Every once in a while, there is something that brings back the memory of the celebrated American writer Hunter S. Thompson. The sadly deceased Thompson, who created “gonzo journalism” with the thought that the truth is often stranger than any fiction he could make up, would be proven right with this thought out of New York for an affliction that many poker players face (no pun intended).
The Huffington Post’s David Moye reported earlier this week that a doctor of aesthetic medicine in the Empire State was looking to provide a cure for poker players and their tells at the poker table. Introducing his product “Pokertox,” Dr. Jack Berdy basically is looking to use the cosmetic surgery of Botox injections as a way for poker players to be able to mask their giveaways on the felt. After a consultation, Berdy and the patient discover what the issues are and then Berdy goes to work with the needle, injecting Botox (the toxin that causes botulism, which wiped out much of Europe in the Middle Ages) into the necessary areas.
“Some people might get a card they like or don’t like and raise their eyebrows,” Berdy told Moye in an interview. “If that’s the common reaction, we can put Botox in certain areas to minimize them. We can also put Botox in areas to make it look like the player has a ‘tell’ they really don’t have.”
Berdy began offering the procedure last week and, as of yet, no one has signed up to undergo the injections. However, if Berdy’s plan works out right and players begin to come to him to “cure” their tells, there is the potential for him to make a significant score. Injections of Botox can cost anywhere from $165 to $600 and, since the injections only last for about three to four months, patients would have to come back to Berdy (who also is a gambler, according to Moye) for future treatments.
There are several people that Moye talked to that don’t think the “Pokertox” revolution is coming anytime soon, however. Josh Hale, who is a veteran of the wars on the World Poker Tour felt, including a win earlier this year at the WPT Legends of Poker, is one of those. Hale stated to Moye, “The game has moved on from bluffs and is more analytical these days. Players might be looking at physical tells, but they are relying more on betting patterns and bet sizing.”
Another player, Jay Melancon, debates whether the cost of the “Pokertox” is worth the investment. “Plastic surgery is expensive,” he notes to Moye. “You’d have to play in very high-stakes games to make it worthwhile and, if you have a ‘tell’ that is that obvious, you shouldn’t be playing in those games.”
The news of Berdy’s development of “Pokertox” hasn’t gone over well with many in the poker community. Two Plus Two, which picks up on virtually every latest fad involving the world of poker, has a thread where many of the opinions believe it is a waste of time. “I got Botox on my eyelids,” poster ‘ACEvivKING’ wrote. “Now I’m staring champ in three states. Haven’t blinked in months.”
“Ridiculous,” another poster opined. “But I guess a few desperate/struggling poker players will fall for it.” Poster ‘WinterBlues’ agreed, saying, “That’s the sad part. Especially with the price, I can imagine many a donk getting said procedure done.”
Whether it takes off or not, “Pokertox” looks to be simply a gimmick that someone is attempting to use to cash in on the game of poker. Hale figures that the usage of “Pokertox” might have been good 10-15 years ago but, in today’s world of poker, there are many ways to determine whether your opponent has a hand or not (not to mention other physical tells that can give you away that Botox can’t do anything about). Besides, who wants to go around with a permanently surprised look on their face all the time anyway?
