You know what it feels like. Everything's going your way.
You can't make a wrong decision if you try.
You bet pass and the shooter rolls a seven.
You stand firm on 12, the dealer busts out with the face card.
At the Hold 'Em table, you start every hand with big slick.
And then it happens.
Your wife calls on the cell phone with a problem at home,
the waitress spills a beer on you, or some mook in the anchor seat hits on 15
and takes the last big card in the deck.
Suddenly, the world shifts. Anger overtakes you.
Confusion, pain, you can't think straight.
You call when you should raise. You bet when you should fold.
You can't win for losing. It's what the house counts on - the pros too.
You're off balance, you're out of your right mind...
and on tilt.
Next case.
People act like poker's a new game. It ain't. Same game it's always been.
The zeroes are different.
You tell your crews.
Main event's coming at the end of the month, the payout is 25 million.
Three times that in play on the live side game.
And all those zeroes make this a buffet for cheaters.
I need you gentlemen to ensure the integrity of the game...
and of this establishment.
- What did you say your name was, honey? - Miami.
That's right. Miami.
Well, Miami, it's gonna cost you at least a tank of gas to see the river. I raise.
- My name's Eddie, by the way. - She didn't ask you.
'Cause she already knows the only name she needs to at this table. Reraise.
Clark, my daddy told me a man only talks that much
when he's already made his hand.
You boys are too tough for me. I'm out.
See that? Looks like she's laughing at you.
She was smiling at me. Laughing at you.
- Bet's to you, sir. - Reraise.
- Let's see if you got the sack to call that. - Ooh.
So, you're making your stand?
'Cause those are some spindly-ass legs to be standing on.
You can look as long as you like. I'm not giving anything up.
Oh, I'm not trying to put you on a hand,
just trying to figure out what color that sweat suit is.
- The man said it's aubergine. - Really?
Looks like eggplant to me.
Get off!
Let me go!
- I've got your eggplant right here! - All right!
Dead hand. It's a dead ha... I want my chips back.
Juicebox, table four.
Sorry.
- What's all that about? - Some broad.
Remember when we ran around with our balls hanging out like that?
You mean before we learned how to tuck 'em in some?
Mm-hm.
Only two things I can think of worth fighting for.
- Money? - And money.
Had to go racial, huh?
Audiences love that crap.
- Had to go right cross, huh? - Give the people what they want.
Well, there she is.
That went about as well as it could've.
Well, see if Seymour was right.
If we get in the game with the Matador, he won't have us as teammates.
- We're gonna do this. - Oh, it's payback time.
We can't do it here. We need to find some ammo.
- Only one way to get that, right? - Let's play some cards.
I know a place in the desert. The dealers are creepy,
but most of the players are drunk and we won't get clocked.
That sounds like my kind of room.
So did you build your bankroll at places like that?
Back when I had one. I was playing big games on the Strip.
- Then what? - You know.
- We're listening. - You first.
- No. What about you? - Maybe when I know you better.
Well, I tell you this much, when it happened to me, it was like...
like ninjas doing me. Blade went in before I even knew it.
It was all over before I even started to bleed.
Then when Seymour told me that I had been cheated,
it was like they stabbed me again, you know?
Yeah.
- I see you about getting into a game? - This is the high-stakes area.
You might be more comfortable down there playing the three-six.
I'm looking for a no-limit game.
That's all anybody wants to play now since they put it on TV. You ever try it?
I never opened a hardware store till I tried it, and that's done me pretty good.
GR, you're up. Table two.
Up here, we spread a 50-100 game. The swings can get pretty rough.
They say it can cost you a Cadillac to learn.
Guess I'll need chips.
Game'll come together in a little while. I'll put you on the list.
- Name's Lee Nickel. - Just initials.
LN.
I'll call the table when the game is on.
- You need to lay 'em down. - Hey!
See the flop.
- You need to go. - Who the hell are you?
His name's Crackle, and he ain't supposed to be here.
- Card counter? - No, just something wrong with him.
- He's like a pants-messer or something. - Shut up, John.
Listen, Seymour's waiting. He said to get all you guys.
You should have led with that, little man.
He said to get all you guys.
I'm out.
Son of a bitch! You crap your pants one time
and they never let you forget it.
Thanks. If I knew you were in Laughlin together,
he could know you were together. You can't sit in the same room friendly like that.
Come on. We were all the way out of town, all right? It's a free country.
This ain't America, kid, this is Vegas.
We're trying to build the bankroll. Is that all right?
- Well, how'd you do? - I was 2,000 to the good.
I was fixing to go on a run before he came whistling over.
He sent me. He told me to. Seymour, I wasn't whistling.
- I'm up 32. - Now you're up 32, right?
In the car, you were what? Around three grand, till I said I was up 31?
- You wanna count it? - Up a couple of grand for all that risk.
If we're gonna hurt him in a cash game,
you gotta get out of the kiddy pool and start making moves.
Kiddy pool? Heads up right now, old man.
I'll take whatever you have on you.
I'm sure you could take me down at the table, Eddie,
if all things are even.
But out here, they never are.
Double zero roulette, the house edge is 5.6 percent.
Craps, you're laying. 6 percent or worse.
Blackjack, your play is flawless, house edge is. 8 percent.
But in poker, you're not playing the house.
No?
Poker room has some home-game hero wants to step up.
Who wants to play monkey in the middle?
- Well, you'll sit in then, too, right? - No, I can't. I've got a board meeting.
Doing me like a frog - put me in a pan of comfortable water and turn up the heat.
Board meeting,
- Shut up. - All right.
- I'll get Tropical Henry in, Testa. - How about Stasiak? He's hungry.
That's 'cause I stopped feeding him. He forgot all the rules and reraised my ass.
I say we let him thin out a little bit till the end of the week.
I'm gonna go relieve myself.
You know where it is.
What did you say the game was?
Guy wants to play no-limit.
Great.
Bull's-eye.
Haven't seen you around here. You in for the event?
More or less.
- Change that up for me, would you? - Excuse me, Matador?
Yeah.
Your book's the reason I'm here. Would you sign it for me?
Oh, sure.
Why don't you sit and play for a while, see what you learn?
- Oh, not yet. One day. - There you are.
That's the problem. When you've written a book about the game,
everybody knows what you're thinking.
Or do they?
- Hey, Danny! - Hey, what's up?
- Why don't you and TJ sit in for awhile? - No thanks, man.
I think I can find better spots.
Make it a thousand.
- Did you even look at your hand? - I didn't have to,
'cause I saw you look at yours.
- I'm gonna fold. - Very smart. That's one free lesson.
The next one's gonna cost you.
You know, I'm at the Rio.
They got steak and shrimp for 7.95 if you want something to eat.
- How can she refuse that, Mr. Trump? - I'm saving my bankroll for playing.
- No, thanks. I'll pass. - You gonna go find a game?
No. My move now is to go get some sleep, roll into the casino around five,
and find the chasers still trying to win back their money before morning.
Hey, if you're looking for a game, I know one the Matador definitely won't find.
- Where you taking me? - Worried this place ain't friendly?
'Cause it ain't.
- What's up? - Good, good.
Man, what's up with that?
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, man. The man said, "see. "
- No, man, no bet. No damn bet. - He said he'd see you, man.
- I was raising. - Then you should have said,"raise. "
No string bets here, bitch.
- I said, "see yours," and then I was raising. - Once you said, "see," it was over.
- See this, son. - What?
This time, I raise.
Now take the second half of that bet up out of the pot.
Let's finish this hand.
Cool?
Cool.
- Supposed to check those outside. - My bad.
Damn.
Ooh, hostility!
- What's up, Tammi? - Hey, Clark.
No-limit tourney, buy-in's a thousand.
- Who's the cop? - He's not a cop.
- He's my valet. - My name's Eddie.
Sit down and show us your money, Mr. "My Name's Eddie. "
You're making me nervous.
You're a quick study down there, aren't you?
- Where are you from? - Des Moines.
Why don't you take off that jacket and loosen up that tie.
- Get comfortable. - I'm fine.
Are ya? Boy, so am I.
I'm gonna bet...
4,000.
I raise 4,000.
Well, you're a very brave man, but you're in alien territory.
So I'm just gonna call.
Wha...
Now, I can tell you're just dying to bet at it, so I'm gonna let ya.
Card.
- What'd you say your name was again? - I didn't.
This is a very hospitable town,
and you're up to about, I don't know, 24,000 and change there.
It's gonna take every bit of it to stay in this hand.
What do you think of that?
I call.
Maybe it's a good thing that you didn't get comfortable after all.
Let's show 'em.
Chips?
Matador just made a double-gut shot. How do you get cards like that?
How's the card coming?
A set of deuces is kind of like a mackerel in the moonlight.
One minute, it's real shiny, the next, it stinks.
I thought you were done with the free lessons.
He paid for that one.
- Chopped 'em up pretty good, huh? - Yeah.
- I'll take my half. - Take what you want, it's nothing.
What are you talking about? I dumped it to you, you know that.
No, what do I know?
You know they weren't letting a guy like me out of there with the money.
That's what you know.
- Come on. - You know, when this is all done,
I can't wait to go heads up with you like Creed and Rocky at the end of III.
Ding, ding.
- State your name. - Wayne Nickel.
- And you're from? - Des Moines, Iowa, originally.
Yeah, but I've been around. Well, the last ten years or so, I've been in Las Vegas.
- Doing? - Gambling. I've been a gambler.
- So you've cheated? - Yeah, I cheated. Every way you can.
- What type of techniques? - We use 'em all.
It depends on the mark, you know, the setup, the location.
Mostly, we play teams, signal hands, look at your cards, how you hold 'em.
Can you give me a specific example?
Say you're a big hand. He's gonna get some of his confederates
to start betting up the pot until the pigeon is leaning.
Then come fourth street, guys'll just start dropping out, you know.
They'll use, uh... They use chip placement, you know.
Three up front, slide one in the front. Gestures.
Anything.
This is all so the Matador knows what they each have as their hole card.
OK?
He knows most of what's been dealt, almost everything left in the deck.
And the sucker? He knows what he's got and what's showing on the board.
To the average player, it's a huge advantage.
To the Matador, this is like nuclear superiority.
You're putting yourself at risk, coming out like this.
- Why are you coming forward now? - My family.
I want to show them I can... I let 'em down.
I don't know. I shamed 'em and I love 'em, you know?
I was raised to be way better than I am.
I've just... I got going wrong.
Just so you know, my dinner offer expired at 4 a. m.
- You're buying. - I saw him play.
- You what? - I couldn't help myself.
We're not supposed to be anywhere near that guy.
Oh, yeah, you always do as you're told. Is that how you became a cardplayer?
Coffee?
- All right, what did you find out? - It was like mind control.
That sucker checked when Matador wanted him to check,
and he bet it all when he wanted him to do that.
Even though the guy had about ten outs, Matador bet against him
like he knew he only had one, and when he went to the river on the big pots,
there was no one in there against him but the out-of-towner.
- So they freeze the action and work teams. - Mm-hm. Do you know something?
I wanted to sit at that table so bad, regardless of the edge.
- One on one, take him down. - Yeah, I know the feeling.
We caught eyes. You know that thing that they say about him,
that he can look into your soul? It's true. I felt like he was measuring me for shoes.
- You think he recognized you? - From when, the other night?
- No, from before. - I doubt it.
You dye your hair or something?
I was 12.
Wow. That must be a hell of a story.
It is.
How about you? How old were you?
- Doesn't matter. - Sure it does. How'd he break you?
- Usual way. He took all my money. - I wanna hear.
I wanna know who wins next year's Super Bowl, you got that?
Must have been brutal.
All right. I'm gone.
- Are you going back to bed? - Why, you coming?
My daddy told me never date a cardplayer. They lie too well.
Guess I'm not going back to bed.
What most people on the outside fail to realize - Vegas is a service town.
Which is why the president of a casino is happy
to meet with a customer when asked.
Repeatedly. It's Mr. Nickel, right?
- Thank you, Mr. Rogers. - No, please, it's Bart or it's Lowball.
Mr. Rogers...
He wore funny sweaters.
- I was cheated in your casino. - You don't mince words, that's good.
It means I don't have to either.
I reviewed your complaint, and as a courtesy, I went over the security tapes.
- There's nothing there. - I'd like to see them.
I don't think so.
Sir, you lost to one of the greatest poker players in the history of the game.
It stings. It's expensive. Forgive me for suggesting it,
but I think you swam out into deeper waters than you should have.
Now, I don't want you to leave sorry.
- Let me comp you a room. - I don't want to stay at your hotel.
So then, it's just back to the station house, huh?
Sheriff Nickel.
This is the gaming industry,
which means like every other big business,
it's also the information industry.
Now, your brother, and, of course, I'm sorry he's gone,
was a cheat.
That doesn't mean everyone else around here is a cheat.
My brother left here and changed his ways. He cleaned up.
Your brother left here 'cause he was thrown out, and I'm the one that tossed him.
He was no longer welcome here,
and that is the territory that you are rapidly approaching.
Go home to what's left of your family while you still can.
Pride goeth before a fall.
Hey.
Come in here.
- This is a nice place. - Come on, it's a dump. It's temporary.
Yeah, it always is, right?
You used to promise to buy me a house and a Mercedes with your poker winnings.
- I was five years old. - Still, you never did.
We've both broken our share of promises.
I got a shift in half an hour, dealing over at the Nugget.
- How's your father? - He's still playing two-four up at Foxwoods.
200-400? Your father always did like playing the big games.
Two-four, Ma. No hundreds.
He ain't winning.
Would you stop pacing around like that? It's driving me crazy.
What are you doing here? I thought you swore off the place.
What can I say? It's like the Death Star, it just pulls me back in.
The Death what?
Nothing.
What do you want? Money? I'm running late.
What are you talking about? I don't want your money.
I thought I'd just say hi. All right?
Hi, son.
Guess I'll see you later.
Let's make a wager, Skip.
I bet you don't find one other Nickel in that book.
Or a dime or a quarter or a Susan frickin' B Anthony.
- Boss, I... - Nothing rang a bell?
A guy famously sues us,
tries to slander that man there,
and you walk his brother, a law enforcement officer, into a game with us.
I missed it. Things happen fast on the floor.
I saw he was a sucker, and you beat him out of his stake.
Eight grand.
He brought a lousy eight grand in my game.
If I run out of toilet paper at home,
I wipe my ass... with eight grand.
Nine, if I've had chili.
You set me up against that?
You left me wide open.
- I'll clear my stuff out. - No, Skip. No.
It ain't gonna be that easy.
You can head back down to the floor and you take these with you.
- The slots? - Quarter slots.
Hold on a second, you're forgetting something.
Tick tock. Those are only for meritorious service.
Don't worry. You're gonna get a chance to earn this back.
Look, I... I appreciate your feeling that you were cheated.
But, you know, I can't open a file for every losing gambler.
I'm an officer of the law.
Well, in the casinos, you're just another sucker.
There is a... there is a program that I can recommend.
Gamblers Anonymous.
I don't have a gambling problem.
Well, the first step is acceptance.
I'll take this to the federal level if you won't review those security tapes with me.
And down the river we go. Six of hearts.
Two suited big cards, is that what you started with?
But you only raised pre-flop. No reraise.
Ah, you have a piece of this. A big piece.
But not big enough.
A thousand.
I knew it. I've picked up something on you.
- Oh, yeah? - Yeah. Your betting pattern.
When you start with a big pair, you open at 200.
If you don't improve, you try and chase the wankers out on the river with a big bet.
I raise a thousand. Now you're on the run, sunshine.
- How much you have in front of you? - Sorry?
How much money you got?
3800.
Good. All right. I'm putting you all in.
How's that fit my betting pattern, sunshine?
I was counting on it. That six minted me.
Call.
A set.
You're minted? I'm bonded.
- The ladder to the six. - Three, four.
You got all my chips with them little cards.
I got broke with itty-bitty cards. You played them like you had a pair.
No, I played them because I have a pair.
Next case.
- I said five minutes, right? - Yeah, here.
Vegas passkey.
- Don't touch anything. - Yeah, I won't.
Come on, come on, come on!
So, goldilocks.
What's it gonna be?
You gonna see my skate key and raise me a Hula-Hoop?
- Pump it up 7,000. - You gotta call now, Johnny.
I mean, you can't get bluffed by a seven year old.
- I'm 12. - Oh, oh, oh. She's 12.
No, I'm not going anywhere. I call.
Straight to the nine.
You have the ass end of it.
- Screw this. - You owe me seven grand.
Yeah? Well, like they say on the playground, little girl, make me.
Hey.
If you refuse to pay what you wagered, you will never get another game here.
And by "here," I mean the state.
Is that clear? Now throw it in.
Yeah.
Come on, I was gonna pay anyway.
- Now you did. - Johnny Gelcaiano always pays his debts.
- Little bitch. - Thanks, mister.
Hm.
You'll have to be careful with the gum.
Against a better player, it might give something away.
- That was a nice bear trap you set there. - Thanks.
- Where are you from? - Wherever I can find a live game.
I can see that. You got moves.
Moves, yeah. Cash, no.
I could stake you.
Buddy, you were right next to me in the cheap seats.
Yeah, yeah. But I got a guy.
- A guy? - Yeah.
Heavyweight. But first, you gotta prove yourself.
We're with Don Everest, known in the poker world as "The Matador"
for his ability to lure the young bulls into the ring and cut them down.
But he hasn't won the World Championship in almost a decade.
Don, cause for concern?
Well, Norm, uh... that's poker.
Chips go in the middle, cards get flipped over
and, uh... some carry on and some head for home.
But has the game passed you by?
Well, I can't be boss forever. Uh...
But I challenge anyone in here to take me on.
- You ready for a game? - Oh, no.
At the World Poker Championships, I'm Norman Chad, ESPN.
That was great, just great. Thanks.
Maybe we could get something regular going during the tournament.
Sure.
Come by to check up on your investment?
I get statements to that effect.
We're down five quarters running now. The board won't have it.
So we're still on schedule for after the tournament then?
Just win it.
- You got it straight? - Yeah. I don't raise your blind.
If you're in a hand, I'm out of the hand unless I'm building you a pot.
If you reraise, I fold, and when the time is right, bluff my stack off to you.
- Right. - I'll see you at the final table.
- You sound sure. - Aren't you?
- What was that about? - Oh.
Guy wanted to sell me a good-luck shirt. I passed.
This is a satellite tournament. Winner gets his or her entry paid into the big games.
Shuffle up and deal.
Casinos being the backbone of this town, you ought to respect our self-governance.
Important as they are, the casinos still need to be held accountable.
- Just show me the tapes. - It's exactly what I wanted to do
first thing in the morning, by the way. Thank you. Luke!
Put up security tape on table two from two nights ago, about 10:00.
Okey-dokey.
Oh.
- Sir, those tapes were wiped. - Wiped?
A couple of days ago, and they're already wiped?
Um... We're on a weekly rotation. That was the last night of the week.
If you would have gotten here two and a half hours ago,
you could have looked at them all day long.
If you'd only been here two and half hours ago.
Now, is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen?
Thank you for your time, sir.
- Thank you, Luke. - Oh, you're welcome, sir.
You know, they say a man only talks once he's made his hand.
A man that missed won't even scratch his macadamias if they itch,
'cause he's so afraid that any movement's gonna provoke a call.
Here I am just talking, right? Whoo!
Must have filled up right at the end there when that second seven fell, huh?
Maybe I'm worried you're sitting on two red hearts
and I'm figuring the more that I rap,
the more likely it is that you'll just toss them away
in a hailstorm of confusion.
Whatever it is, you sure do talk a lot.
But I don't think you can help yourself. And I think you're bluffing.
Call.
You were right about one thing. I do have the hearts.
That's nice. But you know what, I think I'm gonna have to go Newark style.
What the hell is that?
Obviously you ain't never been to Newark, man.
Bus is full. Point me to the final table?
Thanks.
We understand you two had a problem here recently.
Keep it civil, or you'll both be removed and forfeit your spots.
- I will if he will. - I'm just interested in that seat.
Thanks.
No, no. No, swap these out for Styrofoam, OK?
These are just poker players, they're not visiting royalty.
- Hey. - Hey.
I heard you got a visit from, uh... Metro PD.
Yeah.
- You didn't mention it to me. - That's 'cause I handled it.
I don't tell you every time the maid screws up the hospital corner
on a high-roller's bed either.
I don't know. What are you trying to do, distance yourself?
Distance, my ass. The guy asked to see tapes, I blanked 'em.
He's halfway back to Kansas by now.
- Iowa. - Whatever.
- I don't think he's going anywhere. - Really?
He's as straight up as a stalk of corn and he's on a mission.
I bet 10,000.
Goin' to the bayou.
I'm all in.
I call.
That's a good call. I was trying to run over you.
Well, then, you better have a monster truck. Two pair - kings and eights.
Man, I must have gotten tired trying to move like that.
That puts me up better than three to one. Got lots of bullets in my gun now.
Oh, hey, man. What's wrong? You don't like light?
- You were running teams with him. - You need to calm the hell down.
What's wrong with you?
Yeah, then for sure this time, you set me up. Cost me a seat.
I saw it. I thought you were gonna give him a hand release under the table.
I will hand you your ass if you try that again.
- Is that right? - Somebody shoot somebody already.
- Or else cut the bull crap. - It wasn't you I was setting up.
- I've got an in with the Matador. - I saw what you were trying to do, all right?
If you're gonna change the play, you got to call it audible.
He's right. It was reckless.
But it's in motion now, so...
I want you to lose this to him in a public place,
at a table with Tropical Henry, and Eddie'll lose it to Henry.
See, Henry's a small-timer. He's greedy.
He's gonna want you for himself.
Once the word gets out about the big money,
The Matador will take a personal interest.
You know what? I'm out.
I've had enough of this Maverick-Iceman routine for one day.
Me too.
Hey, just so you know, I'm Maverick.
- Whatever. - Yeah.
Stay behind, Eddie, I want to talk to you.
Why did you let me take the rap for that?
- You're the one who told me to get inside. - The fewer people that know, the better.
OK? Sit down.
You see the game like Spassky saw the board when he was young.
You are the best natural cardplayer since "The Kid" Ungar,
but you've got no patience.
One misstep now...
and they will crush you...
just like they crushed me.
You never told me what happened between you and Everest.
You're right.
Let this thing unfold for a minute.
This time, maybe we'll both win.
- When did you get the call? - What call?
- The call to erase the tapes. - We erase them on schedule.
Who moved up the schedule? Who told you to do it? Lowball?!
Believe me! I will leave you here leaking on the concrete.
Was it Lowball?
He came down and watched me do it.
Hey, man! What's the...
Relax.
OK.
I've been seeing you all over the place.
What are you up to, and who are you working for?
Nobody.
I'm dead, I'm dead.
I'm through hurting you as long as you're talking.
- Yeah, not you. Them. - Them? Lowball and who else?
- You know. - I want to hear it.
No way.
Who the hell else?!
Don't make me do this to you.
The Matador.
Don Everest.
Huh?!
You know...
as long as I've been playing the game,
people have been trying to figure out what makes me so great at the table.
Well, it's this:
I always know what the other guy's holding, but they don't know dick about me.
All right. That's it.
Hey!
That's only half of it. The other half comes down to aggression.
Some people act meek when they're strong.
Now, that's not my style of play.
I say if you're strong, you've got to show it.
No!
No, no!
Who do you work for, or do you want to try for two?
No! Seymour Annisman.
Seymour...
Seymour Annisman.
In 1949, legendary gambler Nick "The Greek" Dandalos came to town
and squared off against Johnny Moss in a running, no-limit poker game
that went on for four months.
Crowds gathered every day to see if an out-of-towner
could beat the best Vegas had.
Moss was up $ 4 million before the Greek stood and said.:
"Mr. Moss? I have to let you go. "
And that's the way it usually comes out.
When you take on Vegas...
Vegas wins.
On the next "Tilt"...
- Didn't get your name, though. - Eddie Towne.
Eddie. Don Everest.
Does Everest cheat or worse? There are rumors.
You want more information? Go spread some money around.
Plenty of people know things who'd be happy to tell you for a few bucks.
Get up.
You keep messing with us, you'll wind up like that nutbar, Crackle.
Did my name come up?
Oh, forget about it.
- What happens now? - You disappear.
When I see a strong, young player with the makings of becoming a real pro,
I'll put him in a game. I'll bankroll him.
You forget my friend Phil runs that game. He said you cracked it for 20 grand.
What do you want? My pockets are empty.
This is Eddie. This is my daughter, Dee.
Hey, you work for my father now?
He's just a young poker player. A very promising young poker player.
You look promising.
- Listen. - Let...
You cost me money. A lot of money, and you're gonna pay me back one way...
- Let go. - ... or the other.
I've been trying to show these to somebody all day.