Dealing with suspicious behavior (1 Viewer)

[bernielomax]

I have been playing 1/2NL at a casino for about an hour. I look up and see two gentlemen enter the poker room together. They are both placed on the waitlist. While they are on the waitlist I observe them sitting near each other, it appears that they came to the casino together and are friends (this is later confirmed by someone that has seen them at a different casino).

About 30 minutes go by and two seats open up at my table. They are seated in seats 3 and 5. Another 30 minutes go by and I observe that the player in seat 3 always has his cell phone on the rail, even when in a hand. With both being new at the table and one having a cell phone on the rail, I start watching both players a little closer.

During one hand I observed the player in seat 3 fold and immediately send what appeared to be a text. As soon as the player in seat 3 set his phone back on the rail, I observe the player in seat 5 reach for his phone and view what appears to be a text message (player 5 is still in the hand). At this point I am staring directly at the player in seat 3 and make eye contact with him. “Deer in the headlight” would be a good characterization of the look he gave me back, bright red in the face. A few minutes later it appears that both players realize I am watching very closely and this does not happen again.

I have never encountered anything like this before. I am relatively certain there was something unethical going on with these two players, but I can’t prove it. I ended up not doing anything or taking any action, but it absolutely impacted the way I played. I think if I ever encounter these two players or a similar situation I will ask for a table change.

Has anyone else ever had a situation like this or suspicious/questionable behavior? Would you have done anything differently?

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Sounds like some bullshit, I would mention it atleast to the players at the table. If you felt alienated by it, guarantee others did; at minimum its turning players off, at worst its actively cheating.

 

[JMC9389]

Lol is this even real life?

Call the floor and rack up and get a table change. They're colluding and they aren't being inconspicuous about it.

 

[JMC9389]

Also, do these guys appear to be Cuban?

 

[Jimulacrum]

Good example of why cell phones should not be allowed at the table in public cardrooms.

I would slip away from the table when I get a chance and share this story with the floorperson. Can't really kick the guys out over one text and a facial expression, but the floor can keep a close eye on them and let the dealers know too.

 

[Swarlos]

I'd hate to get up from the table if it was a good table, but I also wouldn't want to make a huge deal if there was a possibility they were texting about anything other than poker and just made a poor decision. Definitely seems shady though in the circumstance.

 

[Saoliver]

I couldn't have bit my tongue. I would have been pretty direct in order to bring it to the dealer's (and the rest of the table's) attention. Put them on notice that I am watching.

Say something like, "You guys texting each other?" But say it with a smile. If you've seen Mr. Inbetween, then you'll understand the kind of smile that I'm talking about.

 

[Rieguy]

Phones don't belong at the poker table unless they're taking pictures of chips.

*cough @bernielomax*

 

[ekricket]

I couldn't have bit my tongue. I would have been pretty direct in order to bring it to the dealer's (and the rest of the table's) attention. Put them on notice that I am watching.

Say something like, "You guys texting each other?" But say it with a smile. If you've seen Mr. Inbetween, then you'll understand the kind of smile that I'm talking about.

Lol, I would have loudly said “Yo dude, are you texting your folded hands to your bro?”
“Because if your not it sure looks like it”

 

[Jacks]

I only play in casinos with my friends and we often get sat at the same table (which frankly is a little annoying because if we wanted to take each others money we could just have stayed home and avoided the rake).

It always struck me as odd that the casino doesn’t care to sit friends together at the same table. I have no doubt that some people have taken advantage of this.

 

[Saoliver]

It always struck me as odd that the casino doesn’t care to sit friends together at the same table. I have no doubt that some people have taken advantage of this.

For the most part, the casino does not care what happens at a poker table so long as they are getting a full rake and the game is moving along quickly.

 

[bernielomax]

Phones don't belong at the poker table unless they're taking pictures of chips.

*cough @bernielomax*

I am not sure WTF these chips are, but they are easily the best chips I have ever seen.

 

[dpeks13]

The huge crack in the top $5 adds a lot of character to it.

 

[Josh Kifer]

 

[wickedwonka121]

I have been playing 1/2NL at a casino for about an hour. I look up and see two gentlemen enter the poker room together. They are both placed on the waitlist. While they are on the waitlist I observe them sitting near each other, it appears that they came to the casino together and are friends (this is later confirmed by someone that has seen them at a different casino).

About 30 minutes go by and two seats open up at my table. They are seated in seats 3 and 5. Another 30 minutes go by and I observe that the player in seat 3 always has his cell phone on the rail, even when in a hand. With both being new at the table and one having a cell phone on the rail, I start watching both players a little closer.

During one hand I observed the player in seat 3 fold and immediately send what appeared to be a text. As soon as the player in seat 3 set his phone back on the rail, I observe the player in seat 5 reach for his phone and view what appears to be a text message (player 5 is still in the hand). At this point I am staring directly at the player in seat 3 and make eye contact with him. “Deer in the headlight” would be a good characterization of the look he gave me back, bright red in the face. A few minutes later it appears that both players realize I am watching very closely and this does not happen again.

I have never encountered anything like this before. I am relatively certain there was something unethical going on with these two players, but I can’t prove it. I ended up not doing anything or taking any action, but it absolutely impacted the way I played. I think if I ever encounter these two players or a similar situation I will ask for a table change.

Has anyone else ever had a situation like this or suspicious/questionable behavior? Would you have done anything differently?

I would have said something. Even if it was something backhanded just to make sure they know I'm watching. "It's crazy how fast information travels these days. You can shoot a message across the world in a second, or across the table for that matter.".

 

[GetUrShineBox]

I have been playing 1/2NL at a casino for about an hour. I look up and see two gentlemen enter the poker room together. They are both placed on the waitlist. While they are on the waitlist I observe them sitting near each other, it appears that they came to the casino together and are friends (this is later confirmed by someone that has seen them at a different casino).

About 30 minutes go by and two seats open up at my table. They are seated in seats 3 and 5. Another 30 minutes go by and I observe that the player in seat 3 always has his cell phone on the rail, even when in a hand. With both being new at the table and one having a cell phone on the rail, I start watching both players a little closer.

During one hand I observed the player in seat 3 fold and immediately send what appeared to be a text. As soon as the player in seat 3 set his phone back on the rail, I observe the player in seat 5 reach for his phone and view what appears to be a text message (player 5 is still in the hand). At this point I am staring directly at the player in seat 3 and make eye contact with him. “Deer in the headlight” would be a good characterization of the look he gave me back, bright red in the face. A few minutes later it appears that both players realize I am watching very closely and this does not happen again.

I have never encountered anything like this before. I am relatively certain there was something unethical going on with these two players, but I can’t prove it. I ended up not doing anything or taking any action, but it absolutely impacted the way I played. I think if I ever encounter these two players or a similar situation I will ask for a table change.

Has anyone else ever had a situation like this or suspicious/questionable behavior? Would you have done anything differently?

Maybe he was texting his friend "Why the hell is this guy staring at me"????
Hahaha, just kidding, sounds like you could be correct but I would find it very hard for them to be able to text each other their hands over and over again without it being obvious.

 

[monkeydog]

I only play in casinos with my friends and we often get sat at the same table (which frankly is a little annoying because if we wanted to take each others money we could just have stayed home and avoided the rake).

It always struck me as odd that the casino doesn’t care to sit friends together at the same table. I have no doubt that some people have taken advantage of this.

I had a guy get sat at my table and immediately request that his wife be moved as soon as there was an opening. About 15 minutes later a player left and the dealer signaled the wife to come over.

They don't care about the relationship or potential for collusion.

 

[Colquhoun]

 

[dmoney]

I have been playing 1/2NL at a casino for about an hour. I look up and see two gentlemen enter the poker room together. They are both placed on the waitlist. While they are on the waitlist I observe them sitting near each other, it appears that they came to the casino together and are friends (this is later confirmed by someone that has seen them at a different casino).

About 30 minutes go by and two seats open up at my table. They are seated in seats 3 and 5. Another 30 minutes go by and I observe that the player in seat 3 always has his cell phone on the rail, even when in a hand. With both being new at the table and one having a cell phone on the rail, I start watching both players a little closer.

During one hand I observed the player in seat 3 fold and immediately send what appeared to be a text. As soon as the player in seat 3 set his phone back on the rail, I observe the player in seat 5 reach for his phone and view what appears to be a text message (player 5 is still in the hand). At this point I am staring directly at the player in seat 3 and make eye contact with him. “Deer in the headlight” would be a good characterization of the look he gave me back, bright red in the face. A few minutes later it appears that both players realize I am watching very closely and this does not happen again.

I have never encountered anything like this before. I am relatively certain there was something unethical going on with these two players, but I can’t prove it. I ended up not doing anything or taking any action, but it absolutely impacted the way I played. I think if I ever encounter these two players or a similar situation I will ask for a table change.

Has anyone else ever had a situation like this or suspicious/questionable behavior? Would you have done anything differently?

Reminds me of this situation I experienced at a home game. Without accusing anyone of anything, I think it's usually more than fair to gently point out the behavior and see where things go from there. Innocent mistakes will be corrected easily and are good for the long-term heath of the game, and nefarious behavior is at minimum on notice that folks are paying some attention.

 

[Swarlos]

The huge crack in the top $5 adds a lot of character to it.

Its just scored so that you can break it in half if you only wanted to wager $2.50.

 

[dp68094]

I would offer the counter opinion in the sense these could easily have been just two good buddies, completely not nefarious in any way... he just texts, after he folds "my cards suck", and the receiving guy, looks at his text, sees you mean mugging him, and then realizes what it looks like, and feels guilty for being such a dumb!@#. Unless I catch repeated behavior and odd suckouts, bluffs and bullshit, I'd just let it go.... (I am the sucker at the table, lol).

 

[Moxie Mike]

I would slip away from the table when I get a chance and share this story with the floorperson.

OP may not be the first to notice and/or say something which would be helpful to the floor. Plus there's a decent chance the security cameras could have captured what was on their respective screens at the time in question if they want to take it that far.

 

[dpeks13]

It's really hard to restrain from turning this into a "what did they actually text each other" thread...

 

[bergs]

“Hey da fuk, show one show all”.

I’ve had people do this in between hands live and on a phone where they’re clearly discussing my play (couldn’t care less). During a hand is bullshit.

 

[rustycheerio]

as a dealer it's our job to call them out. and i always do.

 

[JustinInMN]

I am not sure WTF these chips are, but they are easily the best chips I have ever seen.

That looks like Riverside Casino in Riverside, IA (about 40 mi south of cedar rapids, also the future birthplace of Captain James T Kirk in about 205 years)

I played there a couple times when we used to have in-laws in the area. Nice room.

 

[4got2flush]

I'd absolutely say something to dude sending the text. If no one calls them out, they keep up with their bullshit.

 

[Jawnie]

Risk v reward is pretty terrible and near pointless preflop. If he texted after the flop while mate still in its a diff story. I can see these guys gettin married to a cheated hand thinkin there clever and losin their stack

 

[louBdub]

Instantly and directly say something.

Especially with eye contact.

And just look at them…. Like this…. For like 47 seconds. Maybe 48.

 

[DRG]

I encountered a similar scenario at Aria earlier this year. I decided to take a bathroom break. On the way back, stopped by the front desk and mentioned my concerns to one of the hosts not thinking anything would be done. Returned to the table ... witnessed more BS and racked up and left. Next day, came to play another session. The duo were at a different table. Awhile later, one was asked to leave. He pitched a fit and security was called. I did not hear exactly what was said, but I know he was trespassed. It never hurts to report suspect behavior as it may protect the integrity of the game.