pocketing Chips???

[shdBfish'n]

Ok, I'm at a local B&M warming up for my trip to Vegas, and one of the player, after winning a pot starts pocketing chips, not alot, but enough that I and several other noticed. This goes on for a couple hours (no idea how much he pocketed), my question is weather this is with in the ethical bounds of poker?
I was a little pissed about it, but wasn't sure if this was ethical or not. Maybe it goes on all the time, and I just didn't catch it. Any of you ever see stuff like this?
This was a limit table, so maybe that's different than a NL cash game?? Someone give me the low down on this. thanks

[highlife]

this is not allowed at any type of game or limit. next time ask the player nicely not to remove chips from the table, if he doesn't listen tell the dealer or call the floor.

I've never seen a room that allows you to take money off the table, whether in the form of chips or cash if you put cash under your chips or sell chips. Either way, you can't remove money from the table. I always play limit. I imagine it's even stricter at NL if anything can be stricter than not allowed.

[swede123]

I agree with the other two responses, first explain it to the player (who may not be familiar with the rule prohibiting this), if he continues bring it to the attention of the floor. Of course, if we're talking $1 chips here I'd let him at it, it would be kind of funny seeing him walk out of there with fifty chips bulging out of his pockets.

Swede

[Don Olney]

what is won at the table stays at the table till one is done, this includes the buy in--- it is called table stakes----
removing chips from play is a NO NO -----
and if you REALY want to get REAL PICKEY ABOUT IT--- tipping with chips from your chips in play is also a NO NO-----

[Photoc]

[ QUOTE ]
and if you REALY want to get REAL PICKEY ABOUT IT--- tipping with chips from your chips in play is also a NO NO-


[/ QUOTE ]
Easy there young man. LOL
You'll never have anyone tell you that you can't tip a waitress, dealer, floor, or chip runner with your chips. Don is just trying to ruffle some feathers [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[MisterKing]

I encountered two "ratholing" incidents during my trip this past weekend to Atlantic City. Both incidents occurred in NL cash games at Borgata. I thought I'd briefly relay the details, since I think there weresemi-valuable lessons associated with each.

First case is a 1-2 NL game late Thursday night, guy looking like a young version or Clark Kent or someone like that sits down in the 10 seat with $300. He doubles up on me about 2 hours later when he calls all in on the turn with an OESD+King high flush draw versus my top set & rivers the flush. He wins a few more pots, including one where he moved all in for $400 with TPTK on the river and was called by top pair/worst-kicker. He then had about $1300 in front of him and actually worked that up even a little higher as he got increasingly drunk. At about $1400, he racked up $500 and cashed it out, with few others seeing this happen (I did, as did two others). He was very drunk at this point, seemed to be getting exhausted/tired, and beginning to play total idiot poker (calling $30 raises blind preflop, etc.

Since nobody else was doing anything about it, I had a decision to make: call the floor and get the $500 back on the table, or let it slide. I had about $350 in front of my (card dead!!), and nobody else at the table had more than $500. Drunk guy still had $900 in front of him after racking up and cashing out the $500. I decided NOT to do/say anything since I wanted drunk guy to stay, and since I could double through him almost twice without him putting the $500 back in play. If I started insisting that the $500 come back on the table, he very well might have said "[censored] it, these guys suck and I'm drunk/tired/up $1000, so I'll leave." I didn't want that to happen, so I let it go. There seemed to be no real disadvantage to this decision.


Fast forward to incident #2, also a 1-2NL at Borgata. Fucktard in the 2 seat with a goatee and a backwards hat that says "COCKS" on it plays dumb, manages to triple up, and takes about $500 off the table, which I notice along with several other players. The guy appears destined to lose his stack, and is drinking pretty hard. We all insist that the money come back, and he flips out saying he can take the $$ off whenever he wants. He had committed numerous other rules violations and angle shots, so this was no surprise. He takes about $85 out of his pocket and puts it back in his rack on the table, but says that's all he had (b.s.). I should never have let it slide, since I had about $700 and several others did as well, but I did and the game went on.

[Percula]

All of the replies to date have good information, but I think they missed something...

Rules vary from room to room.

For example at one room I play at you can pay for drinks/food from your table stakes, tip the dealer and buy-in to the tournaments all from your table stakes.

Another room you can pay for food service and tip dealers, but not tournament buy-ins.

Yet another room you can tip the dealers, but anything else comes from your pocket.

I have yet to play at a room where it is OK to rat hole stakes.

When in doubt ask the floor.

There is another situation that comes up in regards to table stakes and that is winnings from promotions. Small wins, say <1000 are often paid in chips at the table. Some rooms say this is part of the table stakes, some allow you to pocket it. Larger wins say >1000 tend to be paid in the form of a check or cash almost never are considered part of the tables stake.

[Rasputin]

Can someone explain to me why the casino would give a rats ass if people take chips off?

The other players want a chance to win the money back, that I can understand.

Why the hell does the casino care?

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
Why the hell does the casino care?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because the casino is there to protect the players and the game. We as players pay them rake/time to insure that the rules are followed and that others are not allowed to cheat.

Here is another situation that highlights that point...

In a NL game the river action is heads up, player 1 bets all-in, player 2 thinks and then verbally declairs "Call" but does not push his chips out. Player 1 turns over the nuts, player 2 mucks his hand and refuses to pay off the bet saying "I never called". It is clearly heard by the dealer and other players that he did indeed call.

So now, is it in the interest of the casino to force the player to pay the bet he clearly called?

Would you continue to play in a room that did not force the player to pay the bet?

Table stakes are part of the rules, which need to be enforced.