def get_tries(user_id, prefix='', rconn=None):
    """Gets the count against the user_id"""

    if rconn is None:
        return

    str_user_id = prefix+str(user_id)

    if not rconn.exists(str_user_id):
        # No count, equivalent to 0
        return 0

    tries = rconn.get(str_user_id)
    return int(tries)