Stefano Ampollini Poker
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Of all the cheating techniques used to scam poker games over the years, the latest one to be unearthed was so sophisticated in its use of high-end technology as to impress even the presiding judge at a French court in Grasse.
For days, judge Marc Joando marvelled at the techniques used by Italian Stefano Ampollini, known as ‘Parmesan,’ who along with a small gang of accomplices, was able to take Les Princes Casino in Cannes for €71,000 back in 2011.
At the heart of the deception were two corrupt casino staff who had previously marked all the cards with invisible ink, and a pair of infra-red contact lenses costing €2,000, which enabled a discreet accomplice known as “The Israeli”, to read the cards and relay the information through a series of gestures to Stefano Ampollini, 56, who was also playing in the same poker game.
Nevertheless, despite winning bundles of cash, surveillance staff at Les Princes Casino became suspicious, with the casino owners’ barrister, Marc Concas, explaining in court:
“Casino security found his behaviour rather strange as he won very easily and, above all, because he folded twice when he had an excellent hand, suggesting he knew the croupier’s cards.”
Consequently, when Stefano Ampollini returned to the casino two months later and won a further €21,000 for himself, he was promptly arrested by police as he exited the casino.
Soon after, the sophisticated gang’s scam was revealed and this week the men were handed down fines and prison sentences. For his part in the crime, Ampollini received a two-year prison sentence and €100,000 fine; Gianfranco Tirrito, 55, described as “probably the mastermind”, was given a three-year jail term and €100,000 fine; while Rocco Grassanno, 57, received 30 months behind bars and a €50,000 fine.
Talking about the case after sentencing was handed down, prosecution lawyer Mr Concas told The Daily Telegraph; “This is the first time this sort of technique has been seen in Europe.”
Go in any casino or watch poker on television and you will undoubtedly see at least a couple of people donning sunglasses at every table. Being an online poker player, I have often wondered why this practice is so prevalent. So I did a bit of research into the phenomenon and here are my findings.
Why do poker players wear sunglasses?
- To hide physical tells that they might give away with their eyes
- For comfort and confidence when playing with strangers
- To put them in the right mindset when playing a poker hand
- For fashion reasons or to look cool
Now that we have some idea why players might wear shades, let’s go through each reason in detail.
1. Wearing Sunglasses to Hide Physical Tells
There are a few very well known poker tells that involve the eyes. In fact, several of the tells listed by Mike Caro in his book of poker tells talk about the eyes.
Where a person looks (or does not look) during a poker hand can give away a lot of information. Here is a video that will highlight the importance of the eyes in using physical tells against your opponents.
It’s been well-documented that the eyes convey just about every emotion a person might be feeling. Happiness, joy, pain, and concern are all emotions that can be revealed by the eyes. This just happens to be information that you would prefer your opponents not have.
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Jail for Cannes poker cheat who used infra-red lenses to read the cards and win thousands of dollars - Stefano Ampollini was self-styled 'player and cheat of international renown' An Italian card sharp who used infra-red contact lenses to count cards marked with invisible ink has been jailed for two years.
- The court heard how Stefano Ampollini, 56, took to the “Les Princes” casino in the Mediterranean city of Cannes in August 2011, armed with some invisible ink, and a set of infra-red contact lenses purchased online from China for €2,000.
- The court in Grasse heard how Stefano Ampollini, 56 – code name Parmesan – turned up to 'Les Princes' casino in the Mediterranean resort in August 2011, wearing a set of infra-red contact lenses purchased online from China for 2,000 euros.
- A poker player was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday after using infra-red contact lenses and cards marked with invisible ink to win games. The high-tech scam saw Stefano Ampollini, a.
- Back in 2013 Stefano Ampollini managed to rake in £60,000 in one evening ($78,000) after using a similar method to count blackjack cards at Cannes’ Les Princes casino.
Wearing Sunglasses to Hide the Fact That You Might Be Gathering Tells
In order to obtain tells from opponents you have to actually stare at them for extended periods of time. Some people might feel uncomfortable doing this.
After all, mama said that staring is rude. The best solution? Wear sunglasses and then just shift your eyes side-to-side. No one will ever know if you are staring them down.
2. Using Shades for Comfort and Confidence
Due to the poker boom that started back in 2003, there are a lot of players who are either new to poker or new to live poker. Since a lot of the rise in the popularity of poker occurred online, there are a lot of players who are not used to playing around other people.
In that sense, sunglasses act as a sort of security blanket for shy or uncomfortable players. Some people just are not comfortable staring at other individuals, which is necessary sometimes during a poker hand.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of sunglasses is the ability to hide in plain sight or avoid conversation. Players not looking to socialize at the table can use sunglasses to deter would-be Chatty Cathies from chewing their ears off.
Man, Those Lights Are Bright
Another reason to wear sunglasses is to actually use them for what they are intended. I am not talking about playing poker outdoors, but if you have ever been in a casino you understand that some of those lights in there are really bright.
Personally, I had laser eye surgery several years ago and have had a sensitivity to light ever since. I could definitely see someone putting sunglasses on to help remedy this issue when they play under the bright lights of the poker table.
3. Getting in a Certain Midset by Wearing Sunglasses
If you have ever seen the movie “Over The Top” with Sylvester Stallone, you might remember that he would always turn his ball cap
Many poker players do this as well and only wear their sunglasses while involved in a hand. It’s a great way to witch on your “killer instinct” at the table at the right times and still keep your friendly personality while not involved in a hand.
4. Wearing Sunglasses for image or fashion reasons
There is no doubt that a large percentage of shade-wearing poker players wear them for non-strategic reasons, no matter what they might claim. I do agree that projecting an image or intimidating them in some way is part of the game.
What is more intimidating than some guy that looks like the terminator staring you down.
Sunglasses have always been used as some kind of fashion statement or to look cool. This is especially true among young people who are more concerned about their image than an older counterpart might be. Next time you are in a poker room, don’t be surprised if you see every single under-30 male at your table wearing either a hat, sunglasses, headphones, or all three.
Can Sunglasses Be Used to Cheat?
There are some poker players who fear that sunglasses could be used for nefarious purposes. One of those ways is through marking cards and then using UV sunglasses to cheat. In fact, there is actually a deck of marked cards sold along with the matching cheater sunglasses available on Amazon. (Click the link to see the Amazon product)
Even though this technology exists, I would not be overly concerned that someone is using it at your local casino. However, if you are ever worried about such a phenomenon, it is your right to ask for a new deck of cards to be brought into play at any time. I also wouldn’t hesitate to discretely ask the floor person to check out a suspected cheater who has suspicious sunglasses.
Documented Cases of Sunglasses Being Used to Cheat
It was difficult to find any documented cases of cheating by using sunglasses. I am guessing that it has happened from time to time but casinos have kept it quite, likely due to embarrassment. If this is occurring, its much more likely to happen in a home game.
While I am sure there are plenty of unscrupulous players who would do anything to win, it is highly unlikely that this type of cheating is rampant in casinos. It would take an inside person, who physically marked the card, to pull off such a cheat. With the high security measures and the still penalties if you get caught, it’s hard to see this happening often.
What about contact lenses?
In 2011, a poker player and 2 casino workers were involved in a cheating scandal that used marked c
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Opponents of Sunglasses and Pushes to Ban the Practice
There are several poker pros who have advocated against the use of sunglasses at the poker table. One of the biggest critics is Daniel Negreanu who feels that the integrity of the game is at stake. He believes that even the smallest chance that someone could be cheating is enough reason for them to be outlawed in poker.
I have been on the fence about this subject for some time. While I feel it is important to be able to look someone in the eyes while playing live, I do understand that it helps shy people cope in an otherwise uncomfortable situation.
Whether or not sunglasses violate the spirit of the game or whether the potential for cheating to occur is enough to warrant a ban, is still up for debate.
Final Thoughts
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Now that you know the reasons why some poker players choose to wear sunglasses, you can use this information to your advantage at the table. How do you feel about people wearing shades? Is there any other reason people might wear them? Be sure to let me know in the comments.
Related Questions
Why do poker players wear visors? Poker players might wear a visor for a couple of reasons. 1. They want to reduce the glare from overhead lights. 2. They can easily hide their eyes whenever they want without having to resort to much-maligned sunglasses.
Why do poker players wear hoodies or scarves? Many poker players wear hoodies or scarves just because it is in fashion. Others wear them because it is known to get really cold inside some casinos. Those that wear them for strategic reasons do so to hide physical tells.
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Can you wear a mask in poker? While most casinos frown upon players wearing masks due to security reasons, you are actually allowed to wear them during the World Series of Poker. The entertainment value outweighs the security risks in that case.