03-10-2002, 11:06 AM
Hello, I was playing 1-5 stud in a B+M casino the other night, and would like some opinions on an incident that took place during a hand.
We were playing three-handed, and were dealt the river card. I was second to act. The first player to act bet, and I raised (after picking up a straight on the river). The third player was pondering his decision when another player, not involved in the hand said, "Isn't it obvious, he has a straight", or something to that extent. I said, "Please, sir, only one player to a hand." He said , "It is obvious that you have a straight" (A statement that I disagree with). I said that it does not matter, and that he should not be discussing the hand while it is being played. He again blew off my comments, so I asked the dealer to please tell him not to comment on my hand while it is being played. The dealer gave similar comments and did not seem to care. I then called a floor person over, and made sure to clarify the rules. I asked whether players are allowed to discuss a hand while it is still being played. She said no, so I proceeded to ask her to tell the dealer to tell the player not to discuss my hands in the future, because they seem to think this is acceptable. At this point the dealer and the player began to make a scene and yell at me. The dealer was yelling about how he never said that it was acceptable (which he, in fact, did), and the player began to yell profanities. The player called me a piece of sh*&, and a f*&%ing @sshole, and the dealer, who was sitting next to me (about a foot away), was raising his fist at me as if ready to strangle me or punch me, which frankly scared me, as the dealer was a rather large man. All I wanted was for proper procedure to be followed, and the player, and worse yet, the dealer, blew up and caused a scene. I never once raised my voice (which was difficult with one person pumping his fist at me while another was calling me every name under the sun), and they turned it into a big incident. I was trying to follow a good procedure by first asking the player to stop, then asking the dealer to ask the player to stop, then asking the floor person to inform the dealer of the rules.
I feel like I have to face this kind of garbage (well, not to this extent) every time I step foot in a B+M casino. The players are always rude, and always feel the need to comment on my style of play. I play 1-5 stud, and I often raise to $10 after a player to my right bets $5. Typically, I do this when I want to get heads up with the other player, when I feel I have a hand that plays better heads up. The players always jump on me and have said things like, "Why did you raise there? You are going to cost people money," to which I think, "I sure as hell hope so." They often mutter things under their breath, shake their head, etc. They seem to want me to be passive, just as they all are. It seems that at these low limits, the procedure goes: bring-in for $1, everyone calls (never raise). Then from 4th to 7th streets, a player bets a buck or two, and players either call or fold. Again, they never raise. No one EVER raises, and no one ever bets the max (of which I do both)...
Anyhow, back to my main concern, which has to do with the rules/etiquette involved in poker. My questions are as follows:
1) Was I correct in asking the player not to comment on my hand?
2) Was the procedure I followed correct, asking the player, then the dealer, then the floorperson?
3) Should other players at the table have said anything on my behalf upon my being yelled at by these people, or even upon my initial request for the man to keep his feelings about my hand to himself?
4) Do you think I caused this scene to take place due to any of my actions?
5) Should be dealer be reprimanded/fired? I am not refering to his decision not to tell the player to keep his opinions to himself, but rather due to his "threatening" me.
6) Should I stop playing poker? Most of the people I have met while playing poker are a'holes, mostly crotchety old men (not to generalize, but this has been the case with me), who give me no respect as a person/fellow poker player. I attribute a lot of this to my style of play, as well as to my age (I am in my early 20's) and their general bitterness towards life.
I think this whole scene was probably hillarious to all observers, as two people, one twice my age, and another 3 times it, were yelling and threatening me, while I, practically a teenager, did not once raise my voice or react to the comments. I would think it would be the other way around. I would think that by this age people would have learned to control their emotions, and to deal with people diplomatically. I would think...well, anyhow:
I would appreciate comments on any of my ramblings, and please feel free to add any other comments you feel are necessary.
-- Thanks, Homer J.
We were playing three-handed, and were dealt the river card. I was second to act. The first player to act bet, and I raised (after picking up a straight on the river). The third player was pondering his decision when another player, not involved in the hand said, "Isn't it obvious, he has a straight", or something to that extent. I said, "Please, sir, only one player to a hand." He said , "It is obvious that you have a straight" (A statement that I disagree with). I said that it does not matter, and that he should not be discussing the hand while it is being played. He again blew off my comments, so I asked the dealer to please tell him not to comment on my hand while it is being played. The dealer gave similar comments and did not seem to care. I then called a floor person over, and made sure to clarify the rules. I asked whether players are allowed to discuss a hand while it is still being played. She said no, so I proceeded to ask her to tell the dealer to tell the player not to discuss my hands in the future, because they seem to think this is acceptable. At this point the dealer and the player began to make a scene and yell at me. The dealer was yelling about how he never said that it was acceptable (which he, in fact, did), and the player began to yell profanities. The player called me a piece of sh*&, and a f*&%ing @sshole, and the dealer, who was sitting next to me (about a foot away), was raising his fist at me as if ready to strangle me or punch me, which frankly scared me, as the dealer was a rather large man. All I wanted was for proper procedure to be followed, and the player, and worse yet, the dealer, blew up and caused a scene. I never once raised my voice (which was difficult with one person pumping his fist at me while another was calling me every name under the sun), and they turned it into a big incident. I was trying to follow a good procedure by first asking the player to stop, then asking the dealer to ask the player to stop, then asking the floor person to inform the dealer of the rules.
I feel like I have to face this kind of garbage (well, not to this extent) every time I step foot in a B+M casino. The players are always rude, and always feel the need to comment on my style of play. I play 1-5 stud, and I often raise to $10 after a player to my right bets $5. Typically, I do this when I want to get heads up with the other player, when I feel I have a hand that plays better heads up. The players always jump on me and have said things like, "Why did you raise there? You are going to cost people money," to which I think, "I sure as hell hope so." They often mutter things under their breath, shake their head, etc. They seem to want me to be passive, just as they all are. It seems that at these low limits, the procedure goes: bring-in for $1, everyone calls (never raise). Then from 4th to 7th streets, a player bets a buck or two, and players either call or fold. Again, they never raise. No one EVER raises, and no one ever bets the max (of which I do both)...
Anyhow, back to my main concern, which has to do with the rules/etiquette involved in poker. My questions are as follows:
1) Was I correct in asking the player not to comment on my hand?
2) Was the procedure I followed correct, asking the player, then the dealer, then the floorperson?
3) Should other players at the table have said anything on my behalf upon my being yelled at by these people, or even upon my initial request for the man to keep his feelings about my hand to himself?
4) Do you think I caused this scene to take place due to any of my actions?
5) Should be dealer be reprimanded/fired? I am not refering to his decision not to tell the player to keep his opinions to himself, but rather due to his "threatening" me.
6) Should I stop playing poker? Most of the people I have met while playing poker are a'holes, mostly crotchety old men (not to generalize, but this has been the case with me), who give me no respect as a person/fellow poker player. I attribute a lot of this to my style of play, as well as to my age (I am in my early 20's) and their general bitterness towards life.
I think this whole scene was probably hillarious to all observers, as two people, one twice my age, and another 3 times it, were yelling and threatening me, while I, practically a teenager, did not once raise my voice or react to the comments. I would think it would be the other way around. I would think that by this age people would have learned to control their emotions, and to deal with people diplomatically. I would think...well, anyhow:
I would appreciate comments on any of my ramblings, and please feel free to add any other comments you feel are necessary.
-- Thanks, Homer J.