Here is some of my "evidence":
Let's start by saying this player has no live poker experience in the last 20 years but he watched poker on TV for twenty years. We discussed hands, starting ranges, bet sizing. It was obvious that at one time he knew which hand beat what. And he knew about the concept of "draws". He played casino games like blackjack and craps.
The new player was pretty sharp back in the day. A chemical / mechanical engineer who built plants all over the world for a major chemical company. Well educated, well traveled, pretty worldly.
Also stipulate he was nervous which could explain somethings.
Also, the table agreed he could "ask for help" pretty early on so we got to see some of the behind the scene stuff
The player had trouble reading his hand. Two examples:
The new guy flopped a king high flush. Wants to know if he should fold to a $3 bet. We tell him not to fold, but don't describe his hand out loud. He ends up losing to two pair becoming a full house but the important thing was he never could figure that he had the flush. All he knew was he lost the hand when we told him to play.
Later on the new guy snaps off a river bet with that table presence of "I got you this time" You all have seen this. Sure enough the bet was sort of a bluff with middle pair, but when the new guy tables his hand it is ten high. Not an almost straight, not an almost flush. Just a ten and a three that didn't connect with the board. When asked what he had, all we got was a smirky smile and his cards on the table. I doubt he even knew why he lost.
At one point the new guy goes on a discussion about train horns. There are little signs at train crossings that say "no train horns". He expounds on the value of train horns and how they still honk them at night. And at how dumb people are to think the trains don't have horns anymore, but if you listen at night you can still hear them.
Another point he finds out one of the players was a school teacher decades ago and instantly starts a tirade of anti-teacher union screed. The lady tries to explain that other places might have high paid teachers and unions but in Texas teachers are paid poorly. But he persisted, saying she must be lying and that $30,000 / yr was a lot of money anyway. Even when we point out that McDonalds pays $30,000 / yr to new hires, he replies that he could hire a new engineer for that much money.
The new guy had a hard time grasping the relative value of cards. that tens were better than fives. Or that kings were better than queens or jacks. He would agree when we ranked a hand but it was clear that he was confused.
I leave aside the fumbling of chips. The dealing of cards and all of the game mechanics. That all could be nothing but nerves and a new experience.
Some of my opinion was "table feel". The poor guy seemed like a lost puppy happy to have found friendly people but clueless about what was going on. It was uncomfortable for the table and I think uncomfortable for the new guy.
I held suspicions for a while, but had hoped I was mistaken. I now think that hope was misguided -=- DrStrange