Poker's Reputation Takes A Hit
Flipchip Photos of the 2007 WSOP Winners only at LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Galleries. Complete 2007 WSOP stats at the Poker Prof's World Series of Poker 2007 Information Page. Complete WSOP poker from Dr Pauly of Tao of Poker.
Most never reach the level of poker where the cream of the crop cheaters...cheat. The really good sleigh of hand people aren't interested in the pocket change being pushed across a kitchen table. Move up a few levels and the card table may be in a well known card room's private salon and the pots being pushed across the table can buy a house. Ratchet up another level to the major poker tournaments and the amounts of money at stake can finance a third World country for a year or two.
How do we know we're getting a fair and unbiased cut of the cards in a poker game that allows no player an advantage other than their poker skills? We don't know. We rely on the reputation of the poker room and the Gaming Control people to police the operations to ensure they are fair and the cards are coming off the top of the deck. So, who does the world's largest casino operator and owner of the WSOP entrust with this weighty responsibility? According to his website, it is Steve Forte.
Las Vegas resident Steve Forte is the man the casinos, poker rooms, poker tournaments, and practically all other forms of gambling call to ensure players get an even bet. Steve has taught practically everyone in the gaming industry how to set the traps to catch the evil cheating low life. Last June 7th Steve Forte got his foot stuck in one of those very same cheater's traps when New Jersey State Police officers arrested him and three partners in a room at the Borgata Casino. The police also confiscated several devices used in high-tech cheating including sub-miniature video cameras, two way communications equipment and portable computers.
Ironically, this arrest time frame coincides with the start of the Borgata Summer Poker Open Tournament which boasts a $5K final event with a million plus prize pool. A New Jersey AG spokesperson said the alleged scams were not aimed at the tournament; but, the fact that the arrests were kept quiet until late July spawned rumors in the poker community that Forte and his confederates were targeting the tournament.
Even though he is charged with allegedly conspiring to cheat high-stakes poker games we must remember that everyone is innocent until judged to be guilty. Of course, Steve Forte is maintaining his innocence, according to his friends. No longer the book selling publicity hound, he has refused all request for media interviews. Arrested with Steve Forte were Stephen Phillips of Las Vegas, James Harrison of Duluth, Minnesota, and Joseph Ingargiola of Playa del Ray, California.
FYI, Steve Forte was arrested and convicted of a felony cheating scam in 1990 in New Jersey. He was also arrested in 1982 at Harrah's and charged with two felony counts related to a fradulent act before pleading guilty to a lessor trespassing charge. When you hire a cheat to protect the poker game from cheats you get exactly what you paid for, a really good cheat that apparently wants much more than just the check for his services.
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