THEY always say that Lady Luck smiles sweetly at you now and then in gambling. I learned how to bet on cards and dice games from a young age in the longhouse, following our own interpretations of the rules.
Our initial bets were simple: rubber bands, rice, corn, paddy, and even local seasonal fruits – rambutan, mangosteen, mangoes, jackfruit, guava, and the like. But most of the time, after reaching the age of fifteen, we bet with cash.
During our early secondary school years, whenever boredom set in, our natural inclination to gamble surfaced. I was staying at SMK Saratok’s Limbang Hostel, tucked away at the farthest end of the school near the forest edge, with countless escape routes to the ‘no man’s land’ just outside the school boundary along the old Saratok-Roban Road.
Those forest canopies provided the perfect secret dens for young gamblers among us at SMK Saratok, and our group was the largest. There was also a Chinese group led by Chin, a senior from Roban, who played card games and the dice game ‘holo’.
Our group, comprised mostly of Form 2 and 3 boys, avoided ‘holo’ after we heard whispers that Chin and his friend Wong, also a senior from Roban, had a few tricks up their sleeves.
“We’d better stick with ‘bandat’ (Blackjack) and do something to our cards for a little advantage,” said my cousin Mawan Igah, now a longhouse headman, who was in Form IIB with me in 1969. So, we marked our cards – two sets, just in case anyone got suspicious.
Most of the time, Mawan provided the capital, while I happily dealt the cards, putting into practice a few tricks I had picked up over five years. It was so easy to cheat at ‘bandat’. All you had to do was control an Ace, and once every three rounds, pull off a ‘Blackjack’ – an Ace and a face card or a ten.
Sometimes, I would deliberately draw more cards to make our hand go bust – another trick to keep the bets flowing. For small wagers, I’d even go bust on purpose, even if my first two cards were an Ace and a face card. I remembered my mentor, Uncle Talip Jimbai, doing the same years earlier during a longhouse card game.
“You can sit behind me, but keep your mouth shut,” he once told me.
Our trips to ‘no man’s land’ became so routine that a few stubborn kids – Mawan and I not included – would skip classes and continue their gambling well into the evening, sending one or two “reps” to the dining hall for meals.
There were more than forty gamblers among the Iban and Chinese boys, mostly from the Limbang and Sadong hostels, with a few from the nearby Krian two-storey boys’ hostel.
Looking back, when I returned to head the school more than ten years later, I realised that the main reason for this gambling was boredom, due to the lack of co-curricular activities during our leisure hours, especially from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Back then, movements like the Red Crescent Society, Scouting, St John’s Ambulance, and Police Cadets were either inactive or unheard of.
At the same time, games like basketball were monopolised by a small group of Chinese students, while sepak takraw and badminton were the special domains of a select few.
The same exclusivity applied to club activities such as music, drama, and debate. This deprivation certainly contributed to our gambling.
In 1969, shortly after Gawai Dayak, a group of students, including myself, Mawan, my nephew Robert Lin Malina, and others, were summoned by our Canadian principal, Gordon Tedrick. We were handed suspension letters for two weeks from the boarding house due to allegations reported by a few individuals.
Despite not being caught in the act, we accepted the consequences. Mawan and I had earned a decent sum during Gawai through card tricks taught by Uncle Talip, making it easier for me to please my father.
However, Robert faced a stricter father and decided to accompany me to our farm in Perabun to avoid confrontation.
Upon our return, I approached my father with the situation, offering him a portion of our gambling winnings and explaining the suspension. My father accepted the money, involved my mother, and instructed us to focus on household tasks.
When we went back to school, my father met with a teacher, signing for both Robert and me. Mawan did not return to school thereafter. I continued my education until 1972 with a clean record.
During my time at Universiti Sains Malaysia from July 1975 to March 1979, I engaged in a marathon 50-hour poker session at a rented house in Pantai Jerjak. Our diet mainly consisted of Maggi Mee with eggs, courtesy of a non-gambling housemate who is now a senior executive.
Some players from that session have excelled in their careers, with a few becoming university professors and others holding prestigious positions in various fields.
In 1992, a former player contacted me while serving as the head of SMK Julau, reminiscing about our past poker games.
Despite the risks, my gambling winnings during the 1977/78 session exceeded my annual federal scholarship. Lady Luck seemed to favour me to some extent.
In my final year at USM in 1978/79, some friends were caught playing poker, prompting us to switch to Monopoly banknotes for gambling within the hostel to avoid further trouble, albeit raising suspicions among the guards.
Our recreational activities evolved, ensuring our love for the game continued within permissible boundaries.
In my early career, I indulged in gambling with friends, even participating in poker games in Bintangor with notable individuals.
One acquaintance was Ah Wat, a skilled ‘sikipoi’ player, whom I aided with bail money once. Observing his techniques discreetly, I learned a few tricks. Tragically, in 1984, I discovered Ah Wat had been fatally attacked in Bintulu.
Rumours circulated about his substantial savings, inherited from his mother. Despite lacking a formal job, authorities suspected his income stemmed solely from gambling. Such tales are not uncommon in that world.
During my tenure as a fledgling school principal and a novice in the ‘holo’ game, a compassionate parent guided me through a match against seasoned players. His discreet tips helped me earn around RM2,000 swiftly. Grateful, I shared a token of my winnings with him.
Although luck occasionally favours, honing gambling skills proves invaluable. Presently, I refrain from card games, occasionally dabbling in number betting with varying degrees of success.
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DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at tawisalok@yahoo.com.
