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Clinton vs. Trump: Viewing the Presidential Election as a Poker Game

It's not uncommon to describe politics in terms of poker, especially when discussing campaigns and the strategies candidates employ when trying to win elections.

Like poker, an election is a "zero-sum" game in which each vote gained by one candidate represents one lost by another. If you think about it, nearly every "move" made in a campaign could be said to suggest a similar strategy from poker.

Like poker players, candidates are working to establish their credibility, building (and exploiting) their images, making reads of their opponents' strength and/or weakness and weighing risks versus rewards. We also see a lot of what might be called "angle-shooting" in campaigns and a whole lot of bluffing, too.