BBK’s Poker Club
The Bolt Burdon Kemp Poker Club is one of many clubs that enable our employees to socialise, build connections and have fun together. Our Poker Club has been running for several years and has more recently become part of the firm’s Wellbeing Wednesdays initiative.
Wellbeing Wednesdays was created after the Covid-19 lockdown to help us look after our bodies and minds. As well as poker, some other clubs that form part of the scheme are Chess Club, Games Club, Film Club and Book Club.
Poker Club was able to continue during the lockdown periods via remote meetings and using online gaming platforms. It now continues in the Clubhouse, on the top floor of our new office, which is also the setting of our other clubs and fitness activities including yoga, Pilates, HIIT, meditation and mindfulness classes.
Poker fits well into the wellbeing ethos. It enables communal interaction whilst also improving mathematical and judgement skills. Players learn how to read people and situations. The game also feeds the competitive appetite that so many of our lawyers and other staff members have.
Whilst there is some rivalry between the regular attendees, it’s all in the name of good fun.
There are several variations of poker. At Poker Club we play Texas Hold’em, which involves every player being dealt two cards face down and then five further shared cards are gradually dealt face up. The aim is to use your two cards and also the five communal cards to make the best five card hand possible. Hands could range from anything from a simple high card or pair all the way up to a royal flush.
There are various tactics to the game. One example would be to play it safe and only bet when you have two good cards in your hand. Alternatively, a player may decide to try to bluff the other players by betting high when they actually have two poor cards in their hand.
We welcome staff members of all abilities, from novices to experienced players. Practice hands are dealt before the games get started for those who would like to learn or need a refresher. We play using felt tables to give Poker Club that casino feel. There are also always plenty of drinks, snacks and pizzas to keep us all fuelled until the last two players go head to head, otherwise known as “heads-up poker”.
