Jonathan,
As usual, your post is literate and stimulating.

Very good point. But that doesn't mean that a former cheat is not for real because a book doesn't expose everything about his expertise.

A successful cheat will probably not have the motivation to write an expose, except the 'expose' is part of a successful scam or he is about to retire with the idea to make some money with an expose containing just enough material to make it sell.

Here is the way I look at it. When you think you're the best, you normally are not. There is always going to be someone better, tougher, more good looking, better at sports, has a nice car, etc. It's a big statement to say "I'm the best in the country." I'm suprised with that attitude he didn't say the best in the world. I haven't seen his stuff but I have indeed heard of him. Yes I heard some good stuff, but that doesn't mean go around trying to portray yourself as the MAN. If that's the way he wants people to look at him, as he is good, you're not, then that's cool. Let him enjoy his time of fame, if that what you want to call it.

Hello Mr. Jason England. This is Doc. how are you doing? I hope all is well with you and your family and thanks for hooking me up with Damien Namen (to those who don’t know – the writer and director of the movie "Shade.")

Gentlemen at this forum who don't think that I can back up what I say, just put some money on the table and play me; and as you walk away broke all you're going to hear me saying in a small still voice to the onlookers, "And the Legend Continues".

You call me a wanna be but I'm not, I am an "I am." I posted that review because once I place my signature on it (recommending it) you can rest assured that you can take that to the bank. I've met some of the top card men in the country that spoke at this forum like Wesley James, Darwin O, Andrew W, and others who may not Gene Maze, Frank Garcia, Doug Edwards, Harry Lorayne, Tony Mouley, Ken Krenzel, Herb Zarrow, Meir Yedid, David Ben, Mark Mitton, Bill Kalush, Russel T. Barnhart, Vinny Sabbatino, Briant (last name not known), Carl Polaris, David Ferst, Sal Piacente, Ricky Jay and his managers, Darwin Ortiz (from his books) and a host of others who names I can't remember from Reubin's (NYC) who have been my teachers over the years.

My newest teachers in the last 2 years have been Sal Piacente, Rod the Hop, Jason England (he taught me stuff over the phone), the famous Andrew Wimhurst (who is the best middle dealer I know with the Kennedy Grip Variant), Darwin Ortiz, Allan Ackerman, Damien Namen, Sam Case from his notes, Dr. X - Terri Roses, John Radford, Walter Scott (from The Phantom of the Card Table Book(s), a host of hustlers throughout this country who I will not name), soon to be Paul Wilson and the most talented of us all and the best I've ever seen Mr. Steve Forte. If I was good before meeting these guys with no gambling help, imagine what I’m going to be like after I study what they taught me.

So any of you who doubt my skills or want to go up against me, I just wanted to let you know that you will be going up against part of each and everyone of these guys who were my teachers throughout my life except soon to be Paul Wison. As far as Cold Decking, I might be "the best in the world." So if you thought that I was blowing off steam as far as my punch dealing technique, well the pipes just busted with my Vanishing Dice Switching Move and My Cold Deck Move(s).

Andrew, regarding your statement about staying away from the magicians, the magicians are my friends even though some are correct when they said that I toot my horn, if I didn't, you would have never heard of me... There's a method to my madness.

Andrew, if I did what you said, I would have never met you (one of my teachers) through Darwin nor the other experts like Jason England, Damien Namen and so on... I can't excel without the help of ya'll. Most may not know the pschology behind gambling but like someone said that doesn't mean that they don't know how to execute the moves.

If I've offended any of my teachers such as those I've named in my previous posting, I very much apologize and please forgive me.


Doc

So...

...how much is the buy in?

You are a lucky man Doc. Any plans for publishing anything? Also, can you give us additional recommendations for literature? I remember reading that post on amazon, and it infulenced me to purchase the book.
Take Care,
J. Wess

I just posted something on the Strike Second if you care to read it. Thanks for your comment. I'm not all that; I'm just a regular guy if you get to know me who wants to help. You took my Phantoms of the Table comment just the way I want everyone to; just to influence you to buy the book (not to brag) if you're a gambler or intend to be.

As far as books are concerned, there are things that I know but not allowed to tell or post because it was given to me in strict confidence by the world's best cheats, some of whom you already know or heard of. This is why when you read my stuff you will see comments from some of the best telling me to shut up in a polite way and don't give out too much info.

In a nutshell I'm just pre-advertising.

Thanks for writing me.

Your New Friend

Doc

Welcome Doc.
I always admire fellow egomaniacs. If someone brags that they are the best in the world I usually find that they are just exactly that.
Remember Cassius Clay?

Furthermore anything that upsets magicians has to be a very good thing indeed.
I always approve of it.
I have an odd sense of humour.

Hey Marmaduke how ya doing. You know I had to give you a shout for writing me and not thinking that I was a nutcase. I need all the friends that I can get.

I just want to know one thing, how did you know I was a maniac? I don't think I told that to any one except when I was arguing with myself.

Thanks for writing

Your New Friend

Doc

Hey Tom this is Doc, we have to talk about this connection that you got. I have some connections that are great but some items that I want or want made, I can't get. I have to get my funds together first.

Thanks for writing

Your New Friend

Doc

Hey Doc,

How did you get the good fortune to learn from so many masters?

And conversely, if there was someone who really wants to learn, would you consider taking him under your tutelage?

Cheers

Hey Lonewolf how are you doing this morning, fine I hope. To answer your first question I live in NYC and all the famous magicians used to hang out at a Restaurant called Reuben’s. I was always a magician since early childhood so I knew where to go for help.

John Scarne wrote in his book, Scarne on Cards (I don't remember where) that if you want to learn how to cheat, go to the magicians and I did. What I learned from the books helped but the moves looked horrible compared to how I do them now and I thought I was good. LOL

Wesley James, Gene Maze, Doug Edwards and Carl Polaris took me under their wing and directed me. As I practiced, every week I had to come back and show them that I learned what they taught me in order to go to the next stage and so on and so on. As time went on other magicians that I mentioned previously started helping me. So I was like a karate student learning from different Shaolin Monks; all was great and is still great in their own way but stubborn to the fact that their technique was the best. What I did is not say anything and completed my training and after I learned from them all, I merged all their techniques and developed my style, Doc Can Do.

Would I teach? Yes and No. Yes if the price was right, but I don't think that you can afford my price so No. Why? You don't know how many endless nights we work on moves that you read in books that don't work in card games. Studying wrong techniques and then having to unlearn them, inventing new ones, meeting people, buying stuff that doesn't work to invent stuff that doesn't work, flying to different states to meet cheats and hustlers and learn. Kissing butts that you don't want to just to learn, buying camcorders to video tape moves, getting stranded in places, staying at cheesy hotels in God forsaken places, and paying extra money on a plane because your bag is too heavy with equipment you bought that doesn't work. Traveling on foot through the 1996 worse snow storm to meet a dice cheat, getting robbed, going home broke every night cause the moves you learned from the books don't work and learning from your mistakes. This is why I know that Walter Scott was the real thing and why I recommend Gazzo’s book The Phantoms of the Card Table because I’m living the life Walter lived and talked about.

You want the easy road and even though there is one, us teaching you, we can't because us top cheats know how hard we had to work to get where we at today. You just can’t give this information away like a magic trick. This is why our cheating moves are so secret and why this area of magic, even the magicians don’t want you to know about. This is why you will read periodically (I wish he'd stay away from magicians). This is a secret society of the elite in which I am a newbie.

You’ve read what I did to get to this point, follow it.

Your New Friend

Doc

Hey thanks Doc,

It's a great read. I guess the journey's still long then, for me and maybe for you.

Best wishes for your magical journey. Hope our paths may cross sometime.

Just out of curiosity here...

How many folks play cards for money? Cheating makes sense when there is something to win.

So, do you play cards for money? Would you cheat if you could?

Wow Doc, that's great insite. The journey you took to get to where you are today and the !@#$ you went through. Talk about dedication. You just opened my eyes to make me realize what it takes. I have one question if you would care to answer please? How many hours a day and days of the week did you actually practice (I'm sure the answer is all day, everyday, but I'll ask anyway)? Thanks man

Doc,

I think we may have met. Were you hanging around Rueben's in the early 90's? Gene Maze may have introduced us. If so you actually taught me a LOT those two afternoons. And if you are who I am thinking of, I will concur that even then you could do things that I, at that point in my magical life, found completely flabergasting.

If that was you, thank you for the lesson!

Brad Henderson

I play cards for money, and no I don't cheat.

I used to control the odd ace to the top while in games when I was younger and just started out in magic. But never in games for real money.

Nowadays as I get better and know more moves I don't even think about it at all. "Can't use our powers for evil" as one of my magic friends always says. Hah

Hey truthteller it was me at Rueben's that you met and Gene Maze was my teacher at that time before he moved to Cali. How have you been doing, fine I hope. I'm always glad to see that someone knows me even though honestly I don't remember you at the moment. Hey it's been 14 years. I have just been re-introduced to Sal Piacente after all that time by Steve Forte. I probably would remember you if I saw you though.

Guess what? I'm even better now (smile)

Thanks for remembering me. I wish you and your family all the happiness and please tell these guys at this forum that I'm not as arrogant as my writing may show.

Thanks in advance for your help

Your Friend

Doc

Posted: May 22, 2004 6:58pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Whom This May Apply

Hey **** thanks for writing me. I don't want the people here to think that I'm stuck on myself especially nice guys like you. I just don't want anyone stealing my glory and then put out my moves on video and say that they invented it.

I'm just a straightforward guy. I hold no punches because the life of these guys is in my hands. I'm not a smooth talker; I tell it like I see it. I teach the bible and I've found out that friends don't lie to friends and if they do, they are really not your friends. Also, if I post the same garbage that’s already posted by wanna-be-card detectives and magicians what would lend to the credibility of what I’m saying.

I would respect you more if you say Doc I'm all right with Blacks but my friends aren't. That would hurt my feelings but it might save my life, likewise when I spoke on The Phantoms of the Card Table book, I was just stating that I don't know anybody that deal the punch deal with so small of a bump than myself and as fast. So if I don't explain my ability how can you trust me to evaluate this book's credibility of Walter's Punch Deal?

People take what I say the wrong way, I'm only here to help and I don't tickle the ears with stuff they want to hear most of the time so they think that I'm arrogant when I'm not; well at least I don't think I am. Direct and being straightforward is not being arrogant. I'm here to shorten the road to Utopia instead of having everybody take the long road in which they are already being directed. I wish someone had done it for me. So this is why I'm trying to treat others the way I wanted to be treated when I was learning.

Please tell Darwin that I said hello and that I would like to come and revisit him again. If you're a friend of Darwin, you’re a friend of mine…

Your New Friend

Doc

Wow very intersting to hear from the man I was talking about himself! I just want to say to you I have so much respect for the practice devoted to cheating. You have to work hard for your money, with all the practice. I really appreciate the dedication. Thanks for the inspiration.

I play. Small stakes, a hundred or so at the most. I frequent a lot of seedy bars and can always find a late night hold 'em game. Ever since ESPN came out with their WSOP show, there's seems to be a deluge of rookies who love to say, "All in". I play above the board as I am trying to get my game stronger. I do, however, take advantages when they are presented to me. Nearly every game I've been in, there are always a few guys who constantly expose cards during the shuffle. Some guys peek their cards in such a way I can read them off their beer bottles, glasses, etc.. Also, cards get bent and are easily tracked.

At the moment, I have only cheated during strip poker games.

Hey In flames how are you doing and thanks for writing me. I used to practice 6 to 7 hours a day for about 5 to 6 days a week; sometimes longer because as you know I didn't have job. If I didn't cheat, I didn't eat and those 6 baby kids and my wife didn't want to hear it.

Can you imagine practing wrong moves for all those hours, days and sometimes years and then when you finally see the correct way, you have to start all over again and forget bad habits like dropping the side fingers when you bottom deal. I know 4 different middle deals and then Andrew Winhurst shows up, shows me his and blows mine right out the box. Aww man now I got to start all over again learning to regrip the deck in another position. You can see Andrew's video "The Card Artistry of Andrew Wimhurst" Now guess what, I now heard about Paul Wilson's, will it ever stop!

I know what I'll do, I'll Cold Deck the whole table and give everybody a hand and I don't have to worry about seconds, centers or bottoms.

Cheatin Ain't Easy

One more thing before I go, If you think cheating is easy imagine you reaching the status that you always wanted and now that you've gotten lazy in practicing, Steve Forte comes along and shows you moves that's 10 times better than he has on his 4 part gambling series tapes. Here I go starting all over again.

To all who may be interested, Sal Piacente (My Card Memory Teacher) and Steve Forte (The Best Over all Mechanic I've ever witness) are my teacher's now.

Watch out world you'll soon be having a Broke Steve Forte Clone who will remember everything except how to get back to the Magic Café.

I hope that this info. helped you.

Your New Friend

Doc