Was there anything wrong with what I did here?

[JoshuaD]

My brother and I were hosting a home game, 4 people, 25$ buyin, NL holdem, blinds .25/.50. We host all the time, and it's the most consistant game in the area.

I'm usually the bank in these games, and I usually tried to play no one takes money off the table. However, almost everytime someone gets a very lage stack (2x buyin or more), the table would badger me into letting them take some off.

I also always allow anyone to leave at any time. I don't care if you just won a 10 way all-in pot, you can stand up whenever you want. You're usually not allowed back in the game if you left just to get chips off the table.

I had bought in for 35$ total when the situation arose. I was at about 30$ in chips, and won a very large pot, putting my stack at around 75$.

There was a very loose player to my right, with about a 50$ stack.

I told everyone I wasn't comfortable with that large a stack, and that I was done playing. I said if they wanted me to continue playing, I would, but they would have to let me cash out my original buy-in. (leaving 40$ on the table).

Was this dick of me? I know that if another player had said the same thing, I would have allowed them to take off their initial buy-in only. Am I held to a higher standard as the host?

[flatline]

That's completely ridiculous. You aren't comfortable with that large of a stack? Grow some balls. You try to enforce the (proper) rule that no money gets taken off the table, and then you want to break it?

[Damageinc333]

how can you expect anyone to respect the rules you layed out when you want to break those very rules. you cant get mad the next time someone wants to cash some chips out now, they could just say they dont feel comfortable with their chipstack.

[elwoodblues]

You shouldn't be able to take money off the table. Bad move on your part.

[SlipFits]

I agree with these other posts....

As a host you have to set the rules and CONSISTENTLY (sp?) enforce them. This includes on yourself. I personally would not attend a home game where the host feels he can 'do what he wants'.

[Suited Deuce]

Josh,
Being a good host includes setting and maintaining the rules, even at a $0.50 game. It's not the worst thing, but it was a bad move.

You put your money on the table and you risk losing it. You put your money in the pot and it's no longer yours, until it's, hopefully, pushed back to you.

And to answer your question, yes you are held to a higher standard as the host.

[unloaded]

I agree, very bad move. If you want to protect your original investment, you have to have the dicipline to not bet more than $40 of you $75 stack. If the $50 stack goes all-in pre-flop and you look down to find pocket A's, it's up to you to protect your money. Just because your money is on the table, you are the only one that can put it into play. All of this is despite the fact that having a big stack is a valuable weapon in the right hands, and it was probably making all of the other players much more uncomfortable than you were. A bad move on two counts, one as a host the other as a player.

peace.
unloaded

[JoshuaD]

Well, I handled it slightly different than "I'm taking some money off the table".

I said to the table "I'm not comfortable playing with this large of a stack, and I'm leaving."

"If you guys want me to keep playing, I will if I can take some money off the table."

I made sure it was ok with the rest of the table, and if they said no I was 100% willing to walk away.

[ QUOTE ]
You aren't comfortable with that large of a stack? Grow some balls.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care about balls, 70$ is a large amount of money for me. I don't want my stack size hurting my play, and it had the potential to this game.

[Richard Tanner]

I really don't get the bad feelings in reply to this poster. He didn't break a rule, he said he was leaving (which he allows others to do) and then offered a sort of deal to the other players. In no way did he force his desicion of the others. If he would have said, "I'm leaving my profit on the table and taking my buy-in" that would be one thing, but that wasn't what I read. He said, "I'm out" and then put the vote out there as to whether or not the guys wanted to keep some of that money in play.
As an aside, no one likes rules as much as I, but there needs to be a certain flex in home games. In this case, if this kind of thing has happend before, then just let it go as a "house rule", it seems as if the others understand it. If they don't, then let the group decide by vote (or something) once and for all.

Cody

[RogerZBT]

So basically whenever you triple-up, you're going to leave because you're not comfortable? If $75 is a lot of money for you, why are you putting the first $25 in play? Honestly, you should stop playing those stakes until the money means less to you.

[Ghazban]

[ QUOTE ]
So basically whenever you triple-up, you're going to leave because you're not comfortable? If $75 is a lot of money for you, why are you putting the first $25 in play? Honestly, you should stop playing those stakes until the money means less to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking this, too. Also, even if you lose the $75 on the table, your NET loss for the night would still only be $35 (your original buy-in). If the $35 is more than you're comfortable losing, you definitely shouldn't be playing the game.

edit: With respect to the original situation, so long as its fine with the rest of the players, I don't think there's a big problem there. It is my opinion, however, that big bet (NL and PL) games should always be played with the standard table stakes rules. In a game where stack size is a contributing factor in every decision you make, allowing people to take money off the table really changes the game. Of course, if everyone in the game is fine with it, that's perfectly all right, too.

[fsuplayer]

you really need to set rules and go with them.

people with be much more likely to listen to you the host, if you are consistent and firm with the rules.

my best friend plays in the NL home game I host (1-2blinds), and a couple of times he complained about the rules, and I just told him to leave if he didnt like it. he was pissed for a little while, but it sent the message that all the rules apply to everyone.

you really need to keep rules the same, and follow them yourself.

btw, playing a big stack doesnt have to be that much different if you dont make it. besides, there is a very loose player on your right with a big stack! you have position AND have him covered. what else do you want?

just get used to playing a big stack, its more fun anyways.

[smoore]

You need a hard and fast rule. In a home big bet game, I do like to allow people to take money off if they get to 3x the buy in. You can never cash down to less than 2x the buy in. You are not required to cash down. This tends to keep the pots reasonable late at night.

[warewulf]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, I handled it slightly different than "I'm taking some money off the table".

I said to the table "I'm not comfortable playing with this large of a stack, and I'm leaving."

"If you guys want me to keep playing, I will if I can take some money off the table."

I made sure it was ok with the rest of the table, and if they said no I was 100% willing to walk away.

[ QUOTE ]
You aren't comfortable with that large of a stack? Grow some balls.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care about balls, 70$ is a large amount of money for me. I don't want my stack size hurting my play, and it had the potential to this game.

[/ QUOTE ]

What you did is really lame -- You set a rule and then broke it. You weren't comfortable? Let's just say it like it is -- you were up and didn't want to risk giving the other players their money back. VERY unethical. I would have walked out of your game and not come back. I run games all the time -- nobody cashes out until the end, especially me. If you want to allow cash outs, everyone should be able to cash out at anytime, like you did.

[Nick_Foxx]

in no home game i've ever played in have you been allowed to take money off the table

what you did was classless

mike

[Richard Tanner]

Reread his original post, he says he allows everyone to cash out.

Cody

[flatline]

Don't justify this by saying, "I offered to just leave." No, you invited people over to your place to play some poker, won a big pot, and threatened to basically kill the game (there were only 4 players) unless you got your way. Of course they are going to let you; they wanted to play cards. You should play for less money if you are so scared of losing $35.

[Gbob]

My first thought was a general dislike of your action. As host you have responsibilities of providing a template for your players to follow. Taking money off the table is a classless move.

Then again, I really don't mind players taking money off the table. Allows me to use my big stack to bully them around. You want less weapons in front of you? Dude, you can play our table whenever you please.

[DerryABU]

[ QUOTE ]
I also always allow anyone to leave at any time. I don't care if you just won a 10 way all-in pot, you can stand up whenever you want. You're usually not allowed back in the game if you left just to get chips off the table.


[/ QUOTE ]
I think this is the part people aren't getting,you don't allow others the right to play on if they cash out so why should you be entitled to.If someone else had said I'm going unless you let me cash out you would have told them to go,so you can not expect to do it yourself.

[young nut]

I agree with the rule that a player can leave any time he wants to, whether it be because he is tired, he has to go to work, or he just won a big pot. If a player wants to leave, he/she can leave, just like in a casino. This is how our home game is run and no one has a problem with it.

But as for the host, I think you are stuck playing. It would be very rude of you to get up and kill the game, even though you have a rule that says you can leave. I think the host should be exempt from that rule, and you should have just stayed.

As for cashing money out, our home game has a policy that if you are in for more than the original buy-in, you can cash the second buy-in out. For example, I buy in for 25, lose that, buy in for another 25 and get my stack up to 100. The only money I would be able to cash out is the second 25 buy-in, so I would have to leave 75 on the table. We don't let people cash out their original buy-in and profits and still keep playing, but they do have the option of leaving.

So in this situation, I think you need to do the reputable thing and just keep playing. Don't worry about the huge stack, you can use it to your advantage (i.e. table bully) There have been many times that I am sitting at our home game with a stack 5x the initial buy-in or more. It seems like a lot of money to have sitting in front of you for a small buy-in game but don't let it bother you. Just play your game. And for god sakes, don't play live limits that you aren't comfortable playing and losing in.

[ThinkQuick]

Of course you can leave anytime, and I guess this is the fault of the rest of the table if they allow you to "come back" with your original chips minus your initial buy in.
You clearly understand the benefits of making people keep chips on the table, so you shouldn't let people cash out their buy in and you shouldn't even put them in a situation that encourages bending this rule. And when you did, they should have said no.

And to quote young_nut:
[ QUOTE ]
And for god sakes, don't play live limits that you aren't comfortable playing and losing in.

[/ QUOTE ]

[chesspain]

I'm curious why you all play NL, since you all seem to be pussies about having to play against anyone who doubles up even once.

[flatline]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm curious why you all play NL, since you all seem to be pussies about having to play against anyone who doubles up even once.

[/ QUOTE ]

Its even worse than that. They are scared to BE the guy who doubles up.

[Lottery Larry]

It's already been said, but the host setting the rules has to live by those rules more strongly than anyone else.

Yes, you gave them an option, but I think you just open yourself up for arguments from players later when THEY want to try it.

If you want, make a hard rule about having x times the initial buy-in on the table and allow people to skim off of the top. Otherwise, don't allow people to take money off of the table at all. The gamblers won't be able to help themselves and will come back if forced to sit out