The following needs input from HighHanders from their perspectives. Please add these to the banter page. Thanks.

The following is from two people's point of view though:

Pauly says:

The beginnings of this poker society date back to our heady years at Edinburgh university where the first rumblings of a regular game came about in our 2nd year (1997). Several people (The Portuguese Piranha, Origami, Mona Lisa and Friends Pauly - respectively Danny, Mike, Jally and I in the days before their poker names were christened) started to learn poker together and realised we had found our calling. Origami knew Buzz (Simon) had been playing cards since before he could walk and he eagerly joined the group. Buzz proceeded to joyfully liberate us of our money, but unwittingly honed our skills to an extent where the heady level of HighHandedness became a possibility, and soon enough most of us were on similar levels of ability.

The word spread, and others caught the taste for the *slip* of cards being dealt, and the *tinkle* of chips on cloth. 'Porn & Poker' evenings were the rage, although the emphasis was heavily on the porn in those days. Years passed and a thirst for porn developed into an obsession for the pair of aces under.

Throughout the 3rd year, sessions frequently veered towards Mickey Mouse games with as many wilds as possible. "Rolling Anaconda" with Fours, Whores and One-eyed-Knaves wild was guaranteed to relieve the unwary of their cash.

The camp was split between those who reveled in the unpredictability that playing a variety of pokers games brings (Friends Pauly) and those who preferred the "pure" game with no farking about (Buzz), and since the end of Uni the poker game had evolved into a lean, mean Texas Hold'em machine. Who's right? Well poker's a temporally autocratic totalitarian regime - the dealer chooses the game! Everyone agrees though that tournaments are a Hold'em only zone though.

1999 saw the birth of our game as it is today. The first HighHander tournament was held at Gayfield Place, and the founding members of the Poker society staked their claims. Si, Charly, Danny-boy, Pauly, Nutters, Spaghetti, Jally and Paps. Since then other Edinburgh renegades such as Winger, Offord, Tris, Pete and Backgammon-Tom have joined as regulars, as has our token outsider Kamikaze Collins.

Mr T says:

In 1997 a crack commando unit of Poker players was sent to Edinburgh University by a military court for a crime they probably did commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the London underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can play: The HighHanders. Der-da-derrrrrr! Dud-dud-derrrrrrr...

...Damn I'm funny...