A number of years ago (a number that is larger than 10) I used to play Texas
Hold ‘em. For money. I played in local tournaments, at a local casino (card
room might be a better term), that happened twice a week. I also played at two
Indian Casinos, about once a week at the open tables.
I was not a ‘big fish’, small would have been a more appropriate term. I
ended up ‘in the cash’ on the regular tournament a fair number of times and won
it once. Chopped the pot a couple of times, because it got you out of there
faster and why not? Going head to head can take a looooong time.
Going out to the two Indian Casinos, one had a more ‘professional’ level of
players, and while it was fun, it wasn’t really a money maker (though I did
make money). I credit the level of players to being close to Tahoe where they
have ‘real’ casinos, and Reno where they have real gamblers.
Gamblers at Indian Casinos tend more to be people just looking to lose
money. Especially if they’re of a certain racial group that has a certain
culture and while I’m not going to mention it, if you’re a gambler you know all
about this, and if you’re not, you will definitely think I’m talking about
someone else. This is one of those ‘secrets’ you learn to make money.
Now, when you go to the Indian Casinos that are farther from Nevada and
especially places like Reno and Las Vegas, a small fish suddenly becomes a much
bigger fish - especially if you stay away from the ‘No-Limit’ tables. So I’d
look at the ‘Limit’ tables and I’d look for ones that were rife with the group
of folks I was looking for. I’d then sit down and proceed to make $100 an hour
playing cards.
So I understand the game, and I understand how it works. Yes I’m not up on
tells and all of that like I used to be, and even then I played more by mathematics
than by psychology. It’s hard to develop a really good and strong feeling for a
player when you’re just at a limit type table. When you’re playing on a regular
tournament circuit though, even a small one, you do get to know each
other.
For example, whenever I went head-to-head with the ‘Mexican guy’ (he was
born here, but he was very much of Mexican heritage) who was a landscaper? I always
accepted his offer to chop the pot. He made it seem like he was ‘just in a rush
to get back to work’ but he was one of the shrewdest card players out there.
Sometimes I wondered if he really was a landscaper, or just dressed up like one
for these early morning (started at 8) tourneys. Guy was very much a ‘big fish’
on the small circuit. He always finished in the money.
All of this is a lead up to the first book in my ‘Days of Future Past’
trilogy, wherein, the protagonist is playing Texas Hold ‘em for money, and he’s
pretty much cheating, because he’s getting help from Coyote. Someone took great
offense at the scene where he’s gambling in the Gold Star casino, and one of
the local big fish, by the name of Phil, comes in and throws a ‘tantrum’.
They went on and on in their review about how, while they’ve never
played poker, no professional poker player would ever act that
way! That poker is a serious game! How people are well mannered and quiet!
Yeah, I laughed pretty hard at that. Guess they never heard of the ‘Poker
Brat’ who Phil was very much modeled after. A man who has made millions
of dollars at high-stakes poker. That particular game was very much based
on reality, though it was a bit of a pastiche of things I’ve seen in
high-stakes tournaments that I’ve watched.
I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff at Texas Hold ‘em tourneys and
tables. I’ve even seen dealers cheat to throw the game for a particular player.
Even had it done to me once. Yes, dealers cheat. As long as they’re
not cheating the casino, the casino doesn’t care!
And it goes on a more than I’m comfortable with. It’s one of those things
you watch for, and all of the pros will catch it in a heartbeat. You either get
up and leave, or you call it out and get shown to the door. But it very much
happens. The reason that casinos use diamond back cards is to make it easier
for the dealers to cheat. Remember that.
So yeah, all of the card playing, and even the craps
shooting in the start, were based on things I’ve seen as either a player or an
observer, in poker games. People do engage in weird or histrionic behavior.
They do it to throw off their opponent. They do it to increase their odds of
winning. It’s rarely a ‘quiet’ and ‘studious’ game. When it’s your
turn to bet, you can do and say damn near whatever you want. And a lot of
people do. When it’s someone else’s turn, you’re supposed to be quiet, but I’ve
seen that rule pushed and broken on more than one occasion. If the dealer and
the pit boss know you, and you’re a good tipper? You get a lot more leeway than
any newb or stranger.
