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.