"Home Game" robbed

Wolffhound · Dec 19,2005, 09:41 AM

Masked men rob gaming house patrons
Dec. 18, 2005. 02:50 PM
ASTRID POEI
STAFF REPORTER

Police are looking for several suspects after a group of heavily armed men entered a Toronto club early Sunday morning and robbed approximately 20 people of cash and personal effects.

About six to eight masked men entered the second-storey club operating as a gaming house on Spadina Ave. near Dundas St. at 3:45 a.m., police said.

The robbers sprayed the patrons with pepper spray before fleeing the club through a rear emergency exit, with a large quantity of cash, police said. The victims were treated for minor eye irritation.

Police are asking anyone with information related to this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.

pkrfce9 · Dec 19,2005, 10:06 AM

I heard about this on the radio. Does anyone know the name of the club?

ReefAquarium · Dec 23,2005, 12:19 PM

Anyone know anything about this

??

all_aces · Dec 23,2005, 03:49 PM

I used to go to a few different clubs... I think I visited about 6 different ones in the GTA.Â* I have never heard of one at Spadina/Dundas, although I think that given the area it's safe to say it would be an Asian club.

It's stuff like this that's kept me out of "private clubs" for a year now, give or take.

SOS · Dec 23,2005, 03:53 PM

heard thru the grapevine that this wasn't a poker club...it is a Mah Jung club (not sure of spelling)

all_aces · Dec 23,2005, 04:51 PM

That sounds about right. I know there are several clubs in that area that offer fairly high stakes games... ones that are unfamiliar to me.

I've heard about some pretty crazy stuff happening at underground poker clubs as well, though. There are no guarantees, that's for sure.

GTA Poker · Dec 24,2005, 06:52 AM

What exactly have you heard about/at underground poker clubs in the GTA

I have played at numerous clubs many times without any incidents at all.

AcidJoe · Dec 24,2005, 10:20 AM

I've been to a few GTA that I that would have some unsavoury type characters playing. Nothing like watching 5 guys come in at 2 am that looked like they just were in a scrap.

GTA Poker · Dec 24,2005, 10:28 AM

Never any problems here, if all aces has had incidents at undergrounds that are still running then I'd appreciate him posting about them so that others (myself) can avoid these games.

all_aces · Dec 24,2005, 10:32 AM

I've never had any problems, but here are two "underground poker horror stories" which have been confirmed by numerous people:

Story 1.

In the days of the charity casinos. Â*One guy had an underground game, and what he would do to fill it is go the charity casinos at their closing (I believe 3 am) and invite players to his place to keep playing. Â*Anyone and everyone was welcome, which isn't the best idea.... Â*Anyways, one night he returned to his club after some late night soliciting to find three gunmen inside, waiting for him. Â*They beat him up, took his cash and his valuables, tied him up, and waited. Â*One by one, more people arrived, the gunmen let them in, and then did the same thing until there was a whole bunch of tied-up people. Â*Eventually, after people stopped arriving, they took off.

Story 2. Â*More recently, and in a club I used to frequent. Â*A guy was being REALLY annoying at the table. Â*Beligerent to the dealers, the players, etc. Â*In a break, a couple of guys asked him if he wanted to go outside and smoke a joint. Â*He said yes, they went outside, and the two guys beat the absolute living shit out of him. Â*Now, maybe he deserved it, maybe not, I don't know. Â*But I do know that even the biggest assholes in the world are relatively safe at a casino... if a fight started outside security would be all over it in an instant.

So that's not too bad, really... nobody got killed or stabbed or anything. Â*These stories just made me uncomfortable, but to each their own. Â*I used to play in an underground 10/20.... one night I made about a grand I think, obviously in cash in my pocket. Â*Walking across that dark, empty parking lot in the middle of nowhere was probably the longest walk ever. Â*Again, nothing happened, but again, I didn't feel comfortable. Â*For me, it's worth the gas money to drive farther to a casino that will protect you and your money as you walk out. Â*
Or more realistically, I just play online mostly. Â*

Â*

That's probably the main reason I don't frequent the undergrounds anymore, to be completely honest. Â*Sure, I felt uncomfortable, but if online poker didn't exist I'd probably still be going to them. Â*I just can't find any reason not to play online. Â*Some people say: the social aspect. Â*Well, I've had a number of occasions where a completely and totally annoying moron ends up next to me at a poker table. Â*If I want the social aspect of poker, I have a home game with my friends, or I go to one of theirs. Â*Then there's the whole "tell" thing... you can't pick up any physical info. online. Â*Well, in a limit game you'd often have to completely ignore physical information anyways because the pot odds are generally pretty clear. Â*The most valuable information in a limit game is knowing what types of cards each of your opponents will play, and for how many bets, and what they'll do with them. Â*All of this information is as available online as it is live. Â*Now, NL tournaments are a different story... it's nice to have your opponents right there in front of you. Â*This is why I fly to different tournaments from time to time... I love that experience.

Sorry, that just became one big rant about 'live vs. online'. Â*I really will use any excuse to launch into it... my apologies lol. Â*And, happy holidays! Â*Woo hooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

GTA Poker · Dec 24,2005, 09:38 PM

Thanks Devin,

I much prefer playing limit games live, I'm just not as focused online...maybe if I work harder on that I'll feel similarly to you. I have never had any problems at any club in the GTA in my 1.5 years since I moved back. I would certainly prefer a casino for many reasons, but it is usually an extra 3h investment with driving and waiting lists etc and thats a big frustration. ALthough, my new years resolution may just be to play casino poker 10x/month as I find it very difficult to find any decent limit games in the undergrounds these days.

Not sure if you recall, but around 1.5yrs ago I played with you and Azim at the office in Mississauga, and I assume your 1k experiience was the old woodbridge tournny...things change rapidly these days in the underground scene with everyone trying to make a quick buck off the game.

ViperDeck · Dec 27,2005, 04:46 PM

Wow.. what's going on with poker these days? First New York police raid private games across the state and now this?? It's like a movie..

Tilter · Dec 29,2005, 04:40 AM

I heard about this club through one of my friends. Its mostly organized by asians (supposive connection to Triad). Hes played a couple times, as the game is pretty deep pocketed. And like AA, as much as I like to play poker close to me, I'd prefer to hit a casino, where their is more safety. Unless I'm playing in KGB joint, he has enough security there

ddmilcan · Jan 05,2006, 03:30 PM

first Game I ever went to was in the basement of a restaurant in downtown TO. A little unsettling, made the final table and glad to bow out 8th. Far prefer the friendly (?) faces of the Kitchener and surrrounding areas Crew!

all_aces · Jan 05,2006, 05:01 PM

Hmmm... I might have been there.Â* Was it in the east end, kinda Pape, Coxwell, etc. -ish, north of the Danforth?Â* 3 or 4- table tournament...

Regardless, the one I'm thinking of kinda freaked me out, too.Â* I forgot about that.Â* Some guys came down "just to watch".Â* They stood against the wall with their hands in their jackets looking intimidating.Â* I left.Â* Because I busted out.Â* But, I left.