Sorry
Been away from the blog for a bit.
Posting some edited parts of an email I sent to my buddy a couple of weeks ago who played in a live game where he was 90% or better favorite going to the river in 5 or more hands (in a row) and he lost them all--and of course along with that a big chunk of his bankroll.
6 hands in a row, vs. 1 and 2 outers going to the river, you have to start questioning the dealer and your opponent(s). The math on that is just too outrageous. You should barely lose a coin flip 6 times in a row, much less a 90%er.
Cheating is far more common in this game, particularily home or club or side games, then anybody would expect. Get a book about card cheating (I got one at Barnes and Noble) read it and review those hands and other times the math seemed upside down. After I read it, I played at that crooked bar game I told you about and saw just about every angle being played. S..H..A..D..Y. Worst part of it, is it's fairly easy to do.
I've spotted a few of those same "rounders" at honest games and they get their asses handed to them. Yet they win when they control the cards and the game. The guys that took you, do they have any real cashes?
The entire night sounds brutal, I'd probably be in the fetal position. It's simply terrible. I totally know how you feel and right now I feel it too, in a much smaller way. It sucks.
Couple of questions you may hate me for but I have to ask:
1. Did you get drunk?
2. Why did you have so much on you?
If you got drunk and you had 50 large on you, you were a sitting duck.
They could have cold decked you 6 times over.
They could have slipped in a marked deck.
A mechanic could have dealt you anything he wanted and brought whatever river he wanted.
They could have been signaling.
You know there is a fairly easy way for YOU to cut the deck and for them to still give you the cards they want.
Could have been all of the above.
Worst thing about losing is your focus shifts internally. Surprisingly enough, it's easier to cheat a guy on a losing streak than not--if he doesn't suspect foul play.
If this was online... I'd never play online again. And you know what, if you tell me this was through a site, even though it didn't happen to me I'd boycott it.
Now, for the stuff you might feel really resentful for but it needs to be said.
1. We have to set up limits. You should only bring what you are willing to lose. If it was 50k last night than fine, but it sounds like you weren't willing to lose that based on your reaction to losing it. Don't bring it. Don't access it. Don't borrow it.
2. We all lose more than we want to, I don't want to sound two faced because I've been there too (on a much smaller level), but we all have to learn to get up and leave. One terrible beat should be enough. Two almost has to be(especially if felted twice) and three is the last gasp and time to go home. After three strikes you have to LEAVE. Anymore than that and we are facing an unwinnable battle. Winning back what you lost is a terrible mindset. It's far different to get up from the table and buy-in sometime later.
Posting some edited parts of an email I sent to my buddy a couple of weeks ago who played in a live game where he was 90% or better favorite going to the river in 5 or more hands (in a row) and he lost them all--and of course along with that a big chunk of his bankroll.
6 hands in a row, vs. 1 and 2 outers going to the river, you have to start questioning the dealer and your opponent(s). The math on that is just too outrageous. You should barely lose a coin flip 6 times in a row, much less a 90%er.
Cheating is far more common in this game, particularily home or club or side games, then anybody would expect. Get a book about card cheating (I got one at Barnes and Noble) read it and review those hands and other times the math seemed upside down. After I read it, I played at that crooked bar game I told you about and saw just about every angle being played. S..H..A..D..Y. Worst part of it, is it's fairly easy to do.
I've spotted a few of those same "rounders" at honest games and they get their asses handed to them. Yet they win when they control the cards and the game. The guys that took you, do they have any real cashes?
The entire night sounds brutal, I'd probably be in the fetal position. It's simply terrible. I totally know how you feel and right now I feel it too, in a much smaller way. It sucks.
Couple of questions you may hate me for but I have to ask:
1. Did you get drunk?
2. Why did you have so much on you?
If you got drunk and you had 50 large on you, you were a sitting duck.
They could have cold decked you 6 times over.
They could have slipped in a marked deck.
A mechanic could have dealt you anything he wanted and brought whatever river he wanted.
They could have been signaling.
You know there is a fairly easy way for YOU to cut the deck and for them to still give you the cards they want.
Could have been all of the above.
Worst thing about losing is your focus shifts internally. Surprisingly enough, it's easier to cheat a guy on a losing streak than not--if he doesn't suspect foul play.
If this was online... I'd never play online again. And you know what, if you tell me this was through a site, even though it didn't happen to me I'd boycott it.
Now, for the stuff you might feel really resentful for but it needs to be said.
1. We have to set up limits. You should only bring what you are willing to lose. If it was 50k last night than fine, but it sounds like you weren't willing to lose that based on your reaction to losing it. Don't bring it. Don't access it. Don't borrow it.
2. We all lose more than we want to, I don't want to sound two faced because I've been there too (on a much smaller level), but we all have to learn to get up and leave. One terrible beat should be enough. Two almost has to be(especially if felted twice) and three is the last gasp and time to go home. After three strikes you have to LEAVE. Anymore than that and we are facing an unwinnable battle. Winning back what you lost is a terrible mindset. It's far different to get up from the table and buy-in sometime later.
Comments
Perhaps too much money to burn.
BTW, for anybody that plays home/bar games I recommend Catching Poker Cheats by Livingston. I will be doing a column in the near future about some things I've learned from him and a series on cheating in general.