CISO.POKER  ·  The Stack  ·  CISO Poker Championship
DEF CON Week 2026  ·  Las Vegas  ·  Date TBA
Hacker Summer Camp 2026  ·  Invite Only

Three hours.
No pitches.
One prize.

Every other event this week is someone trying to sell you something. The Stack is different. It's a Texas Hold'em tournament for 75–100 CISOs, hosted during DEF CON week, with a $50,000+ enterprise cybersecurity prize you actually want to win.

Request a Seat How It Works
75–100
CISOs Only
$50K+
Grand Prize
3 hrs
Your Night
0
Vendor Pitches
The Honest Case

We know what you're thinking.

You've been to a thousand vendor events. You know how this goes. Here's why this one is different — and we'll let you decide.

What you're thinking
"It's just another sponsored open bar."
It's usually true. You show up, get a drink, see the same 6 people you already know, and leave in 45 minutes. Your badge got scanned. Someone will email you on Monday. You've forgotten the company name by Friday.
What this actually is
"A tournament changes the math entirely."
There's no pitch because nobody needs to pitch. You're there to play cards and compete for $50,000 in tools you actually want. The founders are at the table with you — not behind a booth. Three hours goes fast when you have skin in the game.
What you're thinking
"I have better things to do Wednesday night."
That might be true. There's no shortage of events that week. Half of them are better funded than this one.
What this actually is
"75 peers, no vendor pressure, and a shot at a year of free tools."
The room is curated — you're sitting across from CISOs from companies like yours, not junior SDRs with a quota. The conversation at the break is worth the night alone. The prize is genuinely worth winning. And you'll have a story to tell at RSAC.
What you're thinking
"The grand prize is probably a pile of free trials."
Fair. Most event prizes are. A Yeti cooler with a logo. A $250 Amazon gift card. Something you'll never use.
What this actually is
"$50,000+ in actual enterprise product access."
Identity protection, machine identity governance, GenAI security, Zero Trust, cloud native coverage, AI-driven vulnerability remediation — one year, across your whole stack. Ten companies, donated product access, no strings attached. Any CISO who wins this is genuinely ahead for a year.
The Night

What actually happens.

DEF CON week, Las Vegas. Black Hat Day 1 Briefings are done. DEF CON opens the next morning. You have the night. Here's how it goes. Exact date confirmed to approved applicants.

5:30 PM
Doors Open — Cocktails & Registration
You check in, get your chip stack, find your table. Open bar. No badge scan. No lanyard required. You know some people in the room already. You'll know more by the end of the night.
6:00 PM
Grand Prize Revealed
Three minutes. The prize is unveiled — all ten contributors, total value, what the winner takes home. One sentence from each sponsor. Then cards in the air.
6:05 PM
★ Cards In the Air
75–100 players. 8–10 professional tables. WSOP-caliber dealers. 15-minute blind levels. You play. The founders play. Nobody is pitching anything. For three hours, you're just a card player.
7:30 PM
Break — Food & the Real Conversations
15 minutes. Chip counts posted. Food service opens. This is when it gets interesting. Eliminated players are loose. Chip leaders are confident. Everyone has something to talk about that isn't a product roadmap.
8:30 PM
★ Final Table
The room consolidates around the last 9 players. The entire room watches. This is the moment everyone in the room is thinking about the same thing at the same time. That's rare at a conference.
9:00 PM
Winner Crowned — The Stack Is Awarded
Grand prize goes home with one CISO. Each sponsor gets 60 seconds to describe their piece of the prize — what it does, not what it costs. Then the bar reopens and the night is whatever you want it to be.
9–11 PM
Post-Tournament — Open Format
No agenda. No one is going to corner you with a deck. You've spent three hours with 75 peers. You know who's interesting. Go find them at the bar.
The Grand Prize

The Stack.
Everything you need for a year.

"One winner. One year of complete enterprise cybersecurity coverage — donated by ten portfolio companies. No strings, no upsells, no renewal pressure."

The prize is built from actual enterprise product access, not trials or discount codes. Identity protection. Machine identity governance. GenAI security. Zero Trust. Runtime protection. Cloud native. AI-driven remediation. The winner walks out with a year of coverage across their entire architecture — donated, not sold.

Every CISO who doesn't win still learns exactly what's in The Stack — because the prize ceremony gives each company 60 seconds of real attention from a room full of their ideal customers. Not a pitch. Context. The difference is enormous.

Total Prize Value
$50K+
10 companies · 1-year enterprise access
  • Identity & MFA protection (500 users)
  • Machine identity governance platform
  • Agentic vulnerability prioritization
  • GenAI content security & DLP
  • Runtime application detection & response
  • Zero Trust network access
  • Cloud native / CNAPP coverage
  • AI misconfiguration remediation
  • + 2 stealth portfolio companies TBD
The Room

Who's at the tables.

Seats are application-only and curated by the CyberAdX team based on title, company size, and security program maturity. This is not a first-come-first-served signup.

🔐
CISOs & Security Leaders
Enterprise and mid-market CISOs, VPs of Security, and Directors of Information Security. The people who actually run security programs and control budgets.
🏢
Company Size: Mid to Enterprise
Attendees are curated from companies with real security programs — not startups with a single IT person wearing the CISO hat. Meaningful peer conversation requires meaningful peer context.
🌐
Industry Mix
Healthcare, financial services, energy, SaaS, manufacturing, government. The security problems in this room span every vertical. Which means the conversations do too.
🎯
Founders at the Tables
Anchor VC portfolio founders are playing alongside you — not behind a booth, not at a sponsor table. Three hours of cards is the best icebreaker in the industry.
🚫
No Vendors. No SDRs. No Quotas.
Sales reps, BDRs, account executives, and anyone with a pipeline number are not invited. The tournament format creates natural accountability — everyone is there to play, not prospect.
📋
Application Required
Request a seat below. The CyberAdX curation team reviews every application. You'll hear back within 5 business days. Capacity is 75–100 and the waitlist fills before August.
What this is
✓
A real poker tournament with WSOP-caliber dealers, professional tables, and proper blind structure.
✓
An actual $50,000+ prize — enterprise product access from ten portfolio companies, verified and documented.
✓
A room full of peers — curated by title and company type, not whoever clicked a registration link first.
✓
An open bar from 5:30 PM through the post-tournament social. Yes, the whole night.
✓
Free entry — buy-ins are covered. You show up, you play.
What this is not
✗
Not a pitch session. Sponsors get 60 seconds at the prize ceremony and that's the extent of it.
✗
Not a badge scan event. No one is building a lead list from your attendance.
✗
Not open to the public. Every seat is reviewed and approved. This keeps the room what it's supposed to be.
✗
Professionally filmed, privacy-first. Videography for recap and promotional use. No names or titles used without consent. Face blurring available on request. Final table live stream is opt-in only.
✗
Not a networking event with a poker theme. It's a tournament first. The networking is a side effect.
Prize Contributors

The companies
behind The Stack.

A confirmed anchor VC firm anchors the prize pool, with ten portfolio companies each contributing enterprise product access. Founders from these companies will be at the tables.

The Venue

Location
announced May 1.

The venue is confirmed and being finalized for public announcement. Attendees with approved applications will receive the full address and logistics by May 1, 2026.

City
Las Vegas, NV
Date
TBA DEF CON week 2026
Venue
TBA Private venue, Las Vegas
Context
Black Hat Day 1 done · DEF CON eve
Format
Professional poker setup · 8–10 tables
How you'll know
Date & address sent to confirmed applicants directly
Questions
events@ciso.poker
Questions

What people
actually ask.

Do I need poker experience?
No. Texas Hold'em is a game of incomplete information — which is a skill set most security executives have in abundance. Dealers will briefly explain the structure at the start. Players range from occasional home-game participants to serious students of the game. You don't need to be either to have a good night.
Is there really no buy-in?
Correct. Entry is free for all approved attendees. Tournament chips are provided with registration. No money changes hands. The prize is enterprise product access, not cash — which is why there's no entry fee and no gaming license required.
How are seats allocated?
Every application is reviewed by the CyberAdX curation team against three criteria: title (CISO-level or equivalent), company size (mid-market to enterprise), and program maturity. We respond on a rolling basis — earlier applications get priority. Capacity is 75–100 and typically fills before August.
Will I be filmed or recorded?
Yes — we are producing professional videography of the event for recap and promotional use. Privacy is a first-class concern: no names, titles, or company affiliations will be used in any footage without explicit consent. Face blurring can be accommodated on request — just let us know at check-in. What's said at the tables stays at the tables.
Is the final table streamed live?
We are exploring a live stream of the final table in the style of poker broadcast production. Participation is opt-in — if you make the final table and prefer not to be on stream, that will be respected, no questions asked. Players who do participate can choose how they're identified on stream — handle, title only, or anonymous. Details will be confirmed closer to the event.
Can I bring a guest or colleague?
Each attendee applies individually. If a colleague also meets the criteria and wants to attend, they should submit their own application. Plus-ones, assistants, and colleagues without a qualifying CISO-level title are not admitted to the tournament floor.
Who else is in the room?
CISOs and security leaders from mid-market and enterprise companies across multiple verticals. Portfolio founders from the anchor VC firm are also playing. No vendors, no SDRs, no one with a sales quota. The application process exists specifically to maintain the composition of the room.
What happens if I get eliminated early?
The bar stays open and the room stays active. Eliminated players typically have the best conversations of the night — no pressure, nowhere to be. Buffet-style food is open throughout the event for all players, with a dedicated 15-minute break mid-tournament. Post-tournament format is open and casual until 11 PM. If cash games are your thing, participants receive a voucher to continue playing at the venue's cash game tables after the tournament wraps.
Is there a cash bar or is it all included?
All included. Drinks, finger foods, and appetizers are covered for the full event — you're not paying for anything on-site. Buffet is open throughout, not just at the break.
What's a mystery bounty?
When you knock out a player, you reveal a sealed bounty envelope — the prize inside is a mystery until the moment you win it. Could be cash, swag, a vendor credit, or something else entirely. It keeps every elimination interesting regardless of your stack size.
Will there be poker pros at the event?
We're scouting professional players to join the table for the day. They play in the same tournament under the same rules — no special treatment, no commentary role. Just another seat at the table that you might have to bust.
Is there a cash game after the tournament?
Yes — the event is in a public card room, so cash game tables are always running. All tournament participants receive a venue voucher to continue playing in the cash game after the tournament ends. Completely optional, no pressure, just there if you want to keep the night going.

Request
your seat.

Seats are limited to 75–100 attendees and filled from a curated waitlist. Applications open now. Decisions go out on a rolling basis — earlier is better. The event is during DEF CON week 2026 in Las Vegas. Exact date and venue confirmed to approved applicants.

Hosted by CyberAdX Network & CISO Marketplace
Presented by ██████ ████████ portfolio companies
events.cisomarketplace.com  ·  cisonearme.com

Questions: events@ciso.poker

* Required

Enter a valid work email address. Enter a valid LinkedIn URL.
Events Attending This Week (optional — select all that apply)
If the tournament fills up (optional)

We may expand capacity based on demand. Would you like to stay in the room as a cash game?

Applications reviewed within 5 business days. Capacity: 75–100 seats. No SDRs, BDRs, or vendor sales staff.