Start spreading the news... (NYC Poker)

[*TT*]

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I don't know TT (at least, I don't think I do, although B down at ... told me I probably knew him by sight)

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I left NY last year, I live in Vegas now. Prior to that I had played in nearly every major underground room in NYC starting with NY Players Club and Playstation, I count quite a few of the operators as real life friends - we try our best to protect the games here even when there are no games to protect (such as now).

[craigruby]

TT, now you have to get to a WPT final table so we can all say we know someone famous

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[IgorSmiles]

It is a different slant than the sensationalistic BS we expect. But as for public perceptions I'm not optimistic. Half the public cant read, the other half doesnt read the Times. If you look at a couple of the mainstream message boards that covered this. One has a comment: "Who says gambling doesnt kill?" and another says it reminds him of a Sopranos episode. We've got a lot of work to do if we expect the outside world to acknowledge our game is a strategy-based game like chess, and a socially acceptable one, deserving of clubs and halls like Bridge or Pool.

[*TT*]

Igor - public perception doesn't matter as much as it seems, if we can persuade the suits in Albany that its a good issue to take up for their constituents and it wont adversely affect their ability to be re-elected then its a good thing. Legislators and politicos read the NY Times, IMHO the article was perfect for them.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't expect this to be the tipping point, but its the first article that has actually helped us by showing the truth. Perhaps the article will influence other writers... who knows.

[Lottery Larry]

Skallagrim:

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that seems filled with contrasts: responsible adults slipping into clandestine locations like spies in the night,

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Skall, I submit that, until this negative connotation for live poker is dealt with, online poker is going to be a tough sell.



Can someone in NY (preferably a lawyer with UIC knowledge) explain how an illegal enterprise makes employees of said IE able to claim unemployment?

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The former employee of Playstation had worked at the club for three years, was covered by employee health insurance, paid taxes and was entitled to unemployment compensation after the club closed.

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Politicians all smoke crack, it seems....

[*TT*]

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Can someone in NY (preferably a lawyer with UIC knowledge) explain how an illegal enterprise makes employees of said IE able to claim unemployment?

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The former employee of Playstation had worked at the club for three years, was covered by employee health insurance, paid taxes and was entitled to unemployment compensation after the club closed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Politicians all smoke crack, it seems....

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I cannot speak for all the rooms because some operators may have changed the standard methods but Playstation paid taxes on all the revenue they bring in, paid their employees a salary (usually minimum wage because they operate on tips), offered health care benefits for the employees, and operated a legal businesses that cannot be closed down due to tax code regulations. This was something that the NY Times found very interesting, you can be an underground quasi-legal business such as a poker room and still be a responsible member of the business community. Some of the employees would be making minimum wage at best if it wasn't for the poker rooms, the community has taken many a person OFF of skid row; ironic isn't it?

[burningyen]

Good article. Nice work, TT.

[Lottery Larry]

"Ironic" isn't the word I'D use.....

There are several words that I'd use, but they're not printable.

[StevieG]

You came off well, TT. More importantly, poker did, too.

The article painted a picture of the underground scene as a community, and described the killing as an incident that shook that community. It did not portray that community as a threat to public safety in itself.

Arguably, the only disappointing thing about the article is that it made no attempt to compare poker to chess or other games of skill, or look into the reasons for its illegal status in the Empire State.

But this treatment of the robbery could lead to those kinds of articles.

[*TT*]

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Arguably, the only disappointing thing about the article is that it made no attempt to compare poker to chess or other games of skill, or look into the reasons for its illegal status in the Empire State.

But this treatment of the robbery could lead to those kinds of articles.

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We spent a lot of time discussing skill games vs games of luck, I used Lotto and Horse Racing as examples of legalized activities that contain a much higher element of luck than skill which are regulated (and in the case of Lotto marketed to people who cannot afford to take great risks), I hope he decides to revisit the topic in a future article. I will remain in touch with the writer as the case proceeds.