Illegal Texas Hold'em

For kicks I googled 'Texas Hold 'em' and 'Minnesota' and found tons of links about police busting up games of poker. First of all, I didn't realize police actually spent time on this, and second of all, it brought up images of sweet underground games played in warehouses a la 'lock stock and two smoking barrells.'

So this brings me to my question.

Whats the craziest/most dangerous/seediest place you've ever played an illegal game of cards.

That would be my kitchen.

O ya used to be a game in the basement of a restaurant downtown, but I believe dey is all swimmin w da fishies now. Place got firebombed too.

Illegal poker

The seediest place I have played is my own unclean house online. As for the legality of poker it strikes me as ridiculous that players are arrested in underground card rooms when there are so many other crimes committed that obviously have a larger impact on society as a whole. On the way to bust an illegal card game those same cops most likely drove by drug dealers or a home where some child was being abused. These crimes should take a much larger priority in my opinion. Underground poker has some true legitimate drawbacks in that it is often held at a location where it gives kickbacks to crooked loan sharks or "connected guys." There are many cases where an underground room has been busted into by criminals that rob the participating players. So the poker rooms themselves have a certain element of criminality to them due simply to their need to be held in semi-secrecy. I just don't understand wasting time planning a raid on such places when violent crimes are so prevalent in our society. Why waste the time going after a couple card players when there are people much more deserving of a visit to the local jail?

hamburgler2682 said:

So this brings me to my question.

Whats the craziest/most dangerous/seediest place you've ever played an illegal game of cards.

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All house games, and then a couple games even safer than that. One on a liveaboard (dive boat), the other on a dude ranch 50 miles outside Pueblo CO. The only not-so-safe place I ever played was at a regular bar, using matches (from books of matches) instead of chips. It was NO different, or so one would think. But we didn't have chips, and the bar owner said 'no cash on the table', understandably so.

RinzaiKensho said:

There are many cases where an underground room has been busted into by criminals that rob the participating players. So the poker rooms themselves have a certain element of criminality to them due simply to their need to be held in semi-secrecy.

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Excellent point. Agree with everything else.

Without a doubt the seediest poker game I have participated in was held at the home of a well known group of social outcasts...some truly degenerate characters...the whole crowd consisted of CHIROPRACTORS!

I had to shower 5 times before I felt I could re-enter polite society.

the site www.homepokergames.com is pretty sweet. I'm thinking of emailing a few games in my area next time I get a free day.

I have played a few times in a bar. It would be closed on Sundays, which is a common thing here (I hate Ohio). So, a dozen or so degenerates would get together there and last man standing would bring home the cash. Fortunately, most were donks, and I brought home my fair share of cash.