why being clever doesn't pay

import random
from sys import maxsize

def right_timi():
    counter = 0
    overflow = False;
    while True:
        if counter == maxsize:
            overflow = True
        else:
            overflow = False;
        if move():
            counter = counter - 1
        else:
            counter = counter + 1
            if overflow:
                print 'OVERFLOW'
                return
        if counter == -1:
            return


def right_mike():
    if move():
        return
    else:
        right_mike()
        right_mike()

def move():
   x = random.uniform(0, 1)
   return x >= 0.9