[kohanz]

I don't really get this rule in the context of a startup. In poker, the point is for there to be a win-lose arrangement where you are the winner. Are you saying that one should only consider joining a startup where they consider the founder(s) to be a "sucker"? I doubt that's a good plan.

[lovelearning]

I interpreted it as a strategy: assume that all founders will act like con artists towards their employees ("all smoke and mirrors", "empty promises"), so make sure from the start that you don't end up a sucker.