[grandgnu]

Hello all. I run a small home game of up to 16 players a couple of times per month. Some players who know better have been violating certain rules or just conducting themselves with poor poker etiquette. I'm not sure what I should implement as a system to punish and discourage their behavoir.

Common problems are:

1. Splashing the pot when they've been reminded over and over about this.

2. I have a player who will delay the showdown, often refusing to turn over all his cards trying to see what his opponent has first. He'll also deliberately misread and lower the strength of his hand at the showdown, which is REALLY odd.

A few examples

ANNOYING PLAYER: "Oh, I just have two pair"

OTHER PLAYER: *turns over higher two pair*

ANNOYING PLAYER: "Oh, actually....I had a full house" *turns over last card to reveal boat.

EXAMPLE 2

ANNOYING PLAYER: "Oh, I just have a pair of Kings"

OTHER PLAYER: "I have two pair"

ANNOYING PLAYER: "Oh, actually, I have two pair" *turns over 2nd pair to beat opponent*

We play "cards speak for themselves" so he can use this tactic just to put people on tilt.

Obviously this is really ticking off my other players, especially since this annoying player is doing VERY well at my home game. While I've warned him at the games, I also just sent him an email letting him know he's going to scare away the other players who've proven very profitable for him this year. I also let him know that he's been warned enough and any further infractions will result in penalties as yet to be determined.

In the past he had been caught splashing the pot with less chips than the actual bet he was calling (caught twice in one night) and was told that while it was slightly amusing, his crazy antics, there was money involved and it wasn't cool or acceptable.

Now he's been caught numerous times tonight trying to get away with not putting his ante into the pot. I'm really frustrated with him and want to put him on some sort of probation where if he doesn't shape up he'll no longer be welcome back. And this is a buddy I went to high school with too, which sucks, but he needs to learn.

Anyway, does anyone have ideas for possible penalties. Here's what I'm thinking right now (to apply across the board to everyone, this particular guy is already on my [censored] list)

FIRST OFFENSE: Verbal Warning

SECOND OFFENSE: You must sit out for 5 minutes while still posting any antes/forced bets, and then fold every hand you receive during this time.

THIRD OFFENSE: Sit out for 10 minutes while posting forced bets/antes and folding all hands.

FOURTH OFFENSE: Ejection from current tournament with no refund given and no prize money awarded (even if player is already in the money). Player will be suspended from the next two events and upon return will be on probation. Any further violations after that will result in a 3-month suspension and after that a ban from all events for a year or perhaps indefinite. Any moneys they would have won during the tournament they're ejected from will be awarded evenly amongst the other players in the money.