Blind person in live poker

RedGnom

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I'm just wondering to know has anyone ever met a blind person at the table playing poker?
Is there any particular requirement for gambling house and dealers to host blind player and provide with the conditions to play poker at most comfortable level, such as accompanying person, voice acting etc.
 
ribbybruno

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No I have not in my day. I think they should be able to play. Cool technology these days should aid someone wanting to play.

I am curious. What would you need a voice actor for?
 
RedGnom

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No I have not in my day. I think they should be able to play. Cool technology these days should aid someone wanting to play.
I am curious. What would you need a voice actor for?
I meant that dealer or players have to mention about cards on the table (flop, turn and river) and talk to blind person when acting in the game. The question is do poker clubs adapted to get on 'board' with specific requirements blind person.
 
Poker_Mike

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I'm just wondering to know has anyone ever met a blind person at the table playing poker?
Is there any particular requirement for gambling house and dealers to host blind player and provide with the conditions to play poker at most comfortable level, such as accompanying person, voice acting etc.


One time a blind player was at our table.

He brought a friend to whisper his hole-cards to him and also tell him what the board was and how many callers there were.

The player would then announce what he wanted to do - check, bet, fold.

The player was active and he got knocked out after an hour.

I did not mind the setup because it did not delay action.

I would call or email the room to see how they typically acomodate blind players. And then again when you actually show up to the room just to put a face to your needs.

Good luck !
 
PokStorm

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It's not be easy for them, but there are a few, here are two examples.
Hats off to them.

Hal Lubarsky Was First Blind Person to Cash in Main Event

HalLubarsky_WSOP_EV55__WinCE_.jpg


 
Shumkoolie

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It's not be easy for them, but there are a few, here are two examples.
Hats off to them.




I was just thinking of Hal Lubarsky too. I remember watching him on the Main Event coverage. I believe that he even got a Red Pro deal from Full Tilt back in the day.

Here's his Hendon Mob entry for anyone interested.

https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?n=88614
 
SPANKYSN

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I knew I had seen someone on TV in a major tournament who was visually impaired. It was probably the fellow above, Lubarsky. The cameras were at his table for a while. Play did not look much different except for the person accompanying him to tell him his hole cards.
 
Phoenix Wright

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It's not be easy for them, but there are a few, here are two examples.
Hats off to them.



For the first one with Steven Iglesias, I think that is very cool, but I feel like the non-blind person with him doubles the chance for tells doesn't it? Here is my idea that would minimize tells (if allowed)

Steven (blind player) sits at the table and makes all of the poker decisions. His buddy does not need to be at the table to whisper cards and action (possibly increasing more chance of giving off tells when more people are visible). They could have have a camera locked at the board and use a hole card cam so his buddy can announce the action via a headset and headphones. Steven (the blind player) would just have to wear headphones to hear the action (which blends in anyway since lots of players use them for music/drowning out sound).

A potential third person may be at the table to bet the chip amounts if Steven needs them, but I think the dealer could just move the chips for them if Steven wants them to. If a third person does bet the chips, then they do not need to hear the hole cards (nor see them) so they have no idea what cards he has and hence won't give off any tells. I think it is more fair if other players only get tells from the player (Steven) as being legally blind doesn't negate him giving off tells: but the more people that know his cards, and helping him at the table, just increases the chance of tells revealing information.

In summary, does his friend need to be right next to him at the table anyway? It would make more sense to me if he narrated the action from the next room over via a headset. Ideally, only Steven would need to be at the table. I'm sure the other players would have no problem with this accommodation if they knew that there were two of them with one narrating the action via headphones.
 
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I actually played with Hal Lubarsky in a cash game once at the Mirage in LV. He had a friend with him that was whispering the cards/scenario to him. I am pretty sure he asked permission from everyone at the table if it were okay before he took a seat. Everyone was happy to accommodate. I did not realize who he was until someone else pointed it out to me. Odd thing was that he did not stay long...maybe 30 minutes or so.
 
manzanillo53

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I'm just wondering to know has anyone ever met a blind person at the table playing poker?
Is there any particular requirement for gambling house and dealers to host blind player and provide with the conditions to play poker at most comfortable level, such as accompanying person, voice acting etc.
Make the cards braille and a blind person should be able to play, but they are missing all the nuances that make a great player. If no other players speaks they can not even read voice vibrations. So pretty sure it just be playing on luck of the cards. So a no starter if you ask me.
 
IADaveMark

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We had a guy at my local poker room who was blind. He would sit in seat 1. The dealer would glance at and whisper his cards to him. All cards on the board as well as bets were announced by the dealer. He had an incredible memory and was actually really good.
 
najisami

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I meant that dealer or players have to mention about cards on the table (flop, turn and river) and talk to blind person when acting in the game. The question is do poker clubs adapted to get on 'board' with specific requirements blind person.
It's a common thing already. I had a blind person playing at my table a few times at the Taj and the Borgata, accompanied by a friend or a member of their family whispering to them what goes on, their hole cards and the board cards as they fall.
Once I saw one playing at the ME of the wsop on TV. So obviously, the poker rooms allow a blind person to have someone with them and play (At their own risk). After all, I don't see why not, don't they put in their money just like everyone else ?
 
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