Recognizing someone outside of a cardroom

[shant]

I work at a large movie-studio and one day at lunch we traveled to another lot to get some food. I recognized the security guard who let us into the parking lot as a regular Commerce player. At first I thought it was hilarious and actually let out a "COMMERCE!" but he was walking away and did not hear me.

Later on I realized I play poker too much. This was also not the first time I had spotted someone from Commerce on the street in LA.

Anyone else have this happen to them?

[Evan]

Reailize I play too much poker, yes.
See someone form the Commerce in LA, no. (I live in NYC)

[drow22]

[bigfishead]

yea next time STFU. Even tho you didnt say anything. It is not the appropriate thing to do in someone place of work. Or if they are with others.

[shant]

Chill dude, I didn't say anything but Commerce to the 3 other people in the car with me.

[sfer]

I used to live in San Francisco. Does that make me so gay I'm straight?

[sfer]

I ran into bdk3clash on the street last Saturday. He yelled, "FISH!" and pointed at me. He was right. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[RydenStoompala]

OK, here's my "I know that guy" story. As far as I know, neither of us is gay. Anyway...

I get into this pitched betting war, three or four hands in a row, with what is, for lack of a better description, a "mob stereotype" at this big cardroom. It's a 10-20 game and we're playing with a kill. The guy is wearing a hugely expensive jacket, has the pinky ring, the slicked-back silver hair, a watch worth more than my car and he talks like "How YOU doin?" Fairly strange since we're a 90 minute fight from Brooklyn.

He loses all three of the head-bashing hands to me and spends about an hour glaring in my general direction, but he does not tilt. We play another four or five hours and by the end of the session, the two of us are actually getting along. He's won back quite a bit of his stack, not from me, but who cares?

Go forward two months. I finally take my wife out for dinner after being on the road for about a week. We're just getting into the salad when the waitress comes back to the table with a bottle of California cabernet that I would not buy on a dare. She points over to another table and there's "Mr. Gotti" with two pals. He comes over, slaps me on the back and asks if everything is ok. I thank him for the wine, I figure about a $350 gift, introduce him to my wife and he does the hand kissing thing. The guy, I still dont know his name and dont want to know, goes back to his dinner. My wife gives me a look like "I really dont know you." I smile and tell her he's a friend from a game at the casino. She still does not believe it, but I'm telling you I get terrific service at that eatery.

The lesson? Go ahead and bet into the mobster. Just dont leave the table until he gets a chance to win some money back. And when you run into him later, let him make the first move.

[itsmesteve]

great story.

[sfer]

That's pretty cool. Of course, I would have been pooping in my pants as I walked out the front door of the restaurant. Apparently I've seen too many Scorsese movies.

[Rick Nebiolo]

With all the players I've heard on the cell or casino phone telling their wifes/"significant others" or business associates that they are at the office or some other BS excuse I'd avoid saying anything to anyone I didn't really know well /images/graemlins/grin.gif

~ Rick

[namknils]

I know it's already been said, but I have to say it again, this is a great story. Really cool.

[Sarge85]

Classic.

Sarge/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

[bonanz]

[ QUOTE ]
The lesson? Go ahead and bet into the mobster.

[/ QUOTE ]

ROFL /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[bigfishead]

Dont take "STFU" as me jumpin your ass...it's just to make you aware that it's been an unspoken thing for many many years. Regardless of how much we love the game. Regardless of the recent popularity of the game. Regardless of the TV exposure. Regardless of the larger puplic accpetance.

Poker is still unacceptable to some. Being as it is unacceptable to some, we must be mindful of this and aware that sometimes a person may be in a sitiuation where had it been known they are a poker player they could come to great harm. Whether it be by public scrutiny, Employer-employee relations, or business dealings thwarted by someones opinion
because they are a poker player.

Maintaining another players anonymity, unless it is known to be ok, is one of those ethical principles that you dont read about in any books, see posted on any walls, hear about on any TV shows, nor do we see posted on 2+2 even.

But it is a long standing principle that seems to be forgotten my all but a select few oldtimers.

Just some thoughts for you.

[lefty rosen]

Yeah this is true. Gambling will always been shunned by a certain stream of society. No different then prostitution. I bet if you bumped into a dude at the Mustang Ranch, then met him on the street you wouldn't scream out Mustang Ranch..... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[tek]

I'd yell out Mustang Ranch and follow thta up by saying "How was my sloppy seconds?" /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
I bet if you bumped into a dude at the Mustang Ranch

[/ QUOTE ]

ewwww. c'mon lefty just keep it to yourself.

[bigfishead]

bump

[Lurshy]

So the brown trout reference to 2+2'ers must stem from stories like this, but where instead in the end you are sleeping with the fishes /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[Trainwreck]

LOL fish, you are spreading this paranoia on talking poker...

WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU? I reckon you have a story to tell!!

Oppps, sorry:

I PUT YOU ON A GOOD STORY! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

>TW<