Warning to B&M newbies on the meaning of "table stakes"!

[burningyen]

The past few days were my 1st playing poker in a B&M casino, and yesterday I became painfully acquainted with a cardroom rule at Mandalay Bay. In the $200 buy-in $2/4 NL game I took a big hit with AQ vs. KK (Q on the flop, of course) and was down to $17 in chips. I asked for another stack of $100. After my request was noted, but before I received the new stack, the next hand began, and I looked down at yet another AQ. I tossed in my $17 and said "all in." My intention was to go all in for only $17. The dealer said it was $17 to go, but then another player pointed out that I had $100 more coming to me and that my entire stack was committed. The dealer agreed. I asked for the manager, who confirmed that my $100 was in play. Oh well, I had completely misinterpreted the meaning of "table stakes" and was resigned to my fate. Then, in a great show of sportsmanship, the other players at the table agreed to lay down their hands. The guy who took me down with his KK told me he had AKs, and I believed him (he couldn't show me his cards because he wasn't last to act). It ended up being a profitable day for me, but it would have been tough to come back if that hand had gone the other way. I hope this anecdote serves as a lesson to my fellow B&M newbies.

[Toro]

When you asked for the 100 in chips did the floorperson say something like "100 behind". He should have and that would have signified that you had another 100 on the table although the actual chips were not yet there.

Of course, if you were a newbie to B&M that announcement probably would have been meaningless to you.

[playerfl]

thats scary, thx for the tip.

[burningyen]

At this point I don't remember what if anything the floorperson said. And you're right, it would've been meaningless to me anyway.

[Ed Miller]

Yes. Once you give money to a chip runner, it is generally considered part of your stack even though you don't have chips for it yet. The chip runner will usually say "$100 behind" to signify that you have $100 extra in your stack than you have chips.

If you are new and are wondering whether you are "playing behind" or not, just ask. I'm glad your "learning the hard way" didn't turn out too badly. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Unfortunately, I see stuff like this regularly, but often not with such a good ending (you just got lucky here). People need to be aware of the rules in a casino. People (and the pit bosses) don't take rule or ettiquette violations at the blackjack or craps tables lightly, why should they at the poker tables? The difference seems to be that everyone seems to know this when playing blackjack, but they think playing poker in a casino is "just like a home game." I see this frequently with "internet" players, they don't know even the most basic things about playing in a casino, and their ineptitude disrupts the game and causes problems.

If you are going to risk your money in a casino, you had damn well better know what you are doing, poker included! It's up to those who are playing to learn the rules and ettiquette of their games!

al

[SheridanCat]

[ QUOTE ]

<snip>
The difference seems to be that everyone seems to know this when playing blackjack, but they think playing poker in a casino is "just like a home game." I see this frequently with "internet" players, they don't know even the most basic things about playing in a casino, and their ineptitude disrupts the game and causes problems.

If you are going to risk your money in a casino, you had damn well better know what you are doing, poker included! It's up to those who are playing to learn the rules and ettiquette of their games!


[/ QUOTE ]

Spoken like a true nit, Al. Which I didn't think you were.

The other players at the table were, rather, thinking "Wow, this guy doesn't really know what he's doing. Why take him out now, embarrassing him and possibly causing him to rack up, when we can try to keep him donating."

Posters here, even experienced posters who know exactly what they're doing, advocate being kind to the less clueful. Why incite them to get a clue, right?

My apologies to the OP, I'm not trying to indicate you were clueless (though you were somewhat by your own admission), rather I'm trying to figure out why Al wants clueful opponents.

Regards,

T

[burningyen]

It did occur to me that they were only too happy to keep me at the table.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I may often BE the one who is nice to the ones who don't know the rules, I might even quietly explain the rules to them so they DON'T leave the table.

However, to those who are posting on 2+2, take my words for how they were meant to come out - HARSH. If you post here, you should certainly not be part of the problem when it comes to players who don't know the most basic rules and ettiquette of casino poker play, and who subsequently disrupt the games because of it.

Sometimes even the absolute worst playing opponents understand the rules and ettiquette just fine, therefore that is not an absolute indicator of skill or fishyness. The fish who understand the rules and procedures, and thus play quickly and without problems, are the ABSOLUTE BEST opponents of all.

al

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

I don't think I'm particularly fishy, but I gotta disagree with you on this one Al. As an internet player and 2+2er, I asked many questions here before going to the casino, but still made several errors, including showing one card and throwing the other into the muck when I beat some guy's KK with AJ. On one hand there were two low pairs on the board, and me and another fellow bet it (we both held aces). The river brought a boat to the board. I bet and he called. He said "I'm just playing the board." I said, "me too, chop" and tossed my cards FACE DOWN toward the muck (I've mentioned this hand here before). As much as I tried to prep, there are situations that you just can't plan for. Fortunately, this was the 3/6 and the dealer quickly turned my cards up and admonished me against doing what I did. He chopped the pot and nobody complained. Had I been a newbie and a fish (I hope I was just one, maybe I was both), I might have gotten pissed at the pot being pushed to the other guy, and left.