“Poker Parlors – Are You the Next Victim"?

“Poker Parlors – Are You the Next Victim"?

By: Richard Reed

Las Vegas is synonymous with gambling, 24-hour excitement, conventions, weddings and Poker. We can classify poker into four categories. The top category going to the brave souls that put up thousands of dollars and enter the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas each year. The World Series of Poker is just what it sounds like, the Super Bowl of Poker.

"Nick the Greek" Dandolos conceived in 1949 The World Series of Poker. He was a gambler that wanted to challenge the best poker players. First poker contest involved the play of Dandolas and Johnny Moss. Years later, 1970, Benny Binion, founder of Binion’s Casino, revived the world championship frenzy with Pokers best players. The winner takes home a mere million plus dollars and millions of dollars worth of bragging rights.

This year’s tournament is 17-days long and concludes on May 9, 1999. Poker legends have taken the skill game to a new level, World Champion players like, Bobby Baldwin, Johnny Moss, Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, Puggy Pearson, Stu Unger, Sailor Roberts, Amarillo Slim, and last years champion Scotty Nguyen.

On the opposite end of the Poker spectrum are the local social/home games that involve match sticks or pennies and nickels. As with most scales a middle group exists. This group represents the millions of players from around the world that travel to their local Poker parlor of choice and flex their skills.

The fourth and remaining group is the reason for this story, the cheats, swindlers and team card players that do not allow a "pleasure player " a fair chance. For those gamblers that never wondered into the Poker area of a casino this "might" be waiting to separate your money from you.

Going into a casino card room in the 1960’s and early 1970’s was nothing but war zones fleecing unsuspecting guests. Dealers were wired to scamers, and shift bosses were in with the action. The turning point came from a new kid on the block, Allen Glick. Then, Glick was the second most powerful and second largest operator of casinos in the state behind the famous Howard Hughes. He declares war on the card rooms under his control and delegates his number one man Frank Rosenthal to clean house. Cleaning house was a polite way to get a message to the undesirables.

Massive employee firings and unfriendly people being forcefully asked to leave casinos were a common occurrence then. Occasionally a bad apple dealer has to be removed from a game, today the scamers are more likely to be the players.

Now I know this type of story gets the honest buildings feathers ruffled, but honest buildings will always attract quality players and hopefully screen out the undesirables. Poker is a game to test your skills against an opponent or opponents. "Often" found in Poker Parlors are teams playing a table rather than playing against multiple individual players. What this means is people knowing helping, their "business associates" at the table win pots. At this point your skill level is playing against two or more players — good luck.

When cheating or collusion teams start playing several rules get broken. Signaling, card manipulations or flashing just to name a few of the ways to get an unfair advantage. Sometimes these unfair practices require the help of the dealer. Remember, it is human nature, the more money in a card game the temptation to "help" a friend(s) increases.

It is amazing that people will study for years in school to obtain a degree. The average card player does not study a card room to watch the behavior and betting patterns of players before placing his money on the table.

Can a good card player beat the cheat? Yes, but the skill and patience required is high. Spotting a cheater requires observing patterns and combinations of illogical betting, raising, and playing styles of particular opponents. This requires a player to open his eyes and not necessarily their wallet.

I will end this article with these poker tidbits. Leave your ego at home. Study the game first, take a seat only when you have obtained your confidence level. Bigger games may be attractive, but sometimes play above or below your standard betting range to obtain the best game. Playing a lower table stakes game is better than playing an ego game in a high stake’s table and going home with empty pockets. If the other players or dealers are possibly questionable, let your feet do the walking — with your money in hand before it is too late. IVLV by Richard Reed.

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