Tilt (2005) s01e02 Episode Script
Risk Tolerance
Previously on "Tilt" - We need to go.
- Who the hell are you? Listen, Seymour's waiting.
He said to get all you guys.
I'm out.
- Excuse me, Matador.
- Yeah.
Your book's the reason I'm here.
Would you sign it for me? Oh, sure.
This ain't America, kid.
This is Vegas.
We're trying to build a bankroll, all right? If we're gonna hurt the Matador in a cash game, you got to get out of the kiddie pool and start making moves.
- We're gonna do this.
- Oh, it's payback time.
- I see you about getting into a game? - This is the high-stakes area.
You might be more comfortable there, playing at three-six.
- I'm looking for a no-limit game.
- Up here, we spread a 50-100 game.
- The swings can get pretty rough.
- Guess I'll need chips.
a law enforcement officer, into a game with us? I saw he was a sucker.
You beat him out of his stake.
He brought a lousy eight grand into my game.
I want you to lose this to him in a public place at a table with Tropical Henry.
- You got moves.
- Moves, yeah.
Cash, no.
I can stake you.
Luke, put up security tape on table two from two nights ago, about ten o'clock.
- Sir, those tapes were wiped.
- Wiped? We erase them on schedule.
Who moved up the schedule? Who told you to do it? Lowball? I will leave you here, leaking on the concrete.
- Who the hell else? - The Matador.
I've been seeing you all over the place.
What are you up to and who are you working for? No, no! Who do you work for, or do you want to try for two? No! Seymour Annisman! Seymour Seymour Annisman.
I'll say this.
There's no such thing as a poker pro.
No matter what Norman Chad says on the telecast it's a total myth.
I'd butter my bread with guys like this.
They come out here by the planeload the busload the carload.
They think they got the game clocked because they can riffle chips with either hand.
Bet? 200.
Call.
Brunson, Gus Hansen, Seidel? Ain't nothing special.
Watch 'em on TV back at my house in Aliquippa.
It's just so frickin' obvious to me that they're bluffing.
I know, man.
I can always tell what they've got.
Oh, sure.
It's obvious when ESPN is showing you their hold cards.
There's no hold-card cam here.
You wanna know what I'm holding, you're gonna have to read my face.
Little advice, kid.
If you're gonna wear shades to keep me from looking at your eyes, don't adjust the frames whenever you catch an ace.
Call.
Oh, honey, don't give your stack a hand job every time you're gonna raise.
Why not? I raise to 500.
But, Aliquippa, you're the best.
You don't know it, but tonight, you're my ATM.
Pump it up! Attaboy.
I'll hang in.
Call.
Call.
I bet.
A thousand to go.
I'm all in.
- I believe him.
- Me, too.
Ah, that's your big mistake.
You're letting him off the hook.
Now, this is how you should handle a bull.
Should I call? Never ask a barber if you need a haircut, 'cause the answer's always yes.
Aha, see that? He told me everything.
I call.
Clubs, queen high.
The king.
Next case.
You know, someone once said, "If they're helpless and can't defend themselves, you're in the right game.
" When you push the Tudor girls to the river, they're bound to get cracked from time to time.
You should always keep something in reserve.
Excuse me? Tudor girls? They were the Queens of England.
Played 'em pretty hard against me.
Yeah.
I remember.
Surprised you do.
Well, you came on real strong.
You made an impression.
Didn't get your name, though.
- Eddie Towne.
- Eddie.
Don Everest.
Eddie Towne? You weren't just beat, you were cheated.
You made an impression on another fellow, too.
- Old Tropical Henry.
- Oh, he told you about me.
No, he didn't tell me dick.
He was too busy waving that money all over the place.
I've known Henry for many years, staked him to a lot of games.
I know he didn't win that on his own.
Then became obvious where it came from.
So you're his bank.
I could be yours, too.
I'm listening.
Not here.
I know what you did to me.
What did I do? You asked for a game, I put you in one.
Now I'm humping quarters 'cause you don't own a hardware store - you're a cop.
You steered me.
You set me up in a rigged game.
I tried to talk you out of playing that game.
What do you want? Information about how it works, who's involved.
Screw you.
Screw me? You know what happens to the outside man when the pressure builds up on the guys inside? - I don't know and I don't care.
- He gets thrown to the wolves.
Get up.
You keep messing with us, you'll wind up like that nutbar, Crackle.
Damn.
- And damn.
- Why two? First, 'cause of how you look.
Second, 'cause it means you're canceling dinner.
- You got a game, right? - What makes you say that? Come on, Mi.
Only time you dress like that is if you want the table to think you're playing with Daddy's money.
Come on, let me in on it.
I could use some easy action.
Look at you, always angling.
You ever turn it off? Where I'm from, you can't afford to turn it off.
- South Philly, right? - Yeah.
Yeah, Philly.
- Lawrence Wheeler.
- Nice to meet you.
William Rickett.
When I heard Ted was gonna be rooming with the son of a university department chair, I was thrilled.
This is one room on campus that won't be party central.
I hope not.
Nice to meet you both.
Excuse me.
Listen.
Don't think I don't know the pressures that come with being my son, especially on this campus.
But also remember this: I didn't have the benefit of an example to follow.
I got where I am by scraping and fighting.
There were no Dr.
Marcellins walking the Ivy League halls when I arrived.
Look, I know, Pop.
OK, the hard work forged you.
I ain't afraid of it either.
Ain't.
First, it's the argot of the streets, then the streets themselves that lure the privileged.
Clean it up, son.
I've given you the gift of a good name.
Don't embarrass it.
Well, you made it out.
Yeah.
I rose up out of it somehow.
Seymour says there's a pretty decent 30-60 pot-limit game - being spread at the Colorado tonight.
- Mm-hm.
OK.
Better watch out.
Hope you don't get swept up by hotel security dressed like that.
- It's not a hotel.
- Mm.
Not a hotel, huh? OK.
- I'm supposed to see you about my bill.
- Your bill has been taken care of.
It's good to have friends in a hospital.
You never know when you'll need 'em.
- Seymour.
- Ooh, look at you.
I never should have brought you in on this.
Sit down.
I asked to be.
Besides, I got sloppy.
Might as well have given them directions.
Did my name come up? No! No, no! - Who do you work for? - Seymour Annisman! Seymour! Eh, forget about it.
- What happens now? - You disappear.
- Where am I gonna go? - That better be your little secret.
- I don't have any money.
- Now you do.
Keep it under your hat.
- How long do I need to stay for? - Just until it's done.
Then we work together again, right? Yeah, we work together again.
I'll do better next time.
I know you will.
Let's get out of here.
- Miami.
- Hey, Phil.
Nice to see you.
Come on in.
We got a last-minute arrival.
Table's full, but it should open up soon.
Thank you.
Now, see, you and those jacks are like Fat Joe and the KFC.
You can't lay off even though you know they're killing you.
What's he talking about? - Excuse me, gentlemen.
- Ante up.
- Name's Clark.
- How nice for you.
So you like to watch how the big boys play, huh? Even more fun to watch them lose.
How'd you find this game? A friend tipped me off.
Seymour said no doubling up.
You're beefing my action.
- My action, now.
- What are you doing here? I scouted this game.
$5,000 buy-in with a bunch of stupid conventioneers who take a drink after every hand they play.
This is my game.
You know, I think we settled that.
Actually, I heard there's a pretty decent 30-60 pot limit-game being spread over at the Colorado.
You should check it out.
You know what? On second thought, I'm feeling kind of antsy.
I'm not gonna wait after all.
I'll catch you next time.
Sure thing, dear.
So, did you know that when the French invented playing cards, that each suit stood for a different class of society? I mean, the hearts represented the church, the spades symbolized the army, diamonds were the aristocracy, and the clubs, the peasants.
600 years later, not much has changed.
Clubs are still bleeding to the diamonds and being reassured by the hearts that the spades are protecting their interests.
Ah, Plus ça change, right? Oh, ho, ho.
Hey, that's good French, Eddie.
- Yeah, you should hear my Spanish.
- Yeah.
So, you got a face to face.
You understand the next move.
Yeah.
I'm not gonna kiss his ass.
He's surrounded by that and sick of it.
That's what you kids wanna think - powerful people hate yes-men.
But believe me, Eddie, when your ass is used to getting a tongue bath, it's real hard to go back to the Charmin.
No, you gotta win him money at the table.
That is all he's gonna respond to.
- Yeah, I can do that.
- Good.
I know you can.
Is Crackle OK? Just heard some talk around the tables, that's all.
Yeah, yeah.
That was my fault.
I was gonna tell you.
Are you rethinking this? Because I would understand if you were.
No.
I'm not sure what Henry's told you about my approach.
- Not a word.
- Oh! Never even said "approach.
" Anyway, what I do know is that there's a lot of people out there gunning for me.
And believe me, baby, they're gunning.
I'm a big trophy.
Some people may even try to cheat me, so I need to be protected.
Keep things even.
Agreed? Hey, I'm not here to disagree.
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.
Take a piece of him, 50 percent of the winnings is mine.
It's kind of like the farm system of poker.
If you sit with me, you play to win.
But you gotta watch my back also and keep the momentum going.
Keep things on an even keel.
Make sure the scales don't tip too far to one side.
I think he understood what I meant when I said the word "even.
" What do you think? Sure.
But why me? You got a good table image.
You're kinda like a new breed.
When I sit down at a table with all those dirt-kickers, you'd think the rodeo just came to town.
But you and I will be different.
Red state/blue state, you know what I mean? No, I have no idea.
I think you might have made a mistake there, Henry.
I could get to liking this kid.
Even Wally Pipp wasn't dumb enough to bring Lou Gehrig to batting practice.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hm.
I want Don Everest hanging in my basement next to the six-point buck I bagged last winter.
I think you can help me make that happen.
I don't hunt.
My brother was Wayne Nickel and he tried to get you to help him - before Everest had him murdered.
- I read about him, yeah.
I feel bad for you if that's the way it happened, but I never met him.
You're gonna help me prove what my brother couldn't.
You ran the sports book at the Colorado.
Lowball worked for you and Everest had a piece.
- You know where the bodies are buried.
- I don't know.
I can't help.
I know an associate of yours got busted up by Everest.
I want him on the record about it.
Look, I can't tell you what I don't know.
Does Everest cheat or worse? There are rumors.
You want more information? Go spread some money around.
There's plenty of people know things and be happy to tell you for a few bucks.
OK.
Look, you're talking to an old man trying to figure out a way to make his life work in a town that has long since passed him by.
Good luck, pal.
- Do you, do you have that K7, Brad? - Why, yes, I do.
I bet the pot.
Hm.
Me, too.
I call.
- I lied about having a seven.
- Yeah, well, me too.
- You thinking about whether or not to bet? - I know I'm gonna bet.
I'm just thinking about where I'm gonna take you to dinner after I win this hand.
Why don't we decide that later? I bet the pot.
Which, I do believe, puts you all in.
I call.
I got the king.
Me, too.
So we split it.
It's meant to be.
I also have the ace.
We're still on for dinner tonight, right? I just have to hit the ATM.
Oh, I'm sorry, Brad.
I only date cardplayers.
- Yeah? Well, I am a cardplayer.
- No, you play cards.
It's different.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
That's no way to conduct a lap dance.
No, you tease 'em during the first song.
You wait for the second song to lose the top.
Then when they're ready to pop and the third song hits, that's when you drop everything else.
Maximum payday.
But I don't think it's gonna matter in this case, because I'm still bendable, so you're not hirable.
Next.
- Who's next? - I am.
You're not next.
And, uh, you won't be able to wait for the second song once you see these.
- Wanda, call.
- Come on, just take a quick look.
Let's see what you got under the hood, please.
- I've been waiting here all morning.
- And you're gonna keep waiting.
No, no, no.
I told you we might not get FDA approval on the first go around.
It's part of the risk of these pharmaceutical options.
Now, I don't need a primer or derivatives.
No, what you need to do is satisfy your margin call.
$ 20,462.
I've kept my guys down in settlement off you, but they're not gonna wait forever.
How much longer do I have? If you're not home by closing bell today, they'll start invading the rest of your account, liquidating your blue chips.
First thing tomorrow.
Sign in every place there's a yellow sticker.
- Late fee.
- Ha-ha.
Cheap bastard.
- You suck! - Oh, that's a very nice thing to say.
You're getting in the way of my plans.
- This is a private conversation.
- Why don't you sit down? Young lady, do you really think that anyone in this town would ever hire my daughter to dance and parade around on some show stage.
I need money to live a certain way.
You got a big living space and plenty of spending money.
- Now, what more do you want? - I mean live.
- How much do you need? - Stack and a half.
A stack and a half.
I don't suppose that's enough to ensure that I'm not gonna find out that you're part of a two-girl act at the Desert Dream Show Palace, huh? Maybe.
How about having dinner with me? Well, I have these now.
I thought I'd play a little 21 tonight.
- Why don't you do that after dinner? - Probably could.
You can look up now, Eddie.
You're gonna love this.
Omega-three, some fish oil, spirulina, prune juice and kelp.
- Liver detoxifiers.
- It's making me sick just listening to you.
Come on, drink it.
Re-oxygenates the blood after all that dead air in the casinos.
No, it keeps your mind sharp.
Because, if we are not sharp, we are gonna get gutted.
- Are you worried? - Of course.
But you laid it all out.
Yeah, but I always knew this is where it could come apart.
No amount of planning can prepare Eddie for what it's really like on the inside.
When you're running with the Matador, nothing's off-limits.
Point at it - it's yours.
Cash, your pockets are packed with it.
Action, as much as you can choke down.
Broads, forget it.
So how's a kid gonna keep his head on straight with all that at his feet? - You think he's gonna get sucked in? - Of course he's gonna.
But the question is, can he pull himself out the other side? - Clark.
- What's up? - So, how'd you do? - Winning session.
Uh Nah, it didn't go my way.
- That so? - Yeah.
Well This is a new day.
- I want you to go to the House of Ching.
- House of Ching? - I don't feel like chow mein.
- Then don't order any.
When dealers get off shift, they go there to play a two-table $1,000 buy-in, no limit.
With patience, you can pick 'em off.
OK.
I'll get after it.
Me, too.
- Yeah? - Mm-hm.
See ya later.
Hey.
Hey! It's bad enough you stole my game.
Now you're taking the profits too? - I told you I didn't win.
- You forget, my friend Phil runs that game.
- He said you cracked it for 20 grand.
- What do you want? - The pockets are empty, all right? - You know, we all chose a profession where not giving a damn about another person is a positive.
I think that's the part you like best - just being out for yourself at the table.
And you know what? So do I.
But in this case, it's not helping.
We're supposed to be in this together.
What, so you think you got a read on me now? Huh? I'll take the stairs.
All right, move the line on Denver - just took six dimes from the can the other way.
The signals want to get down on Cleveland.
No, already kicked off.
Action's closed.
Seize all of that.
There will be formal proceedings.
You can all count on expulsion.
- Pops.
- You are a selfish young man.
Forget what it does to my reputation.
You've taken these young men down into your gutter with you.
What is it, Clark? Was it just the money? - I didn't give you enough? - It's not about what I'm given.
It's about what I can get for myself.
It's what you always talked about - doing it on my own.
Well, you're on your own.
Good luck.
Poker has put us in the middle of a genuine phenomenon, and Don Everest is threatening that.
You got tournaments on TV every single night.
It's the only thing my kids will watch.
You got online poker getting more hits than porno sites.
This is ground zero for poker, and once they're here, we got 'em.
So? What we've got here is a threshold moment.
It's like golf was in the '50s.
You know, back then, the players used to make deals with each other all the time.
The final pair would just cut up the prize money so they could both eat, until the TV money got so big, that everybody's eating steak anyway.
And then they cleaned up their act, 'cause they realized that under public scrutiny, even the slightest hint of collusion would bring down their sport.
I thought you had to work up a sweat before something could be called a sport.
I'm just saying, you know.
Poker's not a back-room game anymore.
It's in the spotlight.
And the Gaming Commission's gonna be looking at it closer too.
If we keep treating it like it is, it's gonna disappear.
It's gonna take all those nice, new pockets with it.
The reason this casino is ground zero for poker is we have a legend of the game who plays here every day.
He's like the damn Pied Piper - people follow him wherever he goes.
I don't want them following him to another casino.
And the reason I pay you is to deal with it and to deal with the Gaming Commission.
- So, anything else? - No.
- No, Jimmy, no.
- All right.
I saw some special on your career.
It said no one's ever been able to pick up a tell on you.
Well, Al, I'm easy to read.
I smile when I got a good hand and I frown like hell when I get a bad one.
- So that's your secret? - Yep, that's all there is.
I call.
Me, too.
Uh-oh.
I know what that means.
That diamond hit you, didn't it, Don? I'm not telling you.
No, thanks.
It's a hell of a lay down I'm making - throwing away two pair.
I'm not drawing for a full house against a made flush.
That was a quality play.
Congratulations.
Don't watch too many of those specials.
I'm gonna have to start worrying about you.
- At least I can say I'm losing to the best.
- He is the best.
Folks.
- You had rags? Nothing? - You're not mad at me, are you? Chips.
Let's see if you can bluff me out of another pot today.
That was great coffeehousing out there.
We had old Jungle Jim on tilt.
Just keeping things on that even keel you were talking about.
You made your flush though, didn't you? - Was it that obvious? - Why did you throw it away then? - I just thought that's how it worked.
- You think I'm a cheater? Guess I misunderstood.
Would I take luck out of the game if I could? Truth is, without luck, I'd never lose.
I was OK with that for a real long time.
I figured it was just part of the game or part of life in general.
Then one day a few years ago, I was heads up against this kid - a little panty-waisted son of a millionaire, thought he was Amarillo Slim or something like that.
And I had him beat and all in hand.
Two cards out of 48 would help him, and wouldn't you know it? Perfect catch.
He goes runner runner on me and wins on the long shot.
It's 989 to 1 he hits both those cards.
And if that's not bad enough, he takes the money - my money.
Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he starts dancing around like some kind of a crazy animal.
Like,"Who's the Matador now? Where's my cape?" Yeah, well, what can you do? That's poker.
Well, I guess that's a small-time way of thinking of it, if you think the game starts when you buy your chips.
I kind of figure it starts when you get up in the morning and I don't think it's over, even when you walk away from the table.
That's yours.
- It's just 5,000.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Oh, hey.
I guess that "probably" turned into a "yes," huh? - Well, I thought I'd throw you a bone.
- Oh.
This is Eddie.
This is my daughter, Dee.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- So you work for my father now? - No, I don't work for him.
He's just a young poker player, a very promising, young poker player.
Would you grab my jacket and I'll see you outside? No problem.
You look promising.
So if you don't work for him, maybe I could put you to work.
Well, there are some jobs I am willing to do.
Hm.
Help you? I need to know where someone went.
Why am I gonna tell you that for that? How am I supposed to recognize this passenger? He doesn't have a face you'd forget.
Hey.
Hey, you tricked me at the table last night, huh? I was just playing poker.
Nothing personal.
No, no, no.
Poker's I bet, you bet.
Not I bet, and then you blink your eyelashes at me, make me think I get to screw you later.
- Threw me off my game.
- Learn to concentrate.
No, you insulted me, took my mind off the game.
You think you know me, huh? You don't know me.
You don't know how committed to something I can be.
I won it.
- Listen.
- Let You cost me money, a lot of money.
You're gonna pay me back one way or the other, you hear me? - Huh? - Let go! - Hey.
- Hey, hey! I don't think the lady is enjoying your conversation very much.
All right.
So why don't you just take it on down the road? All right.
Gotta keep the roughneck element out of here.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Table disagreement.
Yeah, well part of getting it done is letting them believe that it was their fault that they lost and not that you took 'em.
It's good for repeat business.
- Thanks.
- All right.
Don.
Thought you had a real sweet game going on over here.
- No, it's not big enough for you, Don.
- Oh, come on, you know me.
I don't mind picking up a few small pots on the way to the big one.
This game's getting stale.
It's about to break.
Yeah? Maybe I'll freshen it up a little bit.
Hey, come on, Don.
Her father's in County.
Just a couple of grand for raising his bail.
Looks like she's got enough there to bail us both out.
Who knows? Maybe I'll be the answer to her prayers.
- Hello.
- Let's play.
- How the hell did you get in here? - Vegas passkey.
I'm gonna have to get them to tighten up on security, - or at least raise their price.
- I'm glad you're finally here.
Been going back and forth on whether to go through with this.
Go through with what? This belongs to you.
I should have never stole your game.
You were right.
How'd you come up with it anyway? Another game? No, let's just say I restructured my portfolio.
Too young to be carrying blue chips anyway.
It's our money now.
This is going to Seymour to hold.
Seymour.
You treat him better than a father.
Why? Oh, come on.
I deserve to know what I'm a part of.
Um, Seymour and Everest used to run the sports book at the Colorado when I met them.
I wasn't gonna win any "Samaritan of the year" awards, but something about me must have gotten to him.
My father was locked up and I almost had his bail money - when Matador cleaned me out.
- That's raw.
Next day, there was a betting slip with a note from Seymour that said to cash it right away.
It was a $40,000 winning ticket on a game that had already gone off.
He postdated it.
Nice.
The next day when I went to cash it, they wouldn't honor it, and Seymour was gone.
I heard that he'd been beaten almost to death and was in a hospital out of town.
That Everest and the rest of them had done it to him.
- And what about your pops? - He died in jail.
Seymour lost everything trying to help me.
My point is, whatever he was before, he's a good man.
Now, see, that's half the point.
Other half is that, I mean, if you cross the Matador even a little bit, he will take you out.
So what do you want to do now? What do you think? Me, too.
Let's do the best thing there is to do in a hotel room.
- $500 freezeout.
- Yeah! Oh, but, hey, hey, hey.
You have to spot me that buy-in.
I've known my daddy to run with a high-rolling crowd, but this is a whole new thing.
Well, maybe I was just waiting for somebody who likes to play 21.
Drink? I don't think so.
Not on your daddy's home field.
Where then? Never met the guy, my ass.
Honey, it's me.
Oh.
I'm gonna need you to wire some money.
1200.
I know I said I was coming home, but now things have developed.
I realize he was a son of a bitch much of the time, but he was my brother longer than that.
I'll sell my Winchester when I get home, just wire Fine, you sell it.
Just send the money.
I can't come back now.
I'm getting closer.
I miss you, too.
Hug the kids for me.
Donny.
Just like you said.
I put a man on him.
He's not going anywhere.
- When were those taken? - Less than 24 hours ago.
- This could hurt us.
- Yep.
Most players don't know their risk tolerance.
They fool themselves into putting up more of their bankroll than they're truly comfortable with.
This causes them to play tight when they should play loose, and press when they fall behind.
Thing is, if you're not comfortable at a certain height, you're gonna get crushed.
But if you can handle it, and I mean really handle it, so that your heart's at 60 beats a minute when everything you've got's in the middle of the table, then you know the difference between sleepwalking and really being alive.
I've been trying to show these to somebody all day.
On the next "Tilt" Roy McEntyre just flew in from Australia.
My line of credit here is over ten million dollars.
One visit from this guy bumps up our fiscal quarter.
Get him in here.
Going into a game like that with less than a million dollars is like shooting elephants with a pop gun.
Look, I need 100, cash, for a venture I'm getting into.
When you took company funds to play that Matador guy, you forfeited the rest.
Well, there are two ways we can play this, then.
Pretend it didn't happen, or admit that it was fun and enjoy the ride.
Which is it gonna be? I need you to play.
It's a high-altitude game.
- How high? - $300,000 buy-in, minimum.
I'm sitting in the big game and he's bankrolling me and I keep half my take.
Guess who's back in town? Our old pal, Seymour.
This is bad news.
You can't win 'em all.
Not out here.
Doesn't matter how good you are.
I won't stop.
I don't care if the police here refuse to help me, I'll do it myself.
Mac, let me ask you a question.
With all you got, why you gotta play me so hard? You're the only man who's ever consistently beaten me at anything, and that can't stand.
I'm all in.
You know, blood is blood.
I don't begrudge him his effort, but he's gonna wake up Everest if he hasn't already.
We are coming to the hard part.
This a private session! I just want to have a little chat with my friend.
- Who the hell are you? Listen, Seymour's waiting.
He said to get all you guys.
I'm out.
- Excuse me, Matador.
- Yeah.
Your book's the reason I'm here.
Would you sign it for me? Oh, sure.
This ain't America, kid.
This is Vegas.
We're trying to build a bankroll, all right? If we're gonna hurt the Matador in a cash game, you got to get out of the kiddie pool and start making moves.
- We're gonna do this.
- Oh, it's payback time.
- I see you about getting into a game? - This is the high-stakes area.
You might be more comfortable there, playing at three-six.
- I'm looking for a no-limit game.
- Up here, we spread a 50-100 game.
- The swings can get pretty rough.
- Guess I'll need chips.
a law enforcement officer, into a game with us? I saw he was a sucker.
You beat him out of his stake.
He brought a lousy eight grand into my game.
I want you to lose this to him in a public place at a table with Tropical Henry.
- You got moves.
- Moves, yeah.
Cash, no.
I can stake you.
Luke, put up security tape on table two from two nights ago, about ten o'clock.
- Sir, those tapes were wiped.
- Wiped? We erase them on schedule.
Who moved up the schedule? Who told you to do it? Lowball? I will leave you here, leaking on the concrete.
- Who the hell else? - The Matador.
I've been seeing you all over the place.
What are you up to and who are you working for? No, no! Who do you work for, or do you want to try for two? No! Seymour Annisman! Seymour Seymour Annisman.
I'll say this.
There's no such thing as a poker pro.
No matter what Norman Chad says on the telecast it's a total myth.
I'd butter my bread with guys like this.
They come out here by the planeload the busload the carload.
They think they got the game clocked because they can riffle chips with either hand.
Bet? 200.
Call.
Brunson, Gus Hansen, Seidel? Ain't nothing special.
Watch 'em on TV back at my house in Aliquippa.
It's just so frickin' obvious to me that they're bluffing.
I know, man.
I can always tell what they've got.
Oh, sure.
It's obvious when ESPN is showing you their hold cards.
There's no hold-card cam here.
You wanna know what I'm holding, you're gonna have to read my face.
Little advice, kid.
If you're gonna wear shades to keep me from looking at your eyes, don't adjust the frames whenever you catch an ace.
Call.
Oh, honey, don't give your stack a hand job every time you're gonna raise.
Why not? I raise to 500.
But, Aliquippa, you're the best.
You don't know it, but tonight, you're my ATM.
Pump it up! Attaboy.
I'll hang in.
Call.
Call.
I bet.
A thousand to go.
I'm all in.
- I believe him.
- Me, too.
Ah, that's your big mistake.
You're letting him off the hook.
Now, this is how you should handle a bull.
Should I call? Never ask a barber if you need a haircut, 'cause the answer's always yes.
Aha, see that? He told me everything.
I call.
Clubs, queen high.
The king.
Next case.
You know, someone once said, "If they're helpless and can't defend themselves, you're in the right game.
" When you push the Tudor girls to the river, they're bound to get cracked from time to time.
You should always keep something in reserve.
Excuse me? Tudor girls? They were the Queens of England.
Played 'em pretty hard against me.
Yeah.
I remember.
Surprised you do.
Well, you came on real strong.
You made an impression.
Didn't get your name, though.
- Eddie Towne.
- Eddie.
Don Everest.
Eddie Towne? You weren't just beat, you were cheated.
You made an impression on another fellow, too.
- Old Tropical Henry.
- Oh, he told you about me.
No, he didn't tell me dick.
He was too busy waving that money all over the place.
I've known Henry for many years, staked him to a lot of games.
I know he didn't win that on his own.
Then became obvious where it came from.
So you're his bank.
I could be yours, too.
I'm listening.
Not here.
I know what you did to me.
What did I do? You asked for a game, I put you in one.
Now I'm humping quarters 'cause you don't own a hardware store - you're a cop.
You steered me.
You set me up in a rigged game.
I tried to talk you out of playing that game.
What do you want? Information about how it works, who's involved.
Screw you.
Screw me? You know what happens to the outside man when the pressure builds up on the guys inside? - I don't know and I don't care.
- He gets thrown to the wolves.
Get up.
You keep messing with us, you'll wind up like that nutbar, Crackle.
Damn.
- And damn.
- Why two? First, 'cause of how you look.
Second, 'cause it means you're canceling dinner.
- You got a game, right? - What makes you say that? Come on, Mi.
Only time you dress like that is if you want the table to think you're playing with Daddy's money.
Come on, let me in on it.
I could use some easy action.
Look at you, always angling.
You ever turn it off? Where I'm from, you can't afford to turn it off.
- South Philly, right? - Yeah.
Yeah, Philly.
- Lawrence Wheeler.
- Nice to meet you.
William Rickett.
When I heard Ted was gonna be rooming with the son of a university department chair, I was thrilled.
This is one room on campus that won't be party central.
I hope not.
Nice to meet you both.
Excuse me.
Listen.
Don't think I don't know the pressures that come with being my son, especially on this campus.
But also remember this: I didn't have the benefit of an example to follow.
I got where I am by scraping and fighting.
There were no Dr.
Marcellins walking the Ivy League halls when I arrived.
Look, I know, Pop.
OK, the hard work forged you.
I ain't afraid of it either.
Ain't.
First, it's the argot of the streets, then the streets themselves that lure the privileged.
Clean it up, son.
I've given you the gift of a good name.
Don't embarrass it.
Well, you made it out.
Yeah.
I rose up out of it somehow.
Seymour says there's a pretty decent 30-60 pot-limit game - being spread at the Colorado tonight.
- Mm-hm.
OK.
Better watch out.
Hope you don't get swept up by hotel security dressed like that.
- It's not a hotel.
- Mm.
Not a hotel, huh? OK.
- I'm supposed to see you about my bill.
- Your bill has been taken care of.
It's good to have friends in a hospital.
You never know when you'll need 'em.
- Seymour.
- Ooh, look at you.
I never should have brought you in on this.
Sit down.
I asked to be.
Besides, I got sloppy.
Might as well have given them directions.
Did my name come up? No! No, no! - Who do you work for? - Seymour Annisman! Seymour! Eh, forget about it.
- What happens now? - You disappear.
- Where am I gonna go? - That better be your little secret.
- I don't have any money.
- Now you do.
Keep it under your hat.
- How long do I need to stay for? - Just until it's done.
Then we work together again, right? Yeah, we work together again.
I'll do better next time.
I know you will.
Let's get out of here.
- Miami.
- Hey, Phil.
Nice to see you.
Come on in.
We got a last-minute arrival.
Table's full, but it should open up soon.
Thank you.
Now, see, you and those jacks are like Fat Joe and the KFC.
You can't lay off even though you know they're killing you.
What's he talking about? - Excuse me, gentlemen.
- Ante up.
- Name's Clark.
- How nice for you.
So you like to watch how the big boys play, huh? Even more fun to watch them lose.
How'd you find this game? A friend tipped me off.
Seymour said no doubling up.
You're beefing my action.
- My action, now.
- What are you doing here? I scouted this game.
$5,000 buy-in with a bunch of stupid conventioneers who take a drink after every hand they play.
This is my game.
You know, I think we settled that.
Actually, I heard there's a pretty decent 30-60 pot limit-game being spread over at the Colorado.
You should check it out.
You know what? On second thought, I'm feeling kind of antsy.
I'm not gonna wait after all.
I'll catch you next time.
Sure thing, dear.
So, did you know that when the French invented playing cards, that each suit stood for a different class of society? I mean, the hearts represented the church, the spades symbolized the army, diamonds were the aristocracy, and the clubs, the peasants.
600 years later, not much has changed.
Clubs are still bleeding to the diamonds and being reassured by the hearts that the spades are protecting their interests.
Ah, Plus ça change, right? Oh, ho, ho.
Hey, that's good French, Eddie.
- Yeah, you should hear my Spanish.
- Yeah.
So, you got a face to face.
You understand the next move.
Yeah.
I'm not gonna kiss his ass.
He's surrounded by that and sick of it.
That's what you kids wanna think - powerful people hate yes-men.
But believe me, Eddie, when your ass is used to getting a tongue bath, it's real hard to go back to the Charmin.
No, you gotta win him money at the table.
That is all he's gonna respond to.
- Yeah, I can do that.
- Good.
I know you can.
Is Crackle OK? Just heard some talk around the tables, that's all.
Yeah, yeah.
That was my fault.
I was gonna tell you.
Are you rethinking this? Because I would understand if you were.
No.
I'm not sure what Henry's told you about my approach.
- Not a word.
- Oh! Never even said "approach.
" Anyway, what I do know is that there's a lot of people out there gunning for me.
And believe me, baby, they're gunning.
I'm a big trophy.
Some people may even try to cheat me, so I need to be protected.
Keep things even.
Agreed? Hey, I'm not here to disagree.
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.
Take a piece of him, 50 percent of the winnings is mine.
It's kind of like the farm system of poker.
If you sit with me, you play to win.
But you gotta watch my back also and keep the momentum going.
Keep things on an even keel.
Make sure the scales don't tip too far to one side.
I think he understood what I meant when I said the word "even.
" What do you think? Sure.
But why me? You got a good table image.
You're kinda like a new breed.
When I sit down at a table with all those dirt-kickers, you'd think the rodeo just came to town.
But you and I will be different.
Red state/blue state, you know what I mean? No, I have no idea.
I think you might have made a mistake there, Henry.
I could get to liking this kid.
Even Wally Pipp wasn't dumb enough to bring Lou Gehrig to batting practice.
- Thank you.
- Mm-hm.
I want Don Everest hanging in my basement next to the six-point buck I bagged last winter.
I think you can help me make that happen.
I don't hunt.
My brother was Wayne Nickel and he tried to get you to help him - before Everest had him murdered.
- I read about him, yeah.
I feel bad for you if that's the way it happened, but I never met him.
You're gonna help me prove what my brother couldn't.
You ran the sports book at the Colorado.
Lowball worked for you and Everest had a piece.
- You know where the bodies are buried.
- I don't know.
I can't help.
I know an associate of yours got busted up by Everest.
I want him on the record about it.
Look, I can't tell you what I don't know.
Does Everest cheat or worse? There are rumors.
You want more information? Go spread some money around.
There's plenty of people know things and be happy to tell you for a few bucks.
OK.
Look, you're talking to an old man trying to figure out a way to make his life work in a town that has long since passed him by.
Good luck, pal.
- Do you, do you have that K7, Brad? - Why, yes, I do.
I bet the pot.
Hm.
Me, too.
I call.
- I lied about having a seven.
- Yeah, well, me too.
- You thinking about whether or not to bet? - I know I'm gonna bet.
I'm just thinking about where I'm gonna take you to dinner after I win this hand.
Why don't we decide that later? I bet the pot.
Which, I do believe, puts you all in.
I call.
I got the king.
Me, too.
So we split it.
It's meant to be.
I also have the ace.
We're still on for dinner tonight, right? I just have to hit the ATM.
Oh, I'm sorry, Brad.
I only date cardplayers.
- Yeah? Well, I am a cardplayer.
- No, you play cards.
It's different.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
That's no way to conduct a lap dance.
No, you tease 'em during the first song.
You wait for the second song to lose the top.
Then when they're ready to pop and the third song hits, that's when you drop everything else.
Maximum payday.
But I don't think it's gonna matter in this case, because I'm still bendable, so you're not hirable.
Next.
- Who's next? - I am.
You're not next.
And, uh, you won't be able to wait for the second song once you see these.
- Wanda, call.
- Come on, just take a quick look.
Let's see what you got under the hood, please.
- I've been waiting here all morning.
- And you're gonna keep waiting.
No, no, no.
I told you we might not get FDA approval on the first go around.
It's part of the risk of these pharmaceutical options.
Now, I don't need a primer or derivatives.
No, what you need to do is satisfy your margin call.
$ 20,462.
I've kept my guys down in settlement off you, but they're not gonna wait forever.
How much longer do I have? If you're not home by closing bell today, they'll start invading the rest of your account, liquidating your blue chips.
First thing tomorrow.
Sign in every place there's a yellow sticker.
- Late fee.
- Ha-ha.
Cheap bastard.
- You suck! - Oh, that's a very nice thing to say.
You're getting in the way of my plans.
- This is a private conversation.
- Why don't you sit down? Young lady, do you really think that anyone in this town would ever hire my daughter to dance and parade around on some show stage.
I need money to live a certain way.
You got a big living space and plenty of spending money.
- Now, what more do you want? - I mean live.
- How much do you need? - Stack and a half.
A stack and a half.
I don't suppose that's enough to ensure that I'm not gonna find out that you're part of a two-girl act at the Desert Dream Show Palace, huh? Maybe.
How about having dinner with me? Well, I have these now.
I thought I'd play a little 21 tonight.
- Why don't you do that after dinner? - Probably could.
You can look up now, Eddie.
You're gonna love this.
Omega-three, some fish oil, spirulina, prune juice and kelp.
- Liver detoxifiers.
- It's making me sick just listening to you.
Come on, drink it.
Re-oxygenates the blood after all that dead air in the casinos.
No, it keeps your mind sharp.
Because, if we are not sharp, we are gonna get gutted.
- Are you worried? - Of course.
But you laid it all out.
Yeah, but I always knew this is where it could come apart.
No amount of planning can prepare Eddie for what it's really like on the inside.
When you're running with the Matador, nothing's off-limits.
Point at it - it's yours.
Cash, your pockets are packed with it.
Action, as much as you can choke down.
Broads, forget it.
So how's a kid gonna keep his head on straight with all that at his feet? - You think he's gonna get sucked in? - Of course he's gonna.
But the question is, can he pull himself out the other side? - Clark.
- What's up? - So, how'd you do? - Winning session.
Uh Nah, it didn't go my way.
- That so? - Yeah.
Well This is a new day.
- I want you to go to the House of Ching.
- House of Ching? - I don't feel like chow mein.
- Then don't order any.
When dealers get off shift, they go there to play a two-table $1,000 buy-in, no limit.
With patience, you can pick 'em off.
OK.
I'll get after it.
Me, too.
- Yeah? - Mm-hm.
See ya later.
Hey.
Hey! It's bad enough you stole my game.
Now you're taking the profits too? - I told you I didn't win.
- You forget, my friend Phil runs that game.
- He said you cracked it for 20 grand.
- What do you want? - The pockets are empty, all right? - You know, we all chose a profession where not giving a damn about another person is a positive.
I think that's the part you like best - just being out for yourself at the table.
And you know what? So do I.
But in this case, it's not helping.
We're supposed to be in this together.
What, so you think you got a read on me now? Huh? I'll take the stairs.
All right, move the line on Denver - just took six dimes from the can the other way.
The signals want to get down on Cleveland.
No, already kicked off.
Action's closed.
Seize all of that.
There will be formal proceedings.
You can all count on expulsion.
- Pops.
- You are a selfish young man.
Forget what it does to my reputation.
You've taken these young men down into your gutter with you.
What is it, Clark? Was it just the money? - I didn't give you enough? - It's not about what I'm given.
It's about what I can get for myself.
It's what you always talked about - doing it on my own.
Well, you're on your own.
Good luck.
Poker has put us in the middle of a genuine phenomenon, and Don Everest is threatening that.
You got tournaments on TV every single night.
It's the only thing my kids will watch.
You got online poker getting more hits than porno sites.
This is ground zero for poker, and once they're here, we got 'em.
So? What we've got here is a threshold moment.
It's like golf was in the '50s.
You know, back then, the players used to make deals with each other all the time.
The final pair would just cut up the prize money so they could both eat, until the TV money got so big, that everybody's eating steak anyway.
And then they cleaned up their act, 'cause they realized that under public scrutiny, even the slightest hint of collusion would bring down their sport.
I thought you had to work up a sweat before something could be called a sport.
I'm just saying, you know.
Poker's not a back-room game anymore.
It's in the spotlight.
And the Gaming Commission's gonna be looking at it closer too.
If we keep treating it like it is, it's gonna disappear.
It's gonna take all those nice, new pockets with it.
The reason this casino is ground zero for poker is we have a legend of the game who plays here every day.
He's like the damn Pied Piper - people follow him wherever he goes.
I don't want them following him to another casino.
And the reason I pay you is to deal with it and to deal with the Gaming Commission.
- So, anything else? - No.
- No, Jimmy, no.
- All right.
I saw some special on your career.
It said no one's ever been able to pick up a tell on you.
Well, Al, I'm easy to read.
I smile when I got a good hand and I frown like hell when I get a bad one.
- So that's your secret? - Yep, that's all there is.
I call.
Me, too.
Uh-oh.
I know what that means.
That diamond hit you, didn't it, Don? I'm not telling you.
No, thanks.
It's a hell of a lay down I'm making - throwing away two pair.
I'm not drawing for a full house against a made flush.
That was a quality play.
Congratulations.
Don't watch too many of those specials.
I'm gonna have to start worrying about you.
- At least I can say I'm losing to the best.
- He is the best.
Folks.
- You had rags? Nothing? - You're not mad at me, are you? Chips.
Let's see if you can bluff me out of another pot today.
That was great coffeehousing out there.
We had old Jungle Jim on tilt.
Just keeping things on that even keel you were talking about.
You made your flush though, didn't you? - Was it that obvious? - Why did you throw it away then? - I just thought that's how it worked.
- You think I'm a cheater? Guess I misunderstood.
Would I take luck out of the game if I could? Truth is, without luck, I'd never lose.
I was OK with that for a real long time.
I figured it was just part of the game or part of life in general.
Then one day a few years ago, I was heads up against this kid - a little panty-waisted son of a millionaire, thought he was Amarillo Slim or something like that.
And I had him beat and all in hand.
Two cards out of 48 would help him, and wouldn't you know it? Perfect catch.
He goes runner runner on me and wins on the long shot.
It's 989 to 1 he hits both those cards.
And if that's not bad enough, he takes the money - my money.
Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he starts dancing around like some kind of a crazy animal.
Like,"Who's the Matador now? Where's my cape?" Yeah, well, what can you do? That's poker.
Well, I guess that's a small-time way of thinking of it, if you think the game starts when you buy your chips.
I kind of figure it starts when you get up in the morning and I don't think it's over, even when you walk away from the table.
That's yours.
- It's just 5,000.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Oh, hey.
I guess that "probably" turned into a "yes," huh? - Well, I thought I'd throw you a bone.
- Oh.
This is Eddie.
This is my daughter, Dee.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- So you work for my father now? - No, I don't work for him.
He's just a young poker player, a very promising, young poker player.
Would you grab my jacket and I'll see you outside? No problem.
You look promising.
So if you don't work for him, maybe I could put you to work.
Well, there are some jobs I am willing to do.
Hm.
Help you? I need to know where someone went.
Why am I gonna tell you that for that? How am I supposed to recognize this passenger? He doesn't have a face you'd forget.
Hey.
Hey, you tricked me at the table last night, huh? I was just playing poker.
Nothing personal.
No, no, no.
Poker's I bet, you bet.
Not I bet, and then you blink your eyelashes at me, make me think I get to screw you later.
- Threw me off my game.
- Learn to concentrate.
No, you insulted me, took my mind off the game.
You think you know me, huh? You don't know me.
You don't know how committed to something I can be.
I won it.
- Listen.
- Let You cost me money, a lot of money.
You're gonna pay me back one way or the other, you hear me? - Huh? - Let go! - Hey.
- Hey, hey! I don't think the lady is enjoying your conversation very much.
All right.
So why don't you just take it on down the road? All right.
Gotta keep the roughneck element out of here.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Table disagreement.
Yeah, well part of getting it done is letting them believe that it was their fault that they lost and not that you took 'em.
It's good for repeat business.
- Thanks.
- All right.
Don.
Thought you had a real sweet game going on over here.
- No, it's not big enough for you, Don.
- Oh, come on, you know me.
I don't mind picking up a few small pots on the way to the big one.
This game's getting stale.
It's about to break.
Yeah? Maybe I'll freshen it up a little bit.
Hey, come on, Don.
Her father's in County.
Just a couple of grand for raising his bail.
Looks like she's got enough there to bail us both out.
Who knows? Maybe I'll be the answer to her prayers.
- Hello.
- Let's play.
- How the hell did you get in here? - Vegas passkey.
I'm gonna have to get them to tighten up on security, - or at least raise their price.
- I'm glad you're finally here.
Been going back and forth on whether to go through with this.
Go through with what? This belongs to you.
I should have never stole your game.
You were right.
How'd you come up with it anyway? Another game? No, let's just say I restructured my portfolio.
Too young to be carrying blue chips anyway.
It's our money now.
This is going to Seymour to hold.
Seymour.
You treat him better than a father.
Why? Oh, come on.
I deserve to know what I'm a part of.
Um, Seymour and Everest used to run the sports book at the Colorado when I met them.
I wasn't gonna win any "Samaritan of the year" awards, but something about me must have gotten to him.
My father was locked up and I almost had his bail money - when Matador cleaned me out.
- That's raw.
Next day, there was a betting slip with a note from Seymour that said to cash it right away.
It was a $40,000 winning ticket on a game that had already gone off.
He postdated it.
Nice.
The next day when I went to cash it, they wouldn't honor it, and Seymour was gone.
I heard that he'd been beaten almost to death and was in a hospital out of town.
That Everest and the rest of them had done it to him.
- And what about your pops? - He died in jail.
Seymour lost everything trying to help me.
My point is, whatever he was before, he's a good man.
Now, see, that's half the point.
Other half is that, I mean, if you cross the Matador even a little bit, he will take you out.
So what do you want to do now? What do you think? Me, too.
Let's do the best thing there is to do in a hotel room.
- $500 freezeout.
- Yeah! Oh, but, hey, hey, hey.
You have to spot me that buy-in.
I've known my daddy to run with a high-rolling crowd, but this is a whole new thing.
Well, maybe I was just waiting for somebody who likes to play 21.
Drink? I don't think so.
Not on your daddy's home field.
Where then? Never met the guy, my ass.
Honey, it's me.
Oh.
I'm gonna need you to wire some money.
1200.
I know I said I was coming home, but now things have developed.
I realize he was a son of a bitch much of the time, but he was my brother longer than that.
I'll sell my Winchester when I get home, just wire Fine, you sell it.
Just send the money.
I can't come back now.
I'm getting closer.
I miss you, too.
Hug the kids for me.
Donny.
Just like you said.
I put a man on him.
He's not going anywhere.
- When were those taken? - Less than 24 hours ago.
- This could hurt us.
- Yep.
Most players don't know their risk tolerance.
They fool themselves into putting up more of their bankroll than they're truly comfortable with.
This causes them to play tight when they should play loose, and press when they fall behind.
Thing is, if you're not comfortable at a certain height, you're gonna get crushed.
But if you can handle it, and I mean really handle it, so that your heart's at 60 beats a minute when everything you've got's in the middle of the table, then you know the difference between sleepwalking and really being alive.
I've been trying to show these to somebody all day.
On the next "Tilt" Roy McEntyre just flew in from Australia.
My line of credit here is over ten million dollars.
One visit from this guy bumps up our fiscal quarter.
Get him in here.
Going into a game like that with less than a million dollars is like shooting elephants with a pop gun.
Look, I need 100, cash, for a venture I'm getting into.
When you took company funds to play that Matador guy, you forfeited the rest.
Well, there are two ways we can play this, then.
Pretend it didn't happen, or admit that it was fun and enjoy the ride.
Which is it gonna be? I need you to play.
It's a high-altitude game.
- How high? - $300,000 buy-in, minimum.
I'm sitting in the big game and he's bankrolling me and I keep half my take.
Guess who's back in town? Our old pal, Seymour.
This is bad news.
You can't win 'em all.
Not out here.
Doesn't matter how good you are.
I won't stop.
I don't care if the police here refuse to help me, I'll do it myself.
Mac, let me ask you a question.
With all you got, why you gotta play me so hard? You're the only man who's ever consistently beaten me at anything, and that can't stand.
I'm all in.
You know, blood is blood.
I don't begrudge him his effort, but he's gonna wake up Everest if he hasn't already.
We are coming to the hard part.
This a private session! I just want to have a little chat with my friend.