? For Mason,Sklansky,or Zee

I know you guys are all experts. I've read all your brilliant works several times over and there's no question about that. I was just wondering why none of you play in any of the big tournaments around like TOC or the WSOP? Don't any of you dream of teaching Phil Hellmuth Jr. or other big name younger players a lesson or two? Is it that you think these players are better? I don't know, I just often wonder why Mason talks about $20-$40 hands he recently played when he can obviously play higher with his skill. I mean, I sit $30-$60 when I play, and Mason is playing lower stakes than me with his knowledge??? I know Ray Zee is possibly the best high cash game player in the world, and the only one of the three to my knowledge that plays for big money. If he answers this-Why don't you play in tournaments?

Dear Mike,

I am not posting to answer you question, but to add an addendum. As you may know, at RGP (the internet poker forum site) there has been a debate going on, as to which of the several currently active scamming teams, has been the most successful at stealing championships from the major tournaments. (a scamming team is a group of players that pool their monies pretournement. Then during the tournament they use a "feeder technique" to redistribute chips. For example, if during the early stages of a tournament you find that you have more chips than the average tournament player at each break, as you get up to leave the table, you palm several of the larger denomination chips from your stack, during the break you then give these chips to the team "feeder". The feeder then redistributes the scammed chips to the team players, that are low on chips.(to scam definition: a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation) Then towards the end of the tournament (since the tournaments award most all of the prise money to the top 3 players ) the scam teams uses the reverse technique and have most all the team players scam "by palming their chips" which then go to the team's predesignated "winner", who has the most likely chance of ending up in the money. Then after the tournament the scam teams divide the monies, that they have been able to steal from the non team contestants. How many teams do you guess are currently working the major tournament circuit? And through the years do you feel that "the equal sharing teams" (those that split their stealing equaly, or the "bargain basement teams" those that only award only a small percentage of the purse money to the players least likely to win, have been more successful?

And finally since this technique removes the luck factor "some day's a good player get's good cards and some days he doesn't" from tournament scam teams participant's, doesn't this how seem unfair to the vast majority of tournament players, who's entry fees inevitably go to subsidizing the tournament "champion's" winnings and reputations. And is presence of the scam teams one of the reason that you don't participate in the tournaments?


Most Sincerely,


Doc AZ

PS And at what betting level do you feel that "ring game scamming". (a different form of scamming using cheating pairs, sets ,or teams who transfer non exposed card holding information during the hand) becomes most prevelent?

Dear Ray,

I just reread Mike's question. In Mike's posting where he wrote "Ray Zee..is the best high cash game player in the world"! In all fairness don't you think it would have been more accurately phrased had Mike said " Ray Zee... being ONE OF the best high cash game player's in the world"


Most sincerely,


Doc AZ

PS If you ever see Mason tell him "Doc said: "If $20-$40 limit games are good enough for Mason" they sure as hell are good enough for me"

sure ill answer it. i gave up tournaments years ago having been fairly successful at them to only play in side games as i felt the earn was certainly better per time spent. plus i gave up playing in places that allow smoking at all if possible. that elinimted all tourn. then and still most now. but im only a fair weather player anymore as i dont need any money and only play when i totally want to in games with nice people.

as for david he does play in high stakes games with his own money all the time. and mason plays in the biggest or second biggest holdem games where he lives, that happens to be around 30 60. when i first met him was in california in one of the biggest lowball games going at the time.

we all are not afraid of cheating in tournaments as its minor and wont have a major effect on your outcome.but realize that is not where the money is or the fun place to be after you get bored with poker from playing a lifetime.

i would like to see the tournament managers get some balls though, and clean up the little crap that goes on even if those may be big tokers. but in gambling money talks and thats the way it is.

I've been playing some in the $20-$40 limit game at The Mirage simply because I like going to The Mirage. For the first six months of this year I was mainly playing in the $30-$60 limit (both hold 'em and stud) at The Bellagio, but then in June both rooms went non-smoking -- when smoking was allowed The Belagio which had a better air filtration system was my room of choice, but that's not an issue anymore.


A number of years ago I made a decision to back off playing higher and higher since I wanted to invest much of my time and effort into our publishing business. This I have now successfully done and plan to start moving back up in limits in the not too distant future. The reason you see me posting about a $20-$40 hold 'em game at The Mirage is that it is usually the biggest hold 'em game although they do occasionally get $40-$80. They also have higher stud games but I have just been in a hold 'em mood lately.


By the way, if you are thinking about playing professionally and have developed the skills to do so, there is plenty of money to be made at the $20-$40 and $30-$60 limits. Furthermore, if you can't beat a $20-$40 game at a pretty good clip, you will probably do poorer (and may even lose) at the higher limits.

Ray and Mason:


I appreciate your taking the time to responsed to my questions.


Sincerely,


Mike

david plays tournaments. he finished 5th in the limit omaha high this year and made it to the 3rd day of the championship last year.

Hello, Doc,

If most of the field in the 20-40 game consists of the "Masons of the world",I do not want anything to do with this 20-40 game.


Sitting Bull