TGIF! Hopefully no one here caught a stray from Drake and Kendall rap beef. Also, Mother’s Day is Sunday, so remember to do something, anything really, for the mothers in your life.

Survival – Personal Edition

Some of us have regular poker nights. Mine is monthly, first Saturday of the month. But you don’t always know everyone at these nights, and more importantly, you can’t always trust everyone. Here’s how some tips to spot the cheaters and justify your mistrust of them.

• Check the cards. Look for any marks on the cards. This could be creases, folds, stains, or nicks on the edges of the card. Also watch for players the bend cards during play.
• Be alert for shuffling shenanigans. If there’s a prestacked deck the cheat will try to get away with no shuffling the deck. Also watch for an overhand shuffle that can stack the deck right in front of you. If there’s any doubt ask for a reshuffle and require someone besides the dealer to the cut the deck.
• Watch out for team cheating. Often this will be used when cutting the deck by bending a card or leaving a slight offset in the deck to indicate where the deck should be cut.
• There is also the possibility of verbal cues. Listen for repeated words or phrases that may be keywords. Also watch for any repeated gestures, facial expressions, or other body language.
• Pay close attention when a pot is being distributed to ensure you’re not being short changed or chips being palmed.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Check behind your seat for any mirrors or even a window. This is an easy way for a cheater to see your hand.
• Finally, use a non-playing card. This will prevent cheaters from seeing the bottom card and also prevent the dealer from bottom dealing from the deck.

I mean, you’re still going to lose. But at least you’ll lose fair and square.

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Survival – Species Edition

Time to put the sexy in Friday!

Enjoy the weekend, folks! Alright, now let’s get to the comments!