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This story is part 2 of 3 of the Neverending Poker Story. Part 1 saw the initial struggle with the USPC and the subsequent issues with Harrahs. For those that have yet to read part one, you can catch up by reading it here.
After several phone calls and complaints by Steve to Harrahs management that were subsequently ignored, eventually he approached a legal firm in Las Vegas for assistance.
CRSTALLI AND SAGGESE LTD were employed by Steve to help cease Harrahs using poker cards at the World Series of Poker that featured his trademark logo. Soon a threatening letter was sent to Harrahs on Steves behalf, and this then prompted them to cease using his cards.
Now that his issues with Harrahs had come to an end, it was time for him to move on to his issues with USPC (US Playing Card Company)/KEM.
If you remember from part one of this saga, KEM had initially printed the batch of Steve’s cards incorrectly, so they had to be sent back and redone.
The following is an actual series of emails sent to Steve from USPC/KEM.
1. Email dated 6th December 2006 from USPC
“We’ve already printed the replacement cards with your custom back designs and putting on the jumbo index faces later this week. These replacements are coming to you at absolutely no charge”.
2. Email 13 December 2006 from USPC
“These should ship out of Cincinnati next week and arrive at your place between Xmas and New Year”.
3. Email 3rd January 2007 from USPC
“We were able to finish the reprint of your cards with the correct faces and after a quality inspection we ended up with 252 sets available for shipment. What would you like us to do?”.
4. Email from Steve to USPC 6thJanuary 2007
“As you are a reputable company, and there has been no fault from my end I will accept the 252 Jumbo packs that you have printed if sent without delay and a full refund for the balance deposited in my bank account immediately.”
5. Email 19th January 2007 from USPC
“We sent the balance of your funds out today.”
0n the 22nd January 2007, USPC replacement cards arrived in Australia. Steve was contacted by Trident Freight who informed him he had to pay over $1000.00 in Freight charges in order to secure shipping of the cards. Steve told them that USPC informed him they would come at absolutely no charge. A Trident rep contacted Steve the following day informing him that USPC were not willing to pay the freight charges and if he wanted the cards he would have to pay for freight charges himself.
That afternoon Steve checked the NEP bank account to make sure funds had been transferred, they had been transferred, but they were over AU$1000.00 short. In early March U.S.P.C eventually paid the balance of the refunded amount he had paid in freight charges and he received the new cards. He opened a pack to verify that they had the correct index and then sent back the defect cards minus the ones he was already using.
Some time later when Steve opened the new jumbo index cards it was found that in every deck, the ace of clubs was marked making them unusable.
See the image below. The mark is highlighted to make it easier to see. The mark is much easier to see in real life, but it appears above the N in the middle of the spade.
Currently, USPC maintain that they have done nothing wrong. In part 3 we will continue the story and see if this Neverending Poker Story will ever end, or if the USPC will continue to keep their standpoint of no fault.
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