Online Gambling From A Beach House in Thailand

Let me introduce you to Frank. He’s a big guy and stands out in a crowd. If it isn’t the lantern jaw it’s the barn door wide shoulders, and muscles on his muscles. I’ve known Frank for a long time. He looks like a bouncer – a very rich bouncer.

Everything about him, from his immaculately cut hair, handmade London shirts, manicured hands, genuine Rolex, silk trousers, and leather loafers reeks of money. Then you visit his house. Set on a chunk of beachfront property, the house is three stories of sheer heaven; from the gym on the bottom floor to the master bedroom at the top. There’s a balcony you can play tennis on…doubles.

He’s a rich guy and the girls flock to him.

Is he a banker? No.

Does he invest in property? No… unless owning beach-front property qualifies.

He lives the Expat Rockstar lifestyle simply by sitting in front of his laptop and betting. Betting on sports events like Australian Open tennis tournament and betting on horses. He’ll bet on golf, politics, football, and on anything he can turn a profit. And he’s going to show me how…

“All you need,” says Frank, “is a laptop, a fast internet connection, an eye for value, and balls big enough to see a losing run through until you come through the other side.”

“You see,” says Frank, “I’ll make enough money for tonight.” He then logs on to his favorite poker site. ‘The trick with poker is simple…it has to be, I’m not a great poker player.”

My favorite gambling quote is “Keep yourself in the best company and your horses in the worst.”

I use that to describe how I earn money by playing on-line poker. Hang out with the most beautiful women, the most generous trustworthy friends, but always, always play poker with players worse than you are - always.

Look at this list of tables. We’ll use a modest one. He scans the list of “No-limit Hold em”

“Stakes not too big, we don’t want to run into some pros…just average players out of their depth.” He is looking down the list for a table that’s playing a little loose. “The time difference here in Thailand works for us, here we are, middle of the day and half these players the other side of the world are relaxing after a hard day with a couple of hours of on-line. They are drinking, tired, and sloppy and that’s my edge. See this table?” He points at one in the list. I nod. “Let’s watch it for a while.”

I don’t know much about poker but it is obvious as we sit in that there’s some real fast and loose action. It’s a six player game. Frank says they are easier to handle. Four players are playing conservative poker and two are loose cannons. They are losing heavily to each other on the flimsiest of hands. The money goes back and forth between the two idiots. When the odd occasion arises when they lose to another player, they simply add more funds. “They are morons, betting on nothing just because they have too much cash. The sums aren’t small.”

As we watch, several hundred dollars sweep back and forth. “This is the game.” announces Frank. He clicks a button and we are waiting for the first available seat. “Gotta hope it’s not one of these idiots that quits. I don’t think they will.” When two players get into a “Who’s got the biggest dick?” competition, it can get messy and expensive. One of the other players will quit first. That’s because all they want is a quiet game before they go to bed and the two idiots are making it too expensive to get cheaply involved in the action. Frank’s right, because a few minutes later a seat is available and we are in.

I find poker boring and watching Frank throw some money away after going in with a four of clubs and an eight of hearts against a player who obviously has a hand is strange. Frank says quietly. “Seed money. If they think I will chase any rainbow, it sets it up later for the kill.” I watch a bit more and then wander off as Frank folds hand after hand.

A Typical Online Poker Room

Frank has two cars in the garage. They are expensive and new. One is a pick-up. He says it makes him invisible in Thailand. The other is his Merc. Soon I tire of the gym and its hi-tech equipment and wander up to take a peek into his bedroom. The views from the balcony are amazing.

Its a little minimalist for my taste but I know he has several apartments in different cities and I know each has a sprinkling of his personal possessions. The guy likes to feel flexible and light on his feet. He’s the one with the beachfront property and the cash so he must be doing something right. Then he shouts for me to come down. When I get there he’s hunched at the laptop.

“Both guys are going head to head. Except I’m in the middle and they haven’t even noticed me.”

I watch as the two players high on ego and alcohol are piling in the chips. Frank has a pair of queens and the flop doesn’t help him…but, says Frank, “It doesn’t help them either. I know they have nothing. Every time they have crap they pile it all in. When they have a hand they like to think they are cute and limp in. Watch.” So I watch, as the next card is a ten and then a four. “No flushes or runs there,” says Frank. “Of course, it’s not an exact science.”

I can still get beat but the odds, the value, is in my favor, and if you stick with the value in the end, you come out on top. The money is piling in after one player goes all in. There are eight hundred and ninety two dollars in the pot. Then they show their hands. Frank has a pair of queens. The next best hand is tens.

As Frank clicks out of the game a string of insults appears as a ribbon of letters as the two players he beat furiously tap out “Lucker, Bast*rd and ‘Fuc* off.” Frank chuckles, “Want to go and spend some of their cash?”

As we make the turn in a flurry of traffic, sitting behind those black windows as the Merc purrs it’s way to the best club in town, I’m thinking how invisible we are. Like robbers sliding through the night. Just as invisible as Frank was at his laptop when he picked the pockets of the players at the poker table. Just then, we brake as a huge bus pushes it way in front of us. “The secret,” murmurs Frank, “is to never over-match yourself.”

Learn How to Play Poker Online

C. has lived in Spain, France, Thailand, and Ireland. He has had a wide career speculating in property, online trading, gambling, he’s owned a zoo, an art gallery and a restaurant, and he’s taught creative writing at university. You name it C’s done it.

View all articles by C. Stelman

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