Chinese Playing Supersitions

[CEO]

Since I play mostly in Los Angeles, many of my opponents are Chinese. I know certain numbers are very unlucky in Chinese supersitions. For example, it is my understanding that the #4 can mean death, and that Chinese avoid this number in addresses, etc.

Is anyone familiar with these supersitions as they apply to playing habits. Do they influence decisions at the poker table? I am especially interested in any Chinese players which might be reading these boards.

Chinese player always muck 4 of kind -- very unlucky -- so you bet full housee all time against Chinese player.

[SunTzu68]

My wife is chinese, and in the culture luck plays a very large role (you should see me trying to convince her that the game is not luck, but skill.......and she is a decent hold em player). I have never seen anyone throw away 4 of a kind because it is unlucky, or not play a certain hand because of the numbers involved, however I have definitely seen a player play hands that are questionable because they are 'lucky'. Also, changing seats to 'change the luck' and other such actions are fairly common.

My take on it is that if it makes her feel better, she will play better...and she usually does.

[PokerBabe(aka)]

I have heard of the "unlucky" seat 4 superstition. I do know several Chinese players and one is a firm believer in "lucky" dealers, "lucky" hand combinations and "lucky colors"(red is considered quite favorable). He happens to be an "unlucky" players, however [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] LGPG, Babe

[Jimbo]

I may be wrong but I believe the word 4 in Chinese sounds similiar to the word death in Chinese and this is where the superstition began. Either that or the word 4 spoken in English sounds very similiar to the Chinses pronounciation for the word death.

[Jedi Poker]

My guess is that these superstitions come from a system called "Feng Shui". I don't know much about it but my Mom uses its philosophies for interior decorating. And she tells me 4 is an unlucky number in Feng Shui. Facing the foot side of your bed towards the door supposedly means death too and that you can counter this by putting a mirror above your bed. This mirror is supposed to deflect evil spirits.

For the record, I do not believe in any of the rules and beliefs that are found in Feng Shui (my Mom doesn't either, but finds it a useful tool for utilizing space effeciently). It's just a bunch of baloney, in my opinion. But if I had an opponent who believed in them strongly enough to make it affect his play, then I would be willing to use the info to make a better read on him, and ultimately to exploit him.

Steve Wynn, Donald Trump, the Rio, the MGM Grand, and others probably aren't the superstitious types but their Asian clients are. Thus their adoption of Feng Shui philosophies in their designs. As a specific example, the Rio has no 13th floor, and the MGM Grand changed the design of the Lion in the Tropicana/Strip entrance of their hotel. It turns out that walking into a lion's mouth is bad luck in Feng Shui. So now, they just have a standing lion on top of the entrance.

Change of subject: Al and Mikey, I just sent you private messages.

[bob2007]

Yes, Yes you are all right! I am chinese, but white washed however. In general, I think all good poker players have long since given up on superstition and luck tho. But you guys could be on to something. Maybe this might work to some kind of advantage knowing certain people's superstitions. 8 is considered a good luck number.

[PokerBabe(aka)]

Then it's the 8 seat for me!. LGPG, Babe

[riffraff]

but the 8 seat always has an empty rack under it! oh what to do...