The rumors are true.  We are currently closed.

It’s definitely tough to admit.  Truth is hard to swallow sometimes, but the truth is always out there.

The NYPD has nothing to do with use being closed.  The police recently raided the St. Marks poker club and Felted (both of which have already relocated and reopened.

It’s easy to make the police blotter.  It’s way harder to get media attention.  A building in chinatown was raided for poker and illegal gambling, both the NYPD and Homeland Security (?) were involved.  The best part, it was covered by NBC and made the 11pm news, click to read the NBC article.

My low stakes poker room is currently closed.  Why?  Security.  This marks the 3 police raid in 4 months, not to include the quiet closure of 3 lesser poker rooms in Manhattan.  This reminds me of NYC’s black Friday – if you aren’t old enough (of a grinder) to remember, the NYPD shut down 4 major poker rooms in a single sweep, and I guess we never know when the mood will strike, eh?

So here’s the update for May/June 2012.

1. Closed until further notice.
2.  That’s probably Friday, I haven’t missed a Friday since 2010.
3. MY rfid video poker table is complete as seen on VideoPokerTable.net and Live at The Bike from the Bicycle Casino in California.
4. I posted a  little photo journal of the process on the Social Poker Facebook page.
5. I chose poker over one of the best women I have ever met.  If you think I’m out the

   game, then you’re forgetting that I take smoke breaks.  STAY TUNED!

I always wanted to do something BIG with my life. At a young age I had dreams of becoming a movie star, world class athlete, and famous soul singer, but life over the past few years had become uneventful and stale. I’d become an over-worked computer programmer with little time for a social life. The final straw came when the love of my life walked out on me after a brief but passionate two week relationship. Needless to say, I was crushed. I spent all day on the couch moping and looking for a sign. Something that would bring a spark into my dark and fading life.
Then I discovered that something while channel surfing. I watched the World Series of Poker Main Event winner pocket a cool Million Dollars. I jumped off the couch, threw the remote, and yelled at the top of my lungs, “I’M GONNA BE RICH!!!”, but there was one thing that stood in my way. I didn’t know how to play poker, let alone No Limit Holdem Poker. So I did what most people do these days when they want to educate themselves on a topic. I googled the word POKER, and began my journey towards riches. I’d also signed up for a local Friday night No Limit Holdem tournament with a $1,000 buy in to get some experience under my belt. My friend tried to talk me out of it. He begged me not to waste my money by trying to Bluff my opponents. I paid him no mind. Besides, I didn’t even know what bluffing meant. But after a quick search on wikipedia, I had a plan. I bought a money clip with my name engraved on it, and an expensive pair of designer glasses to help intimidate the opposition. I still hadn’t played a hand of poker, but at least I would look like an experienced player once I sat across from my opponents.
I studied words and watched youtube videos to help catch me up to speed, but after only an hour of trying to bluff and intimidate the other players, I went home broke. I did learn a few lessons though. I learned that 2 pair isn’t a good hand to go ALL IN with. And an older gentleman left me with a quote. He said, “When a man with money meets a man with experience, the man with experience leaves with money and the man with money leaves with experience.” I made a note of the quote and immediately begin to plan for the next tournament…. To Be Continued