There are several very complex ways that someone can cheat in live poker. Not long ago, Matt Berkey revealed a very technical method, where players used pinhole cameras and earpieces. By filming at the right angle, a secret camera could see every card being dealt. Then, an accomplice would review the footage and tell the player who was holding what.
But far from American high-stakes games, a ludicrously obvious cheating method was spotted in Hanoi, Vietnam.
When you see what happened, you'll be surprised it was even attempted.
What Happened at Bolton Poker?
Bolton Poker is in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital in the north. Their space is part of the luxurious Grand Plaza Hotel, the perfect setting for a poker club.
On September 25th, a Korean player named Inkyu Choi was livestreaming his session. He was in the 8-max High Roller, with a VND 22,000,000 entry fee (~$900). Around $40,000 is in the prize pool, putting it firmly within high-stakes territory for Vietnamese games.
Almost 8 hours into his stream, he unknowingly captured something amazing on camera.
Somebody made a preflop raise, got all folds, and tabled the . The dealer begins to shuffle the cards immediately but leaves the slightly away from the mix. Every other card gets the casino-style wash, but the Ace stays still.
When she finishes, the dealer slaps it on top of the deck. This is not unorthodox shuffling or a different technique, it's arranging the deck.
Nobody knew it yet, but that card was about to be sent to a specific seat. Sure enough, in the next hand, the player to Choi's right shows .
The same thing would happen again, while the same dealer was at the table.
This time, a flop of is dealt, but the player to Choi's right wins before the turn. Now, the dealer flips the cards and starts to shuffle them, but keeps one card away from the others. It would turn out to be the .
While shuffling the deck, this card is kept on top and controlled by the dealer.
Choi probably didn't know this yet, but the player to his right was about to receive that , as well as the from the previous flop. Making second pair on the river, the player to Choi's right tabled the , winning the pot.
Bin Ngô blew the whistle on Facebook, saying that a Korean friend had tipped him off, though he doesn't mention Inkyu Choi (Goodfold).
"This is from a Korean player who is a friend of mine who participated in the 22m tournament at the above club. He discovered the cheating and asked me to spread the word to the community about the way Vietnamese people do Poker."
It's absolutely clear that this dealer and player know each other well. In the video below, we see them share a very drawn-out handshake and more.
Naturally, people were very curious about the player's identity.
During a Bolton Club stream, the player, using the name Mr. You, had the South Korean flag beside his name. Not much is known about this Mr. You, except that he appears to play regularly in these high-roller tournaments and by some accounts, has a decent win rate.
At this point, we do not know the real identity of this man, nor his affiliation with the club. However, it is rumored that he may be an owner or directly linked in other ways.
As for the dealer, some users have speculated about her identity, though nothing has been confirmed. At the very least, she will find it difficult to work as a poker dealer in Hanoi, and may face legal troubles.
As for repaying the victims of this scam, players and online readers immediately reached out to Bolton Poker.
On their Facebook page, Bolton Poker made a brief statement.
"We will also strongly condemn cheating in poker. This incident is not only a lesson for us but also a warning to other clubs. In addition, Bolton Poker Club will reward 40,000,000 VND (~$2,000) for any player who discovers cheating by a dealer at the club in any tournament.
We understand that honesty and transparency are core values in any development. Therefore, we are committed to not only correcting this mistake but also strengthening our controls to ensure that all our operations comply with ethical principles. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all those who have supported us, and hope to continue to bring value and trust in the future.
Thank you very much!"
Bolton has deleted their Facebook and Instagram, leaving their website and Twitter. Removing social media pages is not a move that implies innocence, but it doesn't confirm guilt either. Later, both the Facebook and Instagram pages reappeared, but on Facebook, users are blocked if they mention the September 25th incident. No statements were made by Bolton Poker either, but they claimed their previous Facebook page was removed due to reports.
Sources in the Vietnamese poker community reported that the owners of the Bolton Poker Club are Korean. Obviously, this creates even more suspicion since the player who was receiving the Aces is also Korean. There are also comments under the original video that say Mr. You may be an owner of the club, though that remains unconfirmed.
Police are very likely to get involved, but no statements have been made yet. Authorities have all they need to get started though, thanks to video evidence from the table. However, the legal system works very differently in Vietnam and it's even possible that Mr. You has left the country by now (if he isn't detained already).
It's also completely possible that no legal action is taken. Let's just say that the legal system in Vietnam is "different" from the one you may know and authorities may look the other way on this one.
Whatever happens, the Bolton Poker Club appears to have lost almost every shred of credibility as the story spreads through the Vietnamese poker community. Facebook commenters were surprised, but it was also an opportunity for humor.
– "I swear that I have never made it ITM at Bolton Poker, even though I have bought in a lot. Now I know why."
– "This is how you deal cards, and your salary will be high"
– "Just a coincidence, don't misunderstand people "
– "No wonder foreign countries used card shufflers years ago."
If there are developments about Mr. You's identity or if law enforcement takes action, we will update this page.
