Poker

[BradStevens]

Anyone have a regular home game? How long has it run? Stakes? Stories? Anyone ever play at the Ale Emporium in Indy?

My best one doesn't involve me or a home game. It's 2007. Private games are all over Chicago, many in apartments dudes rent and run games out of, with dealers and food and beers thrown in. I'm all set to go to a tournament ($200 buy in w/ re-buys) that was running in a 3 flat near Ashland and North Ave. It was my normal spot, played there twice a week after work in cash games. Someone calls me up that morning and offers me a Cubs playoff ticket v. the Diamondbacks. I said no, wanted to go to the poker tournament, but he was insistent, so I took the ticket and met him at the Cubbie Bear and dropped a lot on college football games. So I thought I would go to the poker game and try to win back my money. But my buddy talked me out of it and I stayed and watched the Cubs lose. Yay.

Anyway, the poker game got held up by a bunch of dudes with shotguns. No one hurt, but they cleaned everyone out. Owners of the game thought it was an inside job and shut down because they couldn't figure out who did it.

Ugh. I need another regular game.

 

[Baller23Boogie]

My family plays whenever we have a get together.

Nothing big. Quarter limit bets. We'll play for hours. Lots of beer drinking. Grandma generally wins. If not, Grandpa doesn't want to go home.

 

[snarlcakes]

Anyone have a regular home game? How long has it run? Stakes? Stories? Anyone ever play at the Ale Emporium in Indy?

My best one doesn't involve me or a home game. It's 2007. Private games are all over Chicago, many in apartments dudes rent and run games out of, with dealers and food and beers thrown in. I'm all set to go to a tournament ($200 buy in w/ re-buys) that was running in a 3 flat near Ashland and North Ave. It was my normal spot, played there twice a week after work in cash games. Someone calls me up that morning and offers me a Cubs playoff ticket v. the Diamondbacks. I said no, wanted to go to the poker tournament, but he was insistent, so I took the ticket and met him at the Cubbie Bear and dropped a lot on college football games. So I thought I would go to the poker game and try to win back my money. But my buddy talked me out of it and I stayed and watched the Cubs lose. Yay.

Anyway, the poker game got held up by a bunch of dudes with shotguns. No one hurt, but they cleaned everyone out. Owners of the game thought it was an inside job and shut down because they couldn't figure out who did it.

Ugh. I need another regular game.

Playing at the casino is your best option. I know you have several on the border of Illinois and Indiana in your area. Not sure how close you are to them.

As for online, I would suggest only playing tournaments. The cash games at 1-2 are incredibly difficult for amateurs. Most of the tournaments that are under 100 bucks are pretty soft. The 4 sites I play on are Globalpoker, America’s Cardroom, Ignition, and Betonline. I would suggest Globalpoker because you can hook it up to a bank account (they use “sweepstakes”). The other 3 sites I use Bitcoin to make transactions.

 

[BradStevens]

Playing at the casino is your best option. I know you have several options on the border of Illinois and Indiana in your area. Not sure how close you are to them.

As for online, I would suggest only playing tournaments. The cash games at 1-2 are incredibly difficult for amateurs. Most of the tournaments that are under 100 bucks are pretty soft. The 4 sites I play on are Globalpoker, America’s Cardroom, Ignition, and Betonline. I would suggest Globalpoker because you can hook it up to a bank account (they use “sweepstakes”). The other 3 sites I use Bitcoin to make transactions.

I used to play $1/$2 or $3/$6 NL cash games, four at a time, on Paradise Poker and then Poker Stars. Oh, the glorious 2000s. Haven't played online, though, since the FBI shut them all down in 2011. Bastards.

 

[Morrison]

Anyone have a regular home game? How long has it run? Stakes? Stories? Anyone ever play at the Ale Emporium in Indy?

My best one doesn't involve me or a home game. It's 2007. Private games are all over Chicago, many in apartments dudes rent and run games out of, with dealers and food and beers thrown in. I'm all set to go to a tournament ($200 buy in w/ re-buys) that was running in a 3 flat near Ashland and North Ave. It was my normal spot, played there twice a week after work in cash games. Someone calls me up that morning and offers me a Cubs playoff ticket v. the Diamondbacks. I said no, wanted to go to the poker tournament, but he was insistent, so I took the ticket and met him at the Cubbie Bear and dropped a lot on college football games. So I thought I would go to the poker game and try to win back my money. But my buddy talked me out of it and I stayed and watched the Cubs lose. Yay.

Anyway, the poker game got held up by a bunch of dudes with shotguns. No one hurt, but they cleaned everyone out. Owners of the game thought it was an inside job and shut down because they couldn't figure out who did it.

Ugh. I need another regular game.

Did your buddy give you a cut from the heist?

 

[Hank Reardon]

I used to play in a regular game, but left it probably 25 years ago. I recently discovered that the game is still going on with most of the same people...35 years running at least. Every other Sunday.

 

[hoosboot]

How much was your take from the heist?

That was my take.

How did anyone not automatically suspect the guy who just "decided to catch a Cubs game instead" on the night the game was held up?

I'm beginning to reconsider all of the trust I've put in Brad here at the Cooler.

 

[Morrison]

That was my take.

How did anyone not automatically suspect the guy who just "decided to catch a Cubs game instead" on the night the game was held up?

I'm beginning to reconsider all of the trust I've put in Brad here at the Cooler.

I edited my post since it’s more likely Brad’s buddy was in on it. 🤔

 

[Bulk VanderHuge]

I edited my post since it’s more likely Brad’s buddy was in on it. 🤔

Brad and his buddies...

 

[UncleMark]

I used to play in a regular game, but left it probably 25 years ago. I recently discovered that the game is still going on with most of the same people...35 years running at least. Every other Sunday.

Used to play weekly Wednesdays at my workplace some 30 years ago. The doors got locked at 5:30 and the table got set up in back and beer came out. Low stakes (quarter bets, dollar limit, three bump max), fun game. Three or four of us plus an outsider or two. The "retired" elderly owner was a sore loser and would be shitty the rest of the week if he came up short.

 

[larsIU]

Used to play a ton with family. Couple real good players. Some fistfights. Checkbooks would come out for four figure debts.

I was let into the game at 13. Catholic. Nobody batted an eye.

Played online in the aughts. Never recovered like $100 bucks or something after shit got shutdown/seized. Oh well. I haven’t played regularly in years. Might screw around online this winter. Know a guy that actually quit his job and survived for about five years on poker earnings alone. Smart guy. Got tired of it.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Used to play a ton with family. Couple real good players. Some fistfights. Checkbooks would come out for four figure debts.

I was let into the game at 13. Catholic. Nobody batted an eye.

Played online in the aughts. Never recovered like $100 bucks or something after shit got shutdown/seized. Oh well. I haven’t played regularly in years. Might screw around online this winter. Know a guy that actually quit his job and survived for about five years on poker earnings alone. Smart guy. Got tired of it.

Not to hijack the thread but I watched a documentary on professional gamblers and card counters. I never really knew what that meant but it actually seems easier than I thought. I thought you had to be a math freak but you don’t. I think it’s bs that they get thrown out too

 

[BradStevens]

Used to play a ton with family. Couple real good players. Some fistfights. Checkbooks would come out for four figure debts.

I was let into the game at 13. Catholic. Nobody batted an eye.

Played online in the aughts. Never recovered like $100 bucks or something after shit got shutdown/seized. Oh well. I haven’t played regularly in years. Might screw around online this winter. Know a guy that actually quit his job and survived for about five years on poker earnings alone. Smart guy. Got tired of it.

I played with a guy who won a WSOP bracelet. Ben Ponzio. Later served on the Little League board with his dentist brother.

First met Ben at a tournament at the Knights of Columbus in ‘03. It was this little hole in the wall off a busy street, no windows. Swear it was a front for the outfit. Walked in for the first time, and nearly every guy there was in a track suit and gold chains. Everyone Italian except me and the jewish guy I went with. Served Italian sausage, beef, and mosticciolli. Super nice guys though. Loved busting balls.

 

[Indianaftw]

Not to hijack the thread but I watched a documentary on professional gamblers and card counters. I never really knew what that meant but it actually seems easier than I thought. I thought you had to be a math freak but you don’t. I think it’s bs that they get thrown out too

Well if it was your money they were taking you wouldn't think its BS. jus saying I agree with you fully!

I was killing it a few years ago in college football bets. Went up to play my winnings in Anderson Indiana at Ceasars and they wouldn't take my parley. I was playing with house money and they said no, and actually called Vegas to confirm. Finally, took it but it was for far less than what I wanted to bet. William Hill was handling the play up there and I found this article the following year after I complained. So you get a gold card and they definitely tracked your plays.

Won and done? Sportsbooks banning the smart money

abcnews.go.com

 

[mcmurtry66]

Well if it was your money they were taking you wouldn't think its BS. jus saying I agree with you fully!

I was killing it a few years ago in college football bets. Went up to play my winnings in Anderson Indiana at Ceasars and they wouldn't take my parley. I was playing with house money and they said no, and actually called Vegas to confirm. Finally, took it but it was for far less than what I wanted to bet. William Hill was handling the play up there and I found this article the following year after I complained. So you get a gold card and they definitely tracked your plays.

Won and done? Sportsbooks banning the smart money

abcnews.go.com

Counting cards just seems like a skill. Not cheating. Maybe I’m missing something

 

[larsIU]

I played with a guy who won a WSOP bracelet. Ben Ponzio. Later served on the Little League board with his dentist brother.

First met Ben at a tournament at the Knights of Columbus in ‘03. It was this little hole in the wall off a busy street, no windows. Swear it was a front for the outfit. Walked in for the first time, and nearly every guy there was in a track suit and gold chains. Everyone Italian except me and the jewish guy I went with. Served Italian sausage, beef, and mosticciolli. Super nice guys though. Loved busting balls.

I’m still holding out for Rounders 2

 

[larsIU]

Counting cards just seems like a skill. Not cheating. Maybe I’m missing something

Look up the Phil Ivey shit. Smart mother****er.

 

[Indianaftw]

Counting cards just seems like a skill. Not cheating. Maybe I’m missing something

Hahaha thats why they started 2-4-6 shoe decks. Damn when I moved to Reno years ago you could still find some joints with single deck 21, but it was rare. If you're not greedy and don't take to much you could earn a living. With technology today who knows they prolly have crazy crap monitoring the play.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Hahaha thats why they started 2-4-6 shoe decks. Damn when I moved to Reno years ago you could still find some joints with single deck 21, but it was rare. If you're not greedy and don't take to much you could earn a living. With technology today who knows they prolly have crazy crap monitoring the play.

The documentary I watched was a guy who rented an rv and went around the country trying to stay ahead of getting caught as a card counter

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Anyone have a regular home game? How long has it run? Stakes? Stories? Anyone ever play at the Ale Emporium in Indy?

My best one doesn't involve me or a home game. It's 2007. Private games are all over Chicago, many in apartments dudes rent and run games out of, with dealers and food and beers thrown in. I'm all set to go to a tournament ($200 buy in w/ re-buys) that was running in a 3 flat near Ashland and North Ave. It was my normal spot, played there twice a week after work in cash games. Someone calls me up that morning and offers me a Cubs playoff ticket v. the Diamondbacks. I said no, wanted to go to the poker tournament, but he was insistent, so I took the ticket and met him at the Cubbie Bear and dropped a lot on college football games. So I thought I would go to the poker game and try to win back my money. But my buddy talked me out of it and I stayed and watched the Cubs lose. Yay.

Anyway, the poker game got held up by a bunch of dudes with shotguns. No one hurt, but they cleaned everyone out. Owners of the game thought it was an inside job and shut down because they couldn't figure out who did it.

Ugh. I need another regular game.

Along those lines the Movie Molly’s Game is very good. True story of Molly Bloom, from Loveland Co and the poker game she ran. Her dad, (played by Kevin Costner) is a psychologist whom I used as an expert witness a couple of times. He’s an impressive guy.

Molly's Game (2017) ⭐ 7.4 | Biography, Crime, Drama

2h 20m | R

m.imdb.com

 

[Indianaftw]

The documentary I watched was a guy who rented an rv and went around the country trying to stay ahead of getting caught as a card counter

The books I used to read people would wear disguises.

 

[mcmurtry66]

The books I used to read people would wear disguises.

Yes! This guy did that

 

[Hank Reardon]

Counting cards just seems like a skill. Not cheating. Maybe I’m missing something

It's not technically cheating, and it's not illegal. But it's definitely frowned on by Casinos and they will ban you if you're good at it.

The MIT Blackjack Team has an interesting history:

MIT Blackjack Team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

How a Founder of the MIT Blackjack Team Got Rich Beating Casinos

You too can win millions counting cards. Probably.

www.bostonmagazine.com

 

[BradStevens]

It's not technically cheating, and it's not illegal. But it's definitely frowned on by Casinos and they will ban you if you're good at it.

The MIT Blackjack Team has an interesting history:

MIT Blackjack Team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

How a Founder of the MIT Blackjack Team Got Rich Beating Casinos

You too can win millions counting cards. Probably.

www.bostonmagazine.com

Fun, quick read. Bad movie.

 

[Hank Reardon]

Fun, quick read. Bad movie.

Ha ha. Which one? I assume you mean the one with Kevin Spacey? 21?

 

[Bloom.]

Anyone have a regular home game? How long has it run? Stakes? Stories? Anyone ever play at the Ale Emporium in Indy?

My best one doesn't involve me or a home game. It's 2007. Private games are all over Chicago, many in apartments dudes rent and run games out of, with dealers and food and beers thrown in. I'm all set to go to a tournament ($200 buy in w/ re-buys) that was running in a 3 flat near Ashland and North Ave. It was my normal spot, played there twice a week after work in cash games. Someone calls me up that morning and offers me a Cubs playoff ticket v. the Diamondbacks. I said no, wanted to go to the poker tournament, but he was insistent, so I took the ticket and met him at the Cubbie Bear and dropped a lot on college football games. So I thought I would go to the poker game and try to win back my money. But my buddy talked me out of it and I stayed and watched the Cubs lose. Yay.

Anyway, the poker game got held up by a bunch of dudes with shotguns. No one hurt, but they cleaned everyone out. Owners of the game thought it was an inside job and shut down because they couldn't figure out who did it.

Ugh. I need another regular game.

We're going to need to see those ticket stubs.

 

[Baller23Boogie]

The documentary I watched was a guy who rented an rv and went around the country trying to stay ahead of getting caught as a card counter

I watch a guy on YouTube who went around to different casinos counting cards to see what they would do. He wore a body cam when doing it.

He would get kicked out most of the time but if I remember correctly, sometimes they would lower the table max to like $25 so they would get him to leave on his own.

There were also a few times when he would go in and he would be spotted right away and asked to leave before sitting down.

Pretty interesting to see.

 

[BradStevens]

I watch a guy on YouTube who went around to different casinos counting cards to see what they would do. He wore a body cam when doing it.

He would get kicked out most of the time but if I remember correctly, sometimes they would lower the table max to like $25 so they would get him to leave on his own.

There were also a few times when he would go in and he would be spotted right away and asked to leave before sitting down.

Pretty interesting to see.

Yeah, I think the body cam thing is a real no-no.

 

[Baller23Boogie]

Yeah, I think the body cam thing is a real no-no.

Oh for sure.

He had to hide that he was doing it, and towards the end, that's part of how he started to get recognized was from his YouTube and uploading the videos.

 

[Bloom.]

It's not technically cheating, and it's not illegal. But it's definitely frowned on by Casinos and they will ban you if you're good at it.

The MIT Blackjack Team has an interesting history:

MIT Blackjack Team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

How a Founder of the MIT Blackjack Team Got Rich Beating Casinos

You too can win millions counting cards. Probably.

www.bostonmagazine.com

The movie 21 with Kevin Spacey is a good watch. It's specifically about the MIT group, likely with some creative license. The aforementioned Molly's Game is good.

Rounders is the best. However, it didn't really make much money. As much as Bill Simmons talks about it with Koppelman, it seems Koppelman can't find a good hook for it.

 

[BradStevens]

Ha ha. Which one? I assume you mean the one with Kevin Spacey? 21?

If anyone wants a great read about poker, gambling, and Vegas, try out Positively Fifth Street. It's a great read.

Positively Fifth Street - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Indyhorn]

If anyone wants a great read about poker, gambling, and Vegas, try out Positively Fifth Street. It's a great read.

Positively Fifth Street - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Ted Binion murder was crazy- death by Turkey Baster of heroin down the throat- yikes. Great book indeed, but WSOP left Binions a decade or so ago for Rio

 

[Derronius]

Dodging a bullet (literally) by opting for a Cubs game instead of poker—that's a tale for the ages. It's crazy how life can turn on a dime. Glad to hear no one was hurt in the hold-up, but that must have been terrifying for everyone involved. As for finding a regular game, have you considered using online platforms to sharpen your skills or even host virtual home games? I recently came across https://app.simstudio.io/login, a simulation platform that lets you try out various poker scenarios. It could be an excellent way for you and your friends to keep your game sharp while you look for another regular spot. Plus, it has the added benefit of zero risk from shotgun-wielding bandits!