Cheating in poker can be a risky move, but sometimes it’s necessary to beat the game. In Glasgow, a player found himself in a seven-card stud tournament against three colluding players. He had already beaten the other two players by out-cheating them, but the final opponent was much better and had a habit of colluding with the other players.
The player was under constant scrutiny, but he saw an opportunity to take out his opponent and finally beat him and his buddies at their own game. To succeed, he needed to execute one of the most dangerous techniques in all of gambling sleight of hand, right under the noses of some of the roughest and toughest characters in one of the toughest cities in the world.
Recognizing Collusion and Cheating
The player had been seeking out live games to learn how to play poker and quickly recognized that collusion between players was happening all the time. He knew that the three players, in particular, were constantly squeezing other players by passing chips openly and apparently playing out of the same pocket. After a year, he started winning through to the final tables of Pot-Limit Hold ‘Em tournaments regularly enough to see that two or all three of these players would also be in the money.
During a private tournament in a regular player’s home game, the player found himself head-to-head in the final stage of a seven-card stud tournament against the three colluding players. He was poorly suited to out-play their methods, but he had the chance to out-cheat them. All he had to do was not get caught.
Taking the Risk of Cheating in Poker
Being careful, he avoided getting tangled up in any hands while the other three evened out their chips by betting and folding to each other. He took the opportunity to glimpse a few cards after a hand and control them for the next round. Suddenly he was outright cheating and quickly knocked out one of the threesome thanks to a subtle double-duke.
In the next round, he suspected that the remaining players were cheating back at him, but he took out another player and the game was head-to-head. Unfortunately, he was being thoroughly outplayed, and the remaining player was also an unapologetic jerk who riled players up and antagonized people.
A Dangerous Move
During a seemingly uneventful hand, the player was sitting on a two pair prior to dealing the last down card. While his opponent sounded off about something or other, he executed a tiny heel peek, squeezing the top card of the deck to glimpse the index of the card he was about to deal across the table. It was the card he needed to make a full house.
The player was successful in his risky move and won the game. He admits that he’s not proud of cheating, but in his defense, he felt it was fair to respond to one form of cheating with another. He knew that being caught manipulating the cards would have sent him straight to the hospital or the river. Cheating in poker can be a dangerous game, but sometimes it’s necessary to beat the game.
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way
Cheating in poker is a risky business. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. The player learned this lesson the hard way. He was playing with three dodgy players in a cash game when he realized he needed one more card to make a full house. He knew how to beat them, but it meant executing a dangerous move: the second deal.
He raised the bet and watched as his opponent called. He mocked him, hoping to distract him while he executed the second deal. He sailed the second card to his hand before dealing the original top card to himself. It was a perfect move that even a seasoned player might not have noticed.
He was so pleased with himself that he almost forgot to look at the card he dealt to himself. He had made his full house, and it was well hidden. When he checked his hand, he put in a small raise, hoping he would raise back in an attempt to bully him. He did, so he re-raised, and he went over the top. In seconds, they were all-in, and he turned his hand to show the nuts.
Except, they weren’t the nuts. His opponent revealed his hand to show not just a flush but a straight flush he made with that last card! He had him beat with two pairs, but because he cheated to steal a full house, he gave him the best possible hand to take him down. He practically cold-decked himself.
He realized that cheating was a stupid and dangerous move. He retired from ever screwing with the outcome of an honest game. No matter the reason (or his justification), it was a valuable lesson. Cheating in poker is not worth the risk. As our late friend Rod the Hop liked to say, “you can’t cheat and get lucky.”
