From school suspensions to casino wins

In 1969, 13 students at SMK Saratok were reported for gambling to the school principal, a Canadian named GD Tedrick. Most of the students involved were from Form II, Form III, and Form IV, and two from Form V. I was one of them, studying in Form II.

Although we were never caught, the report was enough to get us into trouble. We ended up being suspended from the boarding house for two weeks. When we returned to school, we had to be accompanied by our parents or guardians.

Reluctantly, my father came with me. Before I told him about the punishment, I handed over RM80, which I had won during our last gambling session in the loft of a shop in Saratok.

Winning RM80 was a big deal back then, but my dad didn’t scold me because he knew I had a history of being a naughty gambler from a young age.

I learned to play blackjack when I was young, taught by my uncle Jimbai, also known as Jar, who was married to my mom’s cousin Lipat and hailed from Kanowit.

He showed me the tricks of shuffling and dealing cards. By the age of 12, I was already quite skilled. In 1969, at the age of 15, I would mark the cards in collaboration with my cousin Mawan, who was also my classmate.

Mawan, now a Tuai Rumah at Kawit longhouse in Saratok and a businessman, was one of the students who got reported. It prevented him from continuing his studies.

Our gambling sessions, held at a special ground outside the school, involved poker, three-card games, and mostly blackjack, known as “bandat” in Iban.

It was easy for us to mark the smaller cards, like twos, threes, and aces. Only Mawan and I knew about these marks, so we were mostly winning.

I wasn’t surprised when the teachers asked me in 1985 about our favourite gambling spots, as they intended to catch some students gambling too.

At that time, I was the school principal, so I went with them once to a likely place and caught five Form Four students in the act. They were punished accordingly, but not suspended like we were in 1969.

I knew many well-known blackjack and poker masters in Krian who were active during the 60s and 70s. One of them was my dad’s cousin, Ujih Untan, who was skilled at dealing poker during public gambling sessions at cockfights and festivals.

He was once arrested for the murder of Muney, a Chinese trader who often gambled in the longhouses.

Muney was allegedly shot while paddling downriver by boat after a trading and gambling session at my dad’s and Ujih’s longhouse in Munggu Embawang, Melupa, Saratok.

He and his partner allegedly celebrated their win with laughter, which angered some of the losers, including my uncle Ujih.

However, the British Government couldn’t find the shotgun used, and due to a lack of evidence, Ujih, who was arrested, was released after two or three weeks in police custody.

Another person involved in promoting the game was my uncle Inyang, who was married to my mom’s younger sister, Santih.

Uncle Inyang used to move around the Krian area with at least two packs of cards to organize “bandat” sessions during cockfights and festivals for about four years. He was also skilled in card shuffling and tricks.

His son, Geraman Inyang, has now inherited his father’s skills and is a highly respected gambler in the Saratok and Sarikei region.

My interest in gambling shifted from blackjack and poker to the four-card game “sikipoi” around 1983 when I was transferred to SMK Sedaya in Kanowit, where the game was popular.

I initially lost, but later I met Ahwat, a Chinese vagabond and skilled sikipoi player from Bintulu who operated in Sibu. We bonded because we played together on the same side, never against each other.

Once, when Ahwat was arrested and needed money for bail, I willingly assisted him, which strengthened our bond.

He taught me some tricks and card shuffling techniques, which I quickly learned.

Word spread about my gambling skills among gamblers in Sarikei, Saratok, and Debak, and no one dared to play against me.

Between 1985 and 2014, I made several trips to Uncle Lim’s (the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong) Casino de Genting in the Genting Highlands, located between Selangor and Pahang. I had the chance to play blackjack, roulette, and poker there.

Roulette was my favourite, and I had some great wins, such as RM38k, RM24k, and often between RM12k and RM15k. I rarely lost, with the maximum loss being RM3k because that was my limit.

Regarding poker games in Kuching, the last time I played was around 2013 at a friend’s house, where I won a bit.

Since 1997, I organized poker games at the then Holiday Inn Hotel, where I enjoyed a two-night stay for the price of one under a special offer. I didn’t play; I only dealt cards with a friend as an accomplice among the players.

There were times when our dealing skills paid off big. On some days, the total collection would reach up to RM1,300, minus some for food and drinks.

These sessions lasted for several months and included high-ranking officials, lawyers, and engineers.

One of the players, who is now a minister, used to send me back to my house in Lorong Pasir, Rock Road, in his BMW. He was my accomplice and would win big when I dealt the cards right.

Nowadays, I’m no longer involved in these card games. I retired after enjoying some good years. However, my current interest lies in number forecasts, which often bring both celebration and frustration. Good luck to all punters!

‘Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes playing a poor hand well.’

– Jack London (1876 – 1916). He was an American writer and social activist best known for his adventure novels and short stories that explored themes of survival, nature, and the struggles of individuals against harsh environments.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.