Interesting reaction from an out-of-the-blue email

Lottery Larry · #1 07-15-2007, 09:13 PM

I recently received a unsolicited email from someone, who was asking about poker games in the area. I'm pretty sure I know where "Fish" got my contact from. Fish seemed to have moved to the US from the Netherlands somewhere.

In one of my responses back to him, I sent him my group's background survey- the one that a regular likes to describe as an "anal probe" (or worse). Some of you may remember an earlier version that I posted on here, about a year ago.

Fish's reaction to my survey was rather interesting:

"after reading your email i was shocked i had no idea that poker was treated this way in the usa
all i am looking for is a place to play poker in tournament form whether its free or has a buy -in of 50 bucks in the (..) area.

as i believe in freedom i do not wish to provide information to others unless i have met them face to face. As you bring it, poker has become a tight security network that can pass with honors the requirements of the customs security of our nation.

as poker players are usually open people i expected an open answer back "

(and, in a later reply)
"i did not ask for your house location nor any of the other lawfull or privacy info that you requested from me for just playing some poker.
In the netherlands i was member of 2 pokergroups called the 058 group and the pokernet group, the last 1 has pro players as members who have been and are playing at the wsop atm
We never asked to fill in a survey to join a game of poker. "

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Thoughts, anyone? What kind of game information (yours, or others that you know about) would you give out to an anonymous emailer?

Just curious,
LL

ericmalone · #2 07-15-2007, 11:58 PM

Do you take a rake? Maybe it's the FBI (unlikely). But maybe it's a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend or someone that just heard about poker from someone who you play with.

Tell him he can play if he can give you the password.

jtr · #3 07-16-2007, 06:06 AM

Larry, obviously I don't know whether the guy is genuine or not, but his responses do seem plausible for somebody from a region where the laws regarding poker are a lot more liberal. He may just be surprised that you guys need to take game security so seriously.

Erik.R · #4 07-16-2007, 07:42 AM

Hey Larry and other 2p2 members,

i have been reading this forum for quite a wile and tought i register to this forum after reading this thread. as i am also from the Netherlands i might be of assitence.
to the user who tought he was of the FBI i also think that is unlikly. altough you might be able to check out his background with a simple question to find out if he really is from the FBI. The information he profided i really easy to check, for example the 058 poker group he was member of i think it has to do with the telephone network in the netherlands all numbers start with a three digit code, i think his 058 wich puts him in the leeuwarden area (northern Netherlands)(like in the movies 555). The other information he gave was that he was a member of a pokernet group, this i am not sure about but i can take a geuss about. I for one think it reffers to a website called http://www.pokernet.nl/default.aspx it is a dutch written website about poker.
To jtr who tought te laws regarding poker where/are more liberal here in the Netherlands i think i am going to disapoint you. Simply said the law as far as i know states this. you can play poker but you cant organise it to make a profit as to organise a tournament. even tough in dutch it sounds wierd in english it is even wierder. but i will explain it, you can play poker in a bar, your home. as long as you don't organise it to make profit (rake etc, part of tournament buy in for the organiser, of course you can keep the money you winn) wich means you will have to ether do it illegaly or go to the casino in this case only one branche of casinos has a right to do this holland casino wich is owned a 100% by the state. and if you do it illegaly and if they find out they will raid it with the cops this has happend in the last months,