How do deal with this guy

[sations]

So we have a regular 1/2 limit game usually 6-9 players. It has been going good for a while now. I now am faced with a new problem... This guy we'll call cheapo has started a new game plan. Cheapo, after having lost big a couple of times lately ($100), now decides that when he is up 40 or 50 he quits. Which kinda puts a damper on the game. After trying to explain my concern to him he states, "if you let me take cash off the table and continue to play I will but I am trying to protect my bankroll." Yeah on of those guys. Any ideas would be appreciated do to the small amount of players it is hard to loose one guy. Also, do any of you let people take cash off the table when your playing limit, without making them quit all together?

[captswifty]

I wouldn't worry about it. In the long run, this guy is going to lose much more than he wins with that strategy. He'll never win more than $40, but he can lose $100 each session.

As for taking chips off the table, I never allow it at my game. It's not allowed in most games. I don't even let players sell chips to each other, you must buy them from the bank.

[Kaeser]

If he's really a big donator then why not cater to him? If he's up 20 bucks let him take it off the table if that keeps him around to lose the 100 he leaves on the table. Just make sure he leaves a minimum buy-in.

[sations]

that's a good idea I guess I always thought it was easy to have some cash rather than a montain of chips but now that I think about it it doens't matter that much.

the guy wants to take chips off the table in a $1/2 limit game? is he some sort of assface?

[sations]

[ QUOTE ]
the guy wants to take chips off the table in a $1/2 limit game? is he some sort of assface?

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly that kinda guy but what do you do can't ban him the game actually needs him. Real loose player just can't keep him in long enough for him to give it back sometimes.

[JonPKibble]

[ QUOTE ]
So we have a regular 1/2 limit game usually 6-9 players. It has been going good for a while now. I now am faced with a new problem... This guy we'll call cheapo has started a new game plan. Cheapo, after having lost big a couple of times lately ($100), now decides that when he is up 40 or 50 he quits. Which kinda puts a damper on the game. After trying to explain my concern to him he states, "if you let me take cash off the table and continue to play I will but I am trying to protect my bankroll." Yeah on of those guys. Any ideas would be appreciated do to the small amount of players it is hard to loose one guy. Also, do any of you let people take cash off the table when your playing limit, without making them quit all together?

[/ QUOTE ]

Certainly don't let him take cash off the table (also known as "rat-holing"). But if he wants to quit playing when he's up, I don't see any problems. By doing so he's only limiting his own winning potential. Perhaps he needs to find a lower stakes game. I would seriously consider whether you want this guy in your group though.

[GMan42]

Well you're playing limit, so who cares about ratholing? Tell him not to leave early, but feel free to take $50 off the table when he's up. He'll still probably go on to lose his original buy in after that, but feel better about himself having "saved" $50. Everybody wins.

[Benoit]

Personally I wouldn't let him take money off of the table. What if he sucked out on one of your better regulars and scooped up a big pot as a result. Sure you don't see a big deal in letting him take $50 off the table, but your regular won't see it the same way. When your regular finally busts him, he will know he could have taken that extra $50 back too if you had not let him take that money off of the table.

Now you will get your regular threatening to leave because you wanted to make this asshat happy...

[GMan42]

I would absolutely agree with you if this was NL. But in limit, how would "the regular finally bust him"? By getting 8 hands in a row heads-up with him and winning them all? In limit, he'll usually lose his $$$ to the rest of the table collectively. Given a choice between having him leave the table altogether after one suckout hand, or having him put a few bucks away and stick around to donate for a while, I'll take the latter.

[ChuckyB]

At any point a player who is risking his money can leave the game. But "cashing down" during a game...we don't allow it if even a single person objects.

[EStreet20]

I don't see the point of not letting players buy chips off each oter, every card room I've played allows it. As far as this guy goes I wouldn't allow him to take money off the table but if he's a friend of your maybe explain that in a limit game all of his chips are never at risk in a hand. Last, it's a cash game, a player can cash out whenever he wants. I know it sucks to leave a game shorthanded but sometimes that's just the way it is. Plus, if he's a donator then I'd assume he doesn't get up 20-25 big bets too often, but rather gets down that much or more.

Good luck,
Matt

[Dex]

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Well you're playing limit, so who cares about ratholing?

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[smoore]

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At any point a player who is risking his money can leave the game. But "cashing down" during a game...we don't allow it if even a single person objects.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is probably the best way to deal with this fish. Tell him straight out, "OK, I'm fine with it... when you want to do it we'll put it to a vote. It's not a democracy, it's a f'in jury dude, if ONE person objects then it's a no-go, you gotta either stand up or leave it on the table."

[Jersey Nick]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
At any point a player who is risking his money can leave the game. But "cashing down" during a game...we don't allow it if even a single person objects.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is probably the best way to deal with this fish. Tell him straight out, "OK, I'm fine with it... when you want to do it we'll put it to a vote. It's not a democracy, it's a f'in jury dude, if ONE person objects then it's a no-go, you gotta either stand up or leave it on the table."

[/ QUOTE ]
Smoore - I'm almost always with you and this was my initial response too. Then I went back to the OP. Dropping 2 full buy-ins in a 1/2 home game playing standard 7 stud, Omaha, Texas & draw takes a lot of work. If the guy is truly that loose, then my inclination would be to allow him to rat-hole his buy-in. He'll be down way more often then he'll be up.

However if they are playing games with lots of wild cards, or Night Baseball, 727, between-the-sheets, then it is more about the GAMBOOOL and I wouldn't allow it. Cheapo will be sucking life out of the game.

We had a player who complained about this too. He's a good friend and it turned out that he was saving up to buy a house. The bride was giving him the frying pan when he came home $50 light. Because it's a friendly game, we offered to lower the stakes to .5/1. We also told him that maybe he should take a break from the game until after he bought his house. Eventually another guy bought him SS and told him to tighten up his game. He breaks even or is only down a little at the end of the night and everyone still has a good time.

[JonPKibble]

Ratholing in a limit game isn't nearly as bad as in a NL game, but I still don't like it.

If the player is a winning player, it's not fair to the other players.

If the player is a losing player, he should simply avoid playing. If you allow him to rathole, that isn't going to prevent him from going broke. When he starts losing more money, where will you draw the line when he starts asking for more "favors"?

If you let this guy rathole, you are treating the symptom, not the actual problem. The problem being that this guy is a lousy player who can't play by the rules. There are enough bad players out there that are more than happy to play poker by the book.

[Zetack]

[ QUOTE ]
Ratholing in a limit game isn't nearly as bad as in a NL game, but I still don't like it.

If the player is a winning player, it's not fair to the other players.

If the player is a losing player, he should simply avoid playing. If you allow him to rathole, that isn't going to prevent him from going broke. When he starts losing more money, where will you draw the line when he starts asking for more "favors"?

If you let this guy rathole, you are treating the symptom, not the actual problem. The problem being that this guy is a lousy player who can't play by the rules. There are enough bad players out there that are more than happy to play poker by the book.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see this as a player who can't play by the rules. He wants to quit while he's ahead, lots of people like to do that. He didn't come to the table asking to rathole, he only brought that up that idea when people complained about him quitting while he's ahead. Not the same thing at all.

[Lottery Larry]

"Cheapo, after having lost big a couple of times lately ($100), now decides that when he is up 40 or 50 he quits. "

Someone who sets a stop-win limit but will drop twice as much when losing? Send him to my game if you don't want him.

Don't let him take cash off of the table, unless you make a rule about having 5x the original buy-in left on the table (or something). Then make sure everyone removes cash on the nights when he's stuck.

[JonPKibble]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see this as a player who can't play by the rules. He wants to quit while he's ahead, lots of people like to do that. He didn't come to the table asking to rathole, he only brought that up that idea when people complained about him quitting while he's ahead. Not the same thing at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps I phrased my thoughts wrong. How about, "there are enough players who will play without trying to change the rules."

[sations]

[ QUOTE ]
"Cheapo, after having lost big a couple of times lately ($100), now decides that when he is up 40 or 50 he quits. "

Someone who sets a stop-win limit but will drop twice as much when losing? Send him to my game if you don't want him.

Don't let him take cash off of the table, unless you make a rule about having 5x the original buy-in left on the table (or something). Then make sure everyone removes cash on the nights when he's stuck.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I like this idea

[SenecaJim]

I would start an all-out search to replace this guy. I would not let him rathole, once you start exceptions, pfft. I'm sure other players would not like it and you are left with them po'ed or trying to explain to them the RIDICULOUS concept of stop-gap money-management. so forth ans so on. Doesn't sound like this guy will be up 25 bb's often enough to worry about.