sorts of games, including chess, Scrabble, and poker. I can remember that there were hold'em books in my house in the early and mid-80's. In fact, I still have a couple of them.
Q: What do you bring with you when you play poker?
Karina: I bring my iPod just in case someone annoying wants to talk to me. I also bring gum just in case someone has terribly bad breath.
Chip: I always make sure that my right front pocket is full of %5 bills for the cocktail waitress, and my left front pocket is full of someone else's $100 bills for me to play poker with.
Q: What do you do when you bust out of a big tournament with a bad beat?
Karina: I usually shake my head, say "nice hand," and then run out of the room screaming.
Chip: I make it a habit to always get it in with the worst of it. That way, I never fall victim to a bad beat.
Q: Do you ever lose concentration when playing in marathonlike events?
Karina: I can see that my game loses some focus toward the end of the night, and I might not be playing as well. So, I usually try to drink some tea and, hopefully, catch my second wind.
Chip: I personally find that concentration is overrated. I would have to find concentration before I could ever lose it.
Q: I have been playing poker for a few years and have had a difficult time meeting girls in poker rooms. Do you have any advice for me?
Karina: Try to get in a game where a girl is playing, and talk to her during the game so that it doesn't seem so obvious or threatening. Otherwise, try Thailand.
Chip: Count your blessings.
