Player Error - Poker Ettiquite

[KornGeek]

I had an interesting situation happen last night playing in a local card club at a 2-4 Hold'em table.

I don't remember all of the details of the hand, but the board looked something like:

Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] K [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

I was holding A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] on the button.

Since I made the nut straight on the turn, I begin to bet and raise as much as I could. (The players at the table seldom folded.)

On the river, there were three of us left. It was checked around to me, so I bet 4. The next player raised to 8 all-in. The player to my right then put 12 chips in.

As I was getting ready to re-raise, he realized that he only needed 8 to call. The dealer announced that he raised, and said that he only wanted to call. The dealer said that it was my decision as to whether he could pull his raise back or not.

What should I have done in this situation? While it is true that he should have announced what he wanted to do, and that I have every right to keep the money in the pot, it is also true that at such a low stakes table, you can't expect people to play perfectly. Should I stick it to him because he screwed up, or should I allow him to take it back because I truly believe it was unintentional?

Results in white:

<font color="white">
Although I enjoy playing poker, the primary goal is to win money. Like the A-hole that I am, I re-raised him. Of course, with so much in the pot, he called and I won a pretty hefty pot. However, I did feel a little bad and told him I was sorry, but I felt that I had to do it.
</font>

[undathesea]

I think Sklansky says that you have no friends at a poker once the cards are dealt. You are there to win money.

On the other hand, I would have just raised the raiser forcing him to put in another four anyway. Although, making him keep his chips out there on the table might make him pay more attention to the game in the future.

So, even though you're not friends, no need to create enemies.

[buhler26]

I say that it's the dealers fault for putting the decision to you. That is simply the dealer's (or dealer's superior) call to make. He should have made his decision and made the pseudo-raiser stick to it. If I had to make a decsion, I would have made the same one though.

[chesspain]

If he said that he only meant to call before it was obvious that you were going to reraise, I would have just called, and I would have said something like "I could reraise you but I don't want to be a dickhead."

In fact, I was in a juicy 5-10 kill game at Foxwoods this past year, when I was in a hand with a funny, middle-aged, fishy guy who was a good natured donator. In one hand, I hit my baby straight on the river on a board which had paired kings on the turn. After I bet the river, the three players in between us folded, and he threw in enough to raise but a split second afterwards he lunged forward as if he wanted to catch his chips in mid-air, blurting out "I just meant to call." (maybe he thought it was a kill pot?)

Since this was obvoiusly not an act, and I pretty much already had put him on trip kings, I figured that he had no boat. Although I could have reraised him, I said something like "You know I could raise you with my straight but I'm just gonna call you."

He then let out a sigh of relief, flipped over his trip kings, said "Thank you" as I raked in the pot, and continued to be a jolly donator and an amusement to me as I continued to drink tequila shots.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
I say that it's the dealers fault for putting the decision to you. That is simply the dealer's (or dealer's superior) call to make. He should have made his decision and made the pseudo-raiser stick to it. If I had to make a decsion, I would have made the same one though.

[/ QUOTE ]

True, although Hero did not have to reraise him.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]


True, although Hero did not have to reraise him.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hero could have allowed him just to call, but then Hero still has his option to 3-bet (since the all-in player's raise was a full one). Then the other guy would feel obliged to call his chips in anyway -- but he could have the option of folding the pot, sort of putting the ball in his court but making sure the $ gets in without being enough of a jerk to force the 3-bet in order to 4-bet.

[QTip]

Mason talks about this in PE2 "Keeping the Games Good", and he addresses technicalities like this. If I remember correctly, he was inclinced to not push the issue.

Even though you're there to make money, others are there for pleasure. You want this guy to stay in the game and keep him having fun.

[NickRegino]

I agree with that, I rarely try to play with my friends or people I know. SO just live life on and be like look man, It's your mistake I'm raising anyways.

[thejameser]

I play alot of live games and this was not a decision that should have been put to you. If I was in you situation I would tell the dealer to apply the house rules(i.e. money crosses the muck line it is in play) or have them call the floor and let them decide. Just make it clear that you do not want to be, nor should you be the one to make a decision one way or another. Personally, I get run down by the river so often by unobservant, inexperienced players that should not be in the pot to begin with, that I show NO mercy to any of these buffoons. If he gets mad I doubt it makes him play any better. And hopefully it teaches him a lesson so he does not do it again.

[mr pink]

i agree with qtip here, you certainly don't want to be the dick at the table. it will cause people to tighten up against you because it's apparent that you're there to take their money and not to just "have a good time" gambling.