High Stakes Poker thread (11/19 - 500K buyin pt 3 - Spoilers on alert)

[Brad1970]

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So I'm the only one who suspects that Gold and Farha had some sort of "agreement" not to mess with one another too much prior to them playing? Just look at the way they are talking to each other, how does Gold know that a crazy bastard like Farha has AA there just because he put in a 3rd raise preflop?

If you look at the way they're yelling at one another during the hand and Gold talking about "are we gonna hurt each other here?" while looking genuinely upset. The way Gold keeps telling him his Aces are good but to CHECK, and then right after the hand trying to make it seem like he thought he was good. Also, notice how Sammy seems to be telling him, in all seriousness, to "MUCK YOUR HAND" when he bets the turn, after all he HAS to bet the turn. Obv the river check is charity plain and simple, he knew he was good there.

Also, watch the few hands they show after that and you never really see Sammy or Jamie mess with one another too much post flop, despite the fact that they are both in every hand and are maniacs. Usually it will be them 2 and another guy and 1 of them drops on the flop, even with a pair.

Am I the only one who noticed this? I could be way off but if anyone watches it again with that in mind I think you'll see what I'm gettting at.

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Brock may be on to something here. Either they have an agreement or they are playing each other to set up something in the future like a big HU match, PLO, golf, prop bets, etc. Remember all of these guys are gamblers. They hustle for a living. Why else would you check down the river as a huge favorite?

[Dos]

True, it looks a bit like it, but they really had a secret deal, what`s stopping them to share the money after the show is over? During a tourney it would be a concern (especially after his ridiculous collusion-attempt with his buddy during the WSOP, he should`ve gotten disqualified after the footage came out, if that would be possible), but in a cash game... Not sure if they really wouldve done this during taping of the episode, if they were colluding in some way they`d have saved it for after the show and without the cameras filming it. After all nobody would`ve really lost money in this case.

[Brocktoon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_3RgF5Op3w

Look at the way they talk to each other and what they say there, more importantly look at how serious Sammy seems when saying he's good and how shocked/horrified Jamie looks at the prospect of Sammy betting what they both know is a winner.

Also, who says stuff like, "I like you" "I'm trying to be nice" or any of the things they are saying to one another if they are really trying to take as much money as possible? Its just too weird that you have AA vs. KK and basically play it face up with the guy holding Kings looking horrified that they guy he knows has Aces will bet it. Something is not Kosher here IMO.

[Brocktoon]

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True, it looks a bit like it, but they really had a secret deal, what`s stopping them to share the money after the show is over? During a tourney it would be a concern (especially after his ridiculous collusion-attempt with his buddy during the WSOP, he should`ve gotten disqualified after the footage came out, if that would be possible), but in a cash game... Not sure if they really wouldve done this during taping of the episode, if they were colluding in some way they`d have saved it for after the show and without the cameras filming it. After all nobody would`ve really lost money in this case.

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Dos, I'm not suggesting that they had an agreement to chop their profits or anything, that's too sinister and blatently illegal. What I'm saying is that perhaps they made a gentlemen's agreement to not really try to hurt each other bad or make big moves/bluffs against one another.

More or less the same thing that a lot of casual NL players going to a casino together who are friends will do with one another, especially HU. You know, just check a lot of stuff down, play very straightforward and pretty much soft-play one another. But if a big hand goes down (monster over monster) its not like 1 guy owes the other money or anything.

[carol-ann]

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So I'm the only one who suspects that Gold and Farha had some sort of "agreement" not to mess with one another too much prior to them playing?

[/ QUOTE ]No, I thought the same thing as the hand played out. It seemed like another "top top" moment really, collusion at it's... emm... finest?

[Dos]

is soft-playing each other just unethical or illegal as well? if it isnt, you have a case, it looks really suspicius...

[philfan05]

During the Jaime v Sammy hand I thought Doyle was going to pull out a gun and shoot Jaime. Doyle gets pissed if you take too long to look at your hole cards, I cannot fathom how steamed he had to be.

[Brocktoon]

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is soft-playing each other just unethical or illegal as well? if it isnt, you have a case, it looks really suspicius...

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Multi-way is definitely illegal but its very hard to detect and enforce at all effectively. HU is somewhat of a gray area I believe but I'd bet that most serious players agree that it violates the spirit of the game and is quite unethical if not flat out illegal.

I think there was an issue with this a while back involving Stars and some multi-tabling mid/high stakes NL players where Stars basically said it would allow players to check down hands against one another when they are HU if they want. IIRC a lot of people here found that to be a controversial stance and done as a means to placate players who provide a lot of rake, not in the interest of the game.

[cpitt398]

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wrong, because what happens if he bets more than 50k? would u call 100k as well, or 150k? obv. he wouldnt bet that much after knowing his ACTUAL hand, but the pot is 91k after we call his turnbet and MAYBE he ACTUALLY has the nuts.

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i was just going on what the guy (maybe you) said. He wrote you will call 50 on the river in his scenario where we somehow win more this way

[BowlMeOne]

Gold plays with the intention of putting on a show for the cameras. Everyone else plays to win money.