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Monday 12 September 1996
After two & a half months travelling through Thailand and Malaysia, I was taking my time in Kuala Lumpur, resting before Sumatra. Got up late feeling a bit sleepy from a few beers the night before in an English style pub. I headed off towards Merdeka square to post my recent photos home, dressed in a now dirty grey T-shirt and faded orange shorts.

Kuala Lumpur black jack story

Stevemonty
2005-09-23 19:16:40

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The news was on TV. We talked about world affairs and the difference between our own cultures. He said he worked for the Genting Highland casino and offered to show me a cheating system for Black Jack. I thought, "here we go, watch yourself here, a likely scam".

They took me upstairs to a room bare but for a desk, chairs and ashtray. We had a good laugh learning how to cheat with the banker counting the cards and giving out body signals. Ignorant me not really knowing this version of the game, that runs along the veins of 21.

During this time they told me of a Chinese Hong Kong businessman who had won US $80,000 the previous week, was addicted to gambling and had more money than sense! He then gave me two crisp US $100 notes and said I should try it out in his Casino. It would not matter if I lost but I would earn 30% of the winnings. At this I refused completely and gave him the money back. The son sitting beside me held onto it.

Thirty minutes later as I was becoming bored an elderly Chinese man, Mr Tom, arrived dressed in a shiny grey business suit and was very eager to play Black Jack. I got very edgy smelling a con in the air and trying to think of a way of getting out of there.

They introduced me as their English friend and asked me if I wanted to play him. I refused, pulled my chair back and crossed my arms. So Mr Tom and Jolan commenced with a sportsman's game. I became gradually drawn into the game with the other three and eventually held the cards. Mr Tom took out US $1000 in $100 bundles from his black briefcase to buy chips and sneakily started playing for cash without properly announcing it.

I won a few tricks and threw my cards in when needed to lose minimally. At this point we were playing with about US $5000 per game, I was going through a pack of Marlborough like a steam engine. Now looking for a way out of there without giving the game away that I thought ...