Josh W
08-07-2003, 04:12 AM
Well, as many know by now, I have some moral objections to poker. Not a lot, and they don't come up too often, but that doesn't mean that they don't come up. It would be neat if this thread doesn't deteriorate into the morality of poker, and instead we just agree to let various people have various views on the subject.
My problem stems from when I see players who I do not think (yes, this is just my opinion and not at all scientific) can afford to play poker sit down at my table. I have a tough time playing my "A" game and trying to take money from them. Yes, I know that they will often lose money anyways, and since they are giving it away, I might as well help myself to it. You may think that, I do not. Can we just let it be? Thanks.
So, I'm playing some midlimit game. We'll say it was 9-18, because it was. I was at Commerce, and I made a few hands, and was up over a rack, and was having a jolly time. It was 6:30, and i was going to play until about 8:00, when I was going to head to the Hustler to play 25-50, after traffic died down.
But then, this fella grabs the empty seat at my table. He's wearing threadbare shorts, and a tattered T-shirt that used to be white and hole-less.
I play two rounds with him, and he sees nearly every flop. Luckily for him, he makes a couple hands with lousy cards. Then, I raise UTG w/ AKo, he coldcalls, and the BB calls. The flop comes 975 w/ two spades, and I have no spade. A very straightfoward BB bets out, I muck, and he calls. Turn is a 5, and the same betting progresses. River is a K, and it goes bet/call again. BB shows 86o for the flopped straight, and he shows K5o for a fullhouse.
He's almost back to even, and I pick up my chips and leave. I tell a buddy of mine at another table that I'm taking off, he asks why, and I tell him:
"The game isn't that good. There's a fish to my right (the BB in the above hand), and the only other fish in the game...well, I can't take money from him, it just feels wrong". (Go ahead, cast stones here...it would be nice if you didn't, but I'm expecting them). I explain the reasoning, and my buddy gets on a tablechange list to that table. I go over, cash out, and then say hi/bye to a friend playing 15-30. While I'm talking to Joe (15-30 buddy), Ed (9-18 buddy) calls me. It seems that they just hit the jackpot on the table I left. My tattered T-shirt friend got 1200 for putting the beat on somebody. I'm about the happiest I've ever been in a casino as I stroll out to pick up my car from the valet. I just hope he left with some of it in his pocket.
I head down to the Hustler. Traffic was good, and I get there at about 7:15, as they are calling a number. See, the Hustler has a promo going for all 15-30 and bigger games in August. every hour, 24/7, they give out a raffle ticket to every seated player. Then, on wednesdays, at a quarter after every hour from 7p.m. - midnight, they call a number. If it's yours, you get $500. Well, many of the regulars get a lot of tickets from the other players at the table who know they won't be there the following wednesday.
Some guy wins the drawing at 9:00. I don't know him, but it's no surprise that he wins. He has a few hundred tickets. He then gives his tickets to a friend of mine. (you can only win once per week). She then wins at 10:00. She gives me her tickets, and I win at 11:00. Cool. Against her adamant demands, I give her $100 of it, though I woulda given her the whole thing.
I then gave her all the tickets back, because at midnight the drawing is for $1,000, and I wasn't going to stick around for it (You can win a $500 drawing and the $1k drawing in the same night). I don't know if she won or not, but at this point, does it really matter?
I didn't even have to use my AK.
Josh
My problem stems from when I see players who I do not think (yes, this is just my opinion and not at all scientific) can afford to play poker sit down at my table. I have a tough time playing my "A" game and trying to take money from them. Yes, I know that they will often lose money anyways, and since they are giving it away, I might as well help myself to it. You may think that, I do not. Can we just let it be? Thanks.
So, I'm playing some midlimit game. We'll say it was 9-18, because it was. I was at Commerce, and I made a few hands, and was up over a rack, and was having a jolly time. It was 6:30, and i was going to play until about 8:00, when I was going to head to the Hustler to play 25-50, after traffic died down.
But then, this fella grabs the empty seat at my table. He's wearing threadbare shorts, and a tattered T-shirt that used to be white and hole-less.
I play two rounds with him, and he sees nearly every flop. Luckily for him, he makes a couple hands with lousy cards. Then, I raise UTG w/ AKo, he coldcalls, and the BB calls. The flop comes 975 w/ two spades, and I have no spade. A very straightfoward BB bets out, I muck, and he calls. Turn is a 5, and the same betting progresses. River is a K, and it goes bet/call again. BB shows 86o for the flopped straight, and he shows K5o for a fullhouse.
He's almost back to even, and I pick up my chips and leave. I tell a buddy of mine at another table that I'm taking off, he asks why, and I tell him:
"The game isn't that good. There's a fish to my right (the BB in the above hand), and the only other fish in the game...well, I can't take money from him, it just feels wrong". (Go ahead, cast stones here...it would be nice if you didn't, but I'm expecting them). I explain the reasoning, and my buddy gets on a tablechange list to that table. I go over, cash out, and then say hi/bye to a friend playing 15-30. While I'm talking to Joe (15-30 buddy), Ed (9-18 buddy) calls me. It seems that they just hit the jackpot on the table I left. My tattered T-shirt friend got 1200 for putting the beat on somebody. I'm about the happiest I've ever been in a casino as I stroll out to pick up my car from the valet. I just hope he left with some of it in his pocket.
I head down to the Hustler. Traffic was good, and I get there at about 7:15, as they are calling a number. See, the Hustler has a promo going for all 15-30 and bigger games in August. every hour, 24/7, they give out a raffle ticket to every seated player. Then, on wednesdays, at a quarter after every hour from 7p.m. - midnight, they call a number. If it's yours, you get $500. Well, many of the regulars get a lot of tickets from the other players at the table who know they won't be there the following wednesday.
Some guy wins the drawing at 9:00. I don't know him, but it's no surprise that he wins. He has a few hundred tickets. He then gives his tickets to a friend of mine. (you can only win once per week). She then wins at 10:00. She gives me her tickets, and I win at 11:00. Cool. Against her adamant demands, I give her $100 of it, though I woulda given her the whole thing.
I then gave her all the tickets back, because at midnight the drawing is for $1,000, and I wasn't going to stick around for it (You can win a $500 drawing and the $1k drawing in the same night). I don't know if she won or not, but at this point, does it really matter?
I didn't even have to use my AK.
Josh