Poker Faces

     Bagholder spent much of the last week in the Silicone implant capital of the world - sunny Las Vegas - playing No limit Holdem.  While most people consider Holdem a card game played with people, those of us in the know understand its a people game played with cards. The key to winning consistently at the game is understanding the psychological makeup of your opponent. If you can do that, the cards don't matter.  Today's blog will discuss some of the more common personalities found at the poker table.

1 Liars. You would think natural born Liars would have a distinct advantage in Poker because deception comes so naturally to them. There is extreme difficulty determining when they are lying, because they are so good at it. Having said that, they lie way more than is necessary. They check monsters, and put money in pots when they don't have cards to justify it. They have their default set to Lying. Properly played, poker requires mostly honest play, with the occasional lie. Liars, as we all know, engage in much more than the occasional lie. This makes them easily recognizable as well as very predictable. At the poker table that is a very lethal combination.

2. Nits.  They do it by the by the book. They raise when they have cards, they fold when they don't,  as a consequence - they usually get their money in good. They are disciplined and patient, as such their actions  tend to be calculated & deliberate. They are also pretty easy to spot - after just a few showdowns - you will have seen a dozen of their decisions. That is a large enough sample to stereotype someone as a Nit. Sharks will tell you, when it comes to hand reading - nits are the easiest group to predict. As people, nits lack creativity & vision. Consequently, their play is the well trodden path of play BIG cards. Many old-timers & most women fall into this group. While its the Liars who have the most deceit in their game, its the Nits who are the most genuine. 

3.  The benevolent. These are the people who repeatedly check the river in position with hands that should be bet for value. As people, the benevolent are more interested in ending hostilities, than engaging in aggressive behavior. As a regular in LV cardrooms the last 2 decades, Bagholder can attest - there are plenty of these folks out there. You can sit down at a table, strike up a friendly conversation with guy on your left. Next thing you know, he is checking the nuts on the river - because he likes your seemingly friendly nature. In life, the benevolent are among the finest human beings on the planet. Problem is, there is really no place for these people in Poker. You simply cannot make money at this game long term without the willingness to rape & pillage your opponents at every conceivable opportunity. 

4. The temperamental. In poker, just like in business - emotions cost money. Decisions in poker, if they are good ones, must have a logical foundation. Inject emotion anywhere along the line, and you are destined to fail. Poker players call it going on tilt. Even the most seasoned pros struggle with controlling "tilt". Emotional tilt comes about because human beings have a tendency to personalize more than is warranted. Some of the biggest evils in the history of planet earth have been perpetrated by powerful people who have personalized something they shouldn't. In life, they call it one of the 7 deadlies - Wrath.  Somebody puts a bad beat on you, and most folks will go out of their way to return the favor. Its human nature to start pushing in marginal situations,  becoming obsessed with evening the score. That is not a recipe for winning poker, in fact its a one way ticket to the poor house.   

5. Gamblers.  They are going to see more than their share of flops. They will push their draws harder than most. They will also call off their stack lightly. They live & play, seemingly without fear. All this makes them seem reckless & aggressive.   The psyches of most gamblers are riddled with the seven deadlies. In fact, At any given moment, anyone of those seven deadlies is probably running the show.  In the real world, this often makes them the life of the party. At the poker table, They are both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because they will put their money in bad, and a curse because because you cant push them out of pots with anything less than a stick of dynamite. When these guys are catching cards, they can book some huge wins, putting sick beats on people in the process.  While gamblers can wreak havoc on your bankroll at the poker table, in life they are usually a pleasure to be around. 

6. Psychopaths. More specifically the anti-social types. In society, psychopaths are less than 2 percent of the populace.  In poker, its probably more like 15%.   Psychopaths, by definition, lack empathy. As opponents, they are ruthless, fearless, and deceptive. Psychologists would tell you due to their callous detached disposition, they have an extraordinary talent for lying. In layman's terms, they believe their own bullshit - so they bet the same way when they have cards & when they don't.  As people, psychopaths are completely incapable of connecting with others on an emotional level. So their relationships can only be defined by exploitation and manipulation. Seemingly a perfect fit, for the poker table as all this makes them very difficult opponents to read. Their greatest asset however (their detached nature) is also their biggest weakness. Simply stated, they cannot read you. They cannot sense even primitive emotions in others like greed & fear. So they are left incapable of playing their opponents.  

7. Fish.   These folks are easy to spot as all their decisions are based on their own two cards. You will never see them 3 bet preflop with deuce-seven, nor will you see them fold QQ  preflop under any circumstances. In other words, they are playing checkers, while the sharks are playing chess.  As such they have no chance to win long term. They do not understand Holdem is a people game - they think its a card game. So they play the cards they are dealt as opposed to playing their opponents. In terms of sheer numbers, this is most populated group as anyone new to the game starts here. The downside is there are no long term winners in this group, because their understanding of the game is very rudimentary. Worse yet, most folks don't ever progress beyond this group. 

8. Math geeks. Their decisions resemble those made by fish, with one big exception. The very close decisions are governed based on the math of a given situation. For example, they will not chase flushes or straights unless the pot is laying proper odds. Most folks would not have a clue what the proper pot odds should be to chase a straight. Make no mistake, the math guys know - and their decisions are made accordingly. This fact makes them easily manipulated by those who recognize them for the math geeks they are. Savvy players can simply price them into pots when they want them in, or price them out of pots where they want them out.  You can pretty much count on one or two of these guys at every table in Las Vegas card rooms. 

9.  Narcissists are defined as egomaniacs with an over-inflated sense of self worth. They believe themselves superior to others. In life, as well as poker, this feeling of superiority prevents growth, because narcissists look outward (rather than inward) for the solution to their problems.  These are the guys cursing rotten luck when they lose, but crediting their skills when they win. They are easy to spot, as they belittle others, and often yearn for others to fail - even their own friends & family. They do it, because it reinforces their feeling of superiority. They believe external forces are to blame for their woes. Since they don't look inward, they repeat their mistakes over & over. Their power of Denial is legendary.  This makes them very profitable opponent to have in a card game, because they are among the most stubborn folks on the planet. In real life, denial prevents spiritual growth, in poker it enables savvy players to charge narcissists the max on made hands - because they just won't listen.  

10. Players. These are your long term winners. The players single greatest gift is the ability to adapt their behavior to fit the context of a situation.  When their opponents play scissors, they have an uncanny knack for showing up as a rock.  They relentlessly attack weakness. As extraordinary empaths, they are experts at spotting said weakness. They understand people better than most folks understand themselves. This insight into people makes them exceptionally skilled at hand reading. Precisely for that reason they seemingly always get their money in good. They take the best traits from all the above groups and forge them into an incredibly tough opponent, capable of almost anything. They have the patience, humility, and self-discipline required to continue growing as both a person and a poker player. 

Vice Management

For a loser, Vegas is the meanest town on earth.  ~Hunter S. Thompson

As someone with more than his share of gamble, bagholder will be ushering in the new NFL season next weekend from the posh confines of Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. Seems only right to kickoff the new season in a Roman environment as NFL Football is the closest thing we have to Roman Gladiators.  While the NFL doesn't offer the blood, guts, and gore of ancient Rome, there is just enough violence to quench the more animalistic thirsts of the average American Male. 

Las Vegas holds a special place, deep in Bagholder's heart. Back in the day, Greyhound bus tickets were $12, rooms at Binions were $15, two room service omelets & pot of coffee with tip - $20.  We used to sit in the sportsbook on a gambling budget of less than $100 and bet football & horses all weekend, with a roll of quarters handy (for tipping the waitress bringing free beers) . Oh yeah, and ten cent craps. Ahhh the good old days. As an experienced veteran of weekend benders in Vegas here are some helpful hints for you rookies….

1. Set a gambling budget and stick to it. As childish as it sounds, it guarantees there will be more weekend benders in the future. 

2. Be caught up on sleep before heading to Vegas. If you are short of sleep and then head to Vegas, your chances of managing your roll wisely are low; add alcohol and/or drugs into the equation, and those chances are  nonexistent. 

3. Stay hydrated. Water is your friend. The dry air, the desert heat, the casino oxygen & the Alcohol all conspire to deprive your immune system of its most vital lubricant.

4. Leave the kids home. It is not a family town. Las Vegas is 24/7 debauchery on display for all to see, including your kids.  

5.  Any given weekend, there are a dozen good shows worth seeing. LV isn't all about the gambling, they do have top shelf entertainment

6.  Don't upset the locals. This cannot be underestimated. While you are there to "cry havoc" they Live there. Be respectful. 

7. While they tell you drinks are free at the tables, it takes time to get them there.  During that time, your roll is exposed - so really - they are not free. Believe me, Bagholder has ordered more than his share of four figure Heinekens. The reason alcohol is free is because it impairs judgement, the one thing you need to keep your money. 

8. 99.6% of the hot looking women who look you in the eye & smile, are WORKING. Bagholder believes you have a god-given right to skewer $1000/hr working girls, if that is your thing.  Be warned though, with this subtle nuance: While you are eyeing their valuables, they too are eyeing your valuables.

9. Eat well. Breakfast - omelet house (corner rancho & charleston) - the spartacus rocks.  Lunch - for the last 25 years it was the Stage Deli at ceasars, now that its closed - the American Grille at the Rio will do fine - the oysters rockefeller  wow. Dinner - Hugo's Cellar at the 4 queens, everything on the menu is good - has an old Vegas feel - for the nostalgics out there. 

10. Expect to lose. All gaming in Vegas - except poker - has a negative expectation value  (-EV for short).   This means, the more gambling you do - the greater your chances of losing.

So one of the keys to occasionally beating Vegas is to eat like a king, enjoy the shows, party like a rock star, smoke good cigars, ogle women, and NO long sessions at the tables/machines. But  rather, take your whole gambling budget and make 1 big bet. Something roughly 50-50 like the NFL, gives you 3 hours of rock solid entertainment for your bet & about half the time, you will go home a winner - if thats the only gambling you do. As any veteran of Las Vegas will tell you, going home a winner about half the time puts you miles ahead of most people. 

How many times you gotta be told?

  Corporate America just wasn't for me. Bagholder's lone venture into corporate America was as a teenager (pre-internet days) working at a call center for a major Hotel chain. In a 40 hour week we would routinely handle 4000+ phone calls to get about 800 reservations. In those days, average room was $50 times 800 reservations meant each agent routinely typed up $40,000 worth of business per week while getting paid about $400. As a corporate drone, I dreamt of ways to turn those 4000 calls into $40,000 for me, instead of a faceless corporation…. 

 As luck would have it, Bagholder was working on that very problem one Friday in September just before week 1 of the NFL football season when the phone rings. Guy with a heavy foreign accent says "bet the Broncos" - and then hangs up. Most folks I know would just dismiss the call as a prank, Then laugh Sunday night when they happen to notice the Broncos won. Oh well, life goes on….

 Week 2 Friday night, phone rings again - guy says "bet the Vikings" - and then hangs up. Anyone who has been on this planet for more than 10 minutes knows "If the world tells you something, you listen". Bagholder goes long the Vikings right here. Most normal folks at this point, would still dismiss the call as as a prank - but make no mistake; they will go looking for that Vikings score on Sunday.  Sure enough the Vikings win.

 Week 3 Friday, phone rings. At this point most folks would begin looking the gift horse in the mouth - with something like "WHO IS THIS?". But the voice says "Bet the Raiders" & hangs up.  Most folks would still do nothing, but a healthy percentage of people would find a way to get a Benji or two down on the Raiders. Even the ones who don't bet will keep an eye on the Raiders - who of course, win. 

 Week 4. If you are like Bagholder, come week 4 you are sitting next to your phone waiting for the call. It comes with the words "Bet the Browns". Anyone who bet week three will be upping the sperm count this time. Those who didn't bet week three have to be questioning themselves. Some of those will rationalize along the lines of : This guy has been right 3 weeks in a row, I should try it. Browns win.  

 

 Week 5. There are people I know, who after being handed 4 winners in a row, would be emptying their checking accounts (fck the mortgage) after the phone rings with "bet the Rams". To be fair, there is a large percentage of people at this point who would still not bet the Rams, for a myriad of reasons - most of them psychological. Maybe they don't have gamble in them, or they are to lazy to make a bet, or perhaps they just do not believe. No matter, Rams win.

 Week 6 Call comes "bet the Colts". Those emptying their checking accounts last week are now paying their mortgage AND pounding the Colts. The ranks of the non-believers are shrinking as more and more people, after being told 5 times in a row, begin to listen.  Think about most men you know and how they would react in this situation. After being given 5 consecutive winners half the men I know would be betting the Colts - many of those would be wagering $$ well outside their comfort zones. Its OK, because Colts win.

 Week 7 Call says "bet the Lions". Many guys, including yours truly, would be booking suites at Caesars Palace by week 7.  Meanwhile the non-believers rationalize away the pain of lost opportunities with thoughts like: This is not possible, nobody could have information like this, why are they sharing with me, this is crazy, etc… Then again, how many times do you, as an individual, need to be told something before you listen? five, six, seven?  …. Oh, Lions win.

 Week 8 By now, there are some people to whom that Friday night phone call is a Religion. Their worlds revolve around that voice on the phone which says "Bet the Eagles".  Some folks I know would be doubling up their bets every week, while others would now be emptying their brokerage accounts for wagering capital. Meanwhile the non believer pool shrinks some more as all but the most stubborn non-believers start to listen and bet the Eagles.  Eagles win.

 Week 9  Phone call comes, guy says "I've given you 8 winners in a row, I can't carry you forever - this is the last winner you get for free. Next week you wire me 10 grand or we don't talk again. Got it? Now, bet the Jets." The non believers are screaming "I knew it, its a scam, they just wanted my money". While all that may be true - the voice gave 8 winners in a row. In short, he produced. In fact, make that 9 as the Jets win. 

  At this point there are a couple of questions which need addressing: 

What week would you climb on board?

Would you wire the money for the week 10 call? 

 For the record, Bagholder would wire the 10k.

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   While you might think the above scenario could never happen, all that is required is a devious mind willing to make exactly 4096 phone calls week one - telling half to bet the broncos & the other half bet their opponents. Because the broncos won, come week 2 you call only the 2048 people who were tipped the "broncos" and tell half to bet the vikings & the other half to bet their opponent. Repeat until after week 9. By then you will have handed 9 winners in a row to 8 different people (some of whom have elevated you to GOD status). Assume 1/2 are astounded enough to cough up the money for a week 10 pick, and that is how you turn 4000+ phone calls into $40,000.  

Disclaimer: Do not try this at home…. For the record, the above tale is complete fiction - bagholder knows nothing about the list of 5000 Gamblers Anonymous members whose phone numbers went missing back in the 80's.

Confessions of a never convicted Felon

Gambling is not as destructive as war or as boring as pornography. It is not as immoral as business or as suicidal as watching television. And the percentages are better than religion. - Mario Puzo


   I have always held a special place in my heart for sports betting and the people in that market. When you bet a sporting event you are given the illusion of choice (power?) in determining your fate. Then follows a couple hour unscripted drama complete with heroes & goats. When you are on the right side, the high is, well, orgasmic. When you are on the wrong side, well there are always the goats to blame. Sports betting does reside among lifes -EV behaviors. Your losing wagers cost you an extra 10 percent (on straight bets), while your winning wagers are free. So, if 50% of your bets are losers and the other 50% winners, in effect you are giving up 5% to the house with every wager. 5% doesn't sound like much - but give a banker 5% and enough time - and he will own the planet. In theory, the man who can pick 53% winners and 47% losers has the 5% covered. Sounds easy, after all a monkey with a purple crayon should be good for 50%. In reality though, the math is against you and as we all know, math is even less forgiving than, say, Lord Vader.


As an action junkie who wanted to be on the right side of the math, I did the only logical thing I could do.  I became a bookie. I didn't have a lot of clients - maybe it peaked at 30 - but there were some ballers on my client list. 5 figure envelopes were common place.  What fascinated me though, was not the money (which rolled in), - but rather the behavioral betting patterns of my clients.  You had "the chasers".  They would stick a toe in on saturday with a few $100 college football wagers - if they won - they would bet light all weekend - nursing a win so to speak. Its when they lost, the real fireworks started. Sunday Mornings when these people were behind they'd call in a $500 wager or two - trying to get unstuck. By Sunday afternoons, it was a Grand on this team, another grand on the under - $500 parlay or two - and before you know it - they would be stuck 3-4-5 grand.  This was the routine for these people. By Monday night their nuts were in a vice - week in, week out. Some weeks they escaped - other weeks they got buried. Their cousins "the pressers" have the exact opposite problem. They can't stand prosperity. Win a couple of bets for hundred each, and in their mind they are hot and now have a license to bet $500 a game. Win those and they are betting a grand a game. Eventually their hot streak cools, they pick a loser or two - and now they too are stuck. Then there are the habituals. They bet the same way every week. There is value in knowing ahead of time what your client likes.  If I know a guy likes Monday night dogs, why not put the line at 3 instead of 3.5? That half point doesn't usually come in to play - but when it does, its free money. Speaking of half points, and just to show it wasn't all wine and roses as a bookie I present the following:


1997 superbowl Patriots-Packers. When the line was first released the Pack was favored by 14. As the week before the game progressed, bets started to come in on the Patriots, and then more on the Patriots. In fact by Saturday morning (30 hours to kickoff) I had over 22 grand on the Pats catching 14 and a paltry $450 on the Packers. At the time, I had some regulars who I knew wanted the packers - but I was worried they might take their action elsewhere.  So I did what any reasonable businessman would do…… I offered the Packers -13.5.  The packer money piled in - big time.  Parlay this, tease that, yeah two of those , three of that. Before you knew it I had close to 25 grand on the packers.  I had to go back to 14, just to stop the flood. At kickoff, I had 30k on the Pack & $29,500 on the Pats, and I was looking forward to a 3 grand payday - as long as that 1/2 point didn't matter. First half went smooth, Packers up 13.  Patriots put up a quick touch to start the 2nd half - followed by a bolt of lightning. The Pack (Howard) returns the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and then decide to go for 2, which of course they get. So now they are up 14.  The problem with 14 is I have to pay the Packer betters who laid 13.5, but I can't collect Patriot money which ties at +14. Good news is They have the rest of the third and the whole fourth to get off 14. They had already scored 56 points combined - surely there would be more scoring in a quarter and a half. Uh no. It got so bad, the Packer field goal kicker (Jacke)-who had a pro bowl 30 for 32 regular season - missed a chip shot 33 yd field goal late. The game ended 35-21 &  I lost 30k on that sick 1/2 point beat. 


   When you are a bookie one of the things you strive for, just like in life, is balance. Equal amounts on both sides = risk free payday for the book. When you are a major casino or sportsbook, because of the large number of people betting every game, balance is usually a given. When you are a small outfit, like I was, there were many games where I had big bets on only one side. When I first started out the lack of balance used to bother me. What I came to understand about lopsided situations, is they are fraught with risk - but also opportunity. The wealthiest people on the planet are invariably people on the right side of a lopsided trade. For example, Paul Mcartney is worth zillions because millions of people will pay money for his albums. He is on one side of the trade - the masses are on the other - he gets rich. As a bookie, its the same way. When the masses all bet one way - the game (and wealth) invariably goes the other. The herd always loses. This lesson was valuable as a bookie, but in the investing arena recognizing lopsided trades is priceless. Today I am no longer a bookie, in fact I haven't done it in close to a decade. Online books took many of my clients, the rest I let go. If it weren't for the fact, most prosecutors I know would take everything I have - including my lunch money - without thinking twice - I would probably still book today. It was the easiest money I had ever made in my life.  That is until I discovered the most lopsided trade on the planet, Hello Gold & Silver……..but thats a blog for another day…..

Give me a $20 five and all the hardways...

 - Not all of us are gamblers, those who aren't don't matter - Bukowski
 
     I still remember the moment - like it was yesterday - the gambling gods first stuck the needle in my arm. I was 12 years old and convinced there was no way the Steelers could beat the Dallas cowboys in the 1979 super bowl. The 3 1/2 points Dallas was catching was just a bonus. As fate would have it, the Boys lost by 4 (with special thanks to Jackie "no hands" Smith). That 1/2 point cost me my lunch money for a whole week.  That was my first lesson in "No such thing as a sure thing". That summer I began working as a caddy at the local country club where I worked 3 summers. What an eye-opener. Show up at the crack of dawn along with 60 other teenage boys and wait for your name to get called. If you were lucky enough after hours of wait - you might get to "loop" someones 30 pound bag up and down hills for 5 hours for an $8 wage plus tip. The  caddymaster  (nicknamed "bags" because he carried money in little grey cloth bags) knew who tipped & who didn't. The caddies who wouldn't roll over got the non tippers, while the savvy caddies (who greased bags) got the good loops. 

 The primary way of passing time waiting for loops was to play games - for money of course. Poker - Pool - Pinball - Gin - Pingpong - Craps - Darts - Backgammon - Cribbage - Rummy - Paper/scissors/rock - Chess - Blackjack - there were always games going. Preppy kids of the wealthy club members used to come by with their holier-than-though attitudes and their designer clothes and lose more money in a day than I could earn caddying in a month.  I knew I had an edge in several of those games and I abused it.    Saturdays were my favorite because  there was usually a crap game going. I used to book "field" bets with a promise to pay double on all the "yo" elevens. Nobody else would, so I got all the action. That was my first real income stream.  Another time, I had an actual club member show up demanding to play backgammon with me because I beat his kid out of $80 over the prior couple of weeks. The old man was worse than the kid, and I went home with a roll of cash big enough to choke a horse.  I was shaken down by bags for $20 to look the other way as "gambling" was not allowed. After that though, When my name was called I got good loops. People would tip $25-$50 sometimes even a $100 - bags got his 20%. Win-win for everybody - another lesson learned. 

   The real lesson though from those caddyshack days was having an edge & working that edge.  I learned young to get on the right side of the math. As an adult today, as much as I love gambling - I know it has a negative expectation value (-EV for short). On this planet, the more -EV behavior you engage in, the more you lose. Period. If you want to make money (and as odd as it may seem, this is not the goal of most gamblers)  the only way to do it is to have that percent or two of math on your side (+EV),  this is what casino do.   Gamblers willingly engage in -EV  behaviors, casinos provide the setting and take the other side of the trade, the +EV side. Winners will tell you understanding exactly where the line is between -EV and +EV is critical to winning. To win consistently, it is not enough just to know where that line is, you must have the self discipline to respect it. This is where winners part ways with gamblers as most gamblers have personalities so riddled by the 7 deadlies, self-discipline is just a myth. 

   For those who know where the line is, its pride that blinds them into believing they can play on the wrong side of that line & win. It is also pride that prevents people from admitting mistakes which is why when gamblers lose - they just want to gamble more. Funny how that pride thing works - It gets you to cross the line, then when you lose - it sends you right back for more. Viciously reinforcing circle if there ever was one, but then again pride is a deadly sin.


  Most folks who play the lottery will tell you they know its a bad bet. They do it anyway because the lure of the "big one" is just too blinding - thats greed. Many will openly admit  the dream is what they are buying as they hand those dollars over for lottery tickets. Its greed making that decision, pure and simple. Lets not forget sloth - or laziness as some would say. It was really sloth which got me hooked as a youth at the caddyshack. Why haul heavy bags around for 5 hours for a paltry wage  when I could sit in an air-conditioned room in a comfortable chair with a cold drink and take someones money playing cards? The morality of what I was doing in those days never occurred to me. All I could see was the money and the fact I didn't have to work for it. Greed often works together with sloth.  To wit: Easy money makes for a strong lure (greed), not having to work for it (sloth) - well thats the hook. How appropriate, as most gamblers are considered fish. 

  While lust usually has a sexual connotation, in the gambling world it manifests itself differently.  Dante would say Lust is really about a deep desire to be accepted or admired by others.   Lust is why many casinos make spectacles of jackpot winners with bells & sirens attracting attention. People observe the spectacle, they want to become the spectacle, and again rational thought goes out the window. Almost anyone who regularly plays slot machines has at one time or another "felt"  a jackpot was imminent.  "I feel it coming" they say - In reality though its not a feeling, its lust at work. 


  The last two sins Wrath & Gluttony are reserved for the truly degenerate gamblers out there. Wrath is a single minded fixation often rooted in a denial of what is. While gluttony is most often associated with food, its really more a sin of excess. In the immortal words of Harry Callahan  "a man has got to know his limitations". Gluttons know no limits. Degenerate gamblers lives are consumed (wrath) by gambling to excess (gluttony) .  These are the folks who end up at GA meetings with sob stories of how they lost it all.

  

  While this blog might sound like I am ragging on gamblers - there are some positives. Precisely because gamblers routinely cross that line & live life on the dark side, they make for some of the most interesting personalities I have ever met. Financially speaking, the most successful people I know ALL have more than their share of gamble in them. As vices go, Gambling - if harnessed properly - is both harmless and therapeutic. Last but not least, I would count myself as someone with more than his share of Gamble. As proof I would offer this: There aren't many things on this planet better than pussy, but gambling at a hot craps table is one.