I am a avid poker player, my suggestion is never play poker, spend hundreds of your hard earn cash, gambling with strangers.
As much as you and me love poker and making a few bucks, only play tournaments with the host you know and very trust.
I play nightly with my poker buddies, and there are the only guys, I pefer to win or lose from. And if we want to play for more money, so be it, we do.
So if you want to avoid a bad situation, just don't play poker with anyone and risk your money.