security in underground clubs/casinos

[brian_frets]

Obviously, the security at a legitimate casino rivals the Secret Service.

But most of us have played in an 'illegal' underground club...Have you ever felt threatened? How did the situation turn out?

I'm 6'5" and played lacrosse for 5 years in college, as did my 2 friends that I play poker with (we go together to different UG clubs on weekends, play at different tables), so I don't get threatened often. I have been in my share of fights, and I know how to handle myself.

Last night was the first time I've been threatened while playing poker. I had just called a very agressive/loose player on a huge bluff of his, and won a $5,000 pot. He stood up (from across the table) and pulled a switchblade from his coat pocket. We just kind of stared each other in the eyes for a second or two, me wondering what the hell he was going to do, him incredibly pissed at me. (He was easily as big as me, maybe bigger.) The other players at the table got him to sit down and someone, one of his friends I think, took away his knife, and the guy said he'd see me at my car when I left. Luckily, one of my friends had just finished at another table and was sitting nearby, watching. He came to my side, I wished the table good night, the three of us (my friends and I) cashed out, and we left together. We didn't see him outside.

Has anything like this happened to you before? I was obviously scared at first, but now I'm disappointed in the behavior of a fellow poker player, and the fact that I'm reluctant to go back to that club.

Discuss.

[BigSkiRace]

A post from a while ago I posted how I pulled the Josh Arieh "wat are we playing for tiddlywinks" and after the hand was over the dude came up and shook my hand b/c I had broke the game and he squeezed my hand so hard, he was grinning when he was doing it, scary as hell...I did not go out to my car for a little while after just incase he was out there.

[BottlesOf]

Where did this occur? Just what city/state?

[brian_frets]

Cincinnati, OH

[Luv2DriveTT]

Generally the underground rooms most of us on the east coast have attended are safe enough. I haven't seen scuffles that got out of hand, but there was one just last month that I know of where the cops were called. The cops stayed outside out of respect to the club, and YES... they knew what takes inside.

On the other hand Mosch, Max Power, and myself experianced a threat in a casino... and it took them forever to get the security over there to make sure we would be safe. If you haven't read this trip report, here is the Linky . Its a classic...

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]