Fleecing your Friends at Gin
Tall, slender, and athletic, living in an elegant, sprawling Manhattan apartment, middle-aged Michael Sall comes off as an intelligent, upscale hustler out of central casting. He is the author of Gin Rummy: A Predator’s Guide (self published, sold for $200 a copy, read by people who expect it to be a good investment) and has made a handsome living out of winning money from friends. His games of choice are backgammon and gin, though he acknowledges that, at times in his life, he’s played golf seven days a week—and not just for the sport of it. Here are Sall’s tips on taking money from friends without turning them into enemies.
- Pick Your Games Wisely
- Find Friends Who Can Afford It
- Make Sure They Really Are Your Friends
- Keep It Social
The nice thing about gin, as compared to, say, backgammon or golf, is that it’s often played with six people instead of two—so racking up five- or six-figures in gin losses to Sall feels less personal than it otherwise might. “Unlike in backgammon, the game of gin beats you or you beat the game; it’s not so much about one individual against another,” says Sall. “It’s a lot better for someone to convince himself that he’s better than the average than that he’s better than me. I’ve noticed that if a guy lost $300 at golf he was furious, but if he dropped $5,000 at gin he didn’t care. So, at times in my life, I toned down the golf and played for small potatoes on the course compared to what we played gin for inside [the clubhouse].”
Right from the start of his career as a gin-predator, Sall hung out with the rich and sporty, and he capitalized on their predilections for gaming. “I’ve had people ask me 100 times, how are these guys—and I use the word in quotes—‘stupid’ enough to play against me,” says Sall. “I have to laugh. These guys are anything but stupid. If they make $2-million a year and lose $100,000 gambling, but are entertained, it is well worth it. In reality, they far prefer playing with a gentleman who’s a great player”—like, erm, Sall—“than a complete cripple who’s a slob to play with. And I never like to gamble with people who can’t afford it. It’s a distasteful experience.”
The strange thing about playing against friends-of-means is that they will watch your back even as you take their money. “In the days when I was playing out at the Squires, [an exclusive men’s club in Philadelphia] 25 percent of the guys in the games had become close friends,” remembers Sall. “While there was a contingent that would try to queer our games, they were always pissing up-wind. My friends had an expression they used when these other guys complained that Michael was too good. They would always say the same thing on my behalf: ‘If you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t play.’”
Friends who lose money to you are there to have a good time. As long as the game remains enjoyable—and their bankrolls hold up—they’ll keep playing, keep having fun, and keep losing. “Some people think bridge is the most social game to gamble at,” says Sall. “I get the biggest kick out of backgammon. You and the other guy can watch each other’s moves, you can call him an idiot or vice versa. I can do that to other people in gin, but sometimes it’s difficult for my opponents to figure out how I’m playing my hand.”
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