This article first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of World Gaming magazine.
Dr Raymond Chow is a personality. Even though he has only been playing Texas Holdem for a short time, he is a regular around the Hong Kong Poker House and at all the major tournaments in the region.
Not only is he a character – he is also a well respected gambler in Hong Kong, and has a very interesting history in the industry. World Gaming caught up with Dr Raymond to ask him a few questions.
Dr Chow, what field are you a doctor in?
I am an entrepreneurial doctor (Raymond laughs). I obtained an honorary doctorate at the University of Upper Iowa for helping Hong Kong students further their education in the US. I also send Hong Kong students to other countries like Australia. I started when the IT boom hit in the early 1990s. I saw an opportunity and started a computer training school – and the business grew from there.
Have you always lived in Hong Kong?
Yes, I grew up in Sai Ying Pun district.
What was the first thing you ever bet on?
I was five years old. There was a playground near my house with a wheel that had coloured sections, and we would bet on what colour the wheel would stop on. It was a little bit like a crude version of Roulette. My mother used to give me a smack when I was late home because I had wasted time at the wheel!
Dr Raymond Chow
When you got a little bit older, what did you start to play?
When I was ten I started playing Mahjong with my neighbours. I was never really great at Mahjong. Then I saw the God of Gambling movie series and instantly fell in love with Show Hand. I talked to my father and he gave me some hints on how to play. Very soon I started winning at Show Hand, so I gave up Mahjong.
What about horse racing?
Like nearly all Hong Kongers I loved to bet on the horses but it was for fun, not for serious money. I much prefer games where I was more in control, like Show Hand.
Were you always a winning Show Hand player?
I started winning almost immediately, and to be honest I have won a lot. I started in school and then played bigger and bigger games against better players. There are at least 200 players that refuse to play me because I have beaten them over and over.
Was there anyone that beat you?
Only if they were cheating! I became very good at detecting cheats and avoiding playing with them.
How much do you think you won playing Show Hand over the years?
Easily over HK$10 million.
Do you still play Show Hand?
I couldn’t find a game for about three years, but was lucky enough to be invited into a new group of players that didn’t know about my reputation. It’s a very prestigious game and the people who play are very rich. They are very good and have been playing more than 20 years.
What is the biggest win you have ever had at one time?
Once I won a pot that was over HK$2 million. But the game I play in now only has swings of one or two hundred thousand per night.
What are the secrets of winning at Show Hand?
It’s like Holdem, in that when you have a really good hand the secret is how to get the most money out of your opponent. In Holdem the hand can dramatically change on the turn or the river, but in Show Hand you really know when you are in front. It’s more about the betting strategy than the card strategy.
What are some of the other things you bet on?
13 card poker, horse racing, sports betting and casino games like Pai Gow. These however are only for fun and I only play occasionally.
What suggestion would you give to new gamblers?
When you gamble, you can’t afford to lose your cool. When you get bluffed or suffer a bad beat then you must accept it. It’s like a taxi driver who gets frustrated in traffic. If you can’t deal with the pitfalls of the pastime then you need to do something else.
You seem like a very contented man?
Yes, I am very happy. I hate sitting at home. I am always on the go. I love my poker and I love to gamble and have fun.
