FWIW, this video confirms my belief that the NYT and other mainstream media probably miscalculated the stakes … you tell me, are these guys sitting on the floor playing for $850k or more like $900. If it’s the former, then damn, they sure do have a Zen approach to money … and where’s Phil Ivey?

(These guys should totally play online.)

Gambling is illegal everywhere in South Korea (even on hotel room floors) except for one casino that happens to be the site of the new APPT-Seoul.

The Korea Times reported that a group of five Buddhist monks were minding their spiritual business by playing a little high-stakes poker at a hotel in the North Chungcheong Province, where they were staying for a monk-ish convention. There was about 9 million won in play, which translates into roughly $6865 and some nice action. Where monks might get that kinda dough is probably not my concern, but I do not believe it was the best karma decision for the cops to bust them for playing cards with it.

“We were tipped off that a group of monks were gambling,” a police officer said.