If you think you have seen it all when it comes to the game of poker you have to hear this story.

A few nights ago I was playing a $5/$10 nl holdem cash game at the Rio. The game has a $400 min buy-in and has an uncapped maximum.  I was sitting in the 9 seat (game is 9 handed). In an un-raised pot with about 3 limpers and the blinds the flop came out 10s 4c Jc. There was a bet of $30 dollars and two callers. The turn brought the 10s. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I have heard stories of this crap happening but to actually see it for my own eyes. Everyone’s money was given back to them that were in pre-flop. The floor was immediately called and instantly grabbed the deck from the dealer. They did not even count the deck down in front of the players. They didn’t want to alert us if we were playing with more than 52 cards in the deck. 

One of the floors had this to say when asked if he has ever seen this type of thing before. “Apparently this sort of thing happens more often than you think”. A European kid from Belgium (who was stuck multiple thousands of dollars in the game) had previously lost to a set of 10’s about an hour before the duplicate tens were spotted.  He wanted the floor to give him his money back that he lost in the game. An older gentleman who was also stuck in the game was also complaining that he wanted his money back. Fat chance bud!  The floor gave the older guy the card of the gaming commissioner.

The player in seat two who crushed the Belgium kid in the 4k + pot (with a set of 10’s) came in to the game from a broken table.  People at the table suggested that he might have brought in the duplicate ten of spades.

I have to say that the floor handled the situation pretty good. I would have liked to see what cards were missing from the deck and the amount of cards we were actually playing with.  They didn’t give us the satisfaction of finding out any info on this matter.  I assume they had a few good reasons for this.

I have been playing cash for the past few years at the rio during the WSOP. I have have to say that the floor that covers the late night shift (which heads in to the early morning) do a great job. They are pretty strict but these guys know the rules across the board.

Cheers,

Errol