Kitty Problems

glb · #1 06-13-2005, 01:41 PM

2-5 No Limit Full Table

Friday night at was playing at a local game and I ran into an interesting situation. Two guys at the table were "kittying" (sp) the pots they won. They were putting approximatley 10% of each pot they won into their kitty. They were both huge fish so they kept busting out and having to reload. However, they were not using their kitty when they were "all-in". First question: Should I have said something about it? I did not think it was my business to get involved in other people's pots.

Later, when there was over $300 in their kitty, I got involved in a big hand with one of them. I flopped two pair and checked. He bet out $40, I raised to $100. I turned a boat, and checked. He moved in for $67. I still had approx. $300 behind me. I asked the dealer, "The kitty is in play, right?" The dealer appeared confused and said that he didn't know. The two guys who were kittying started arguing with me and saying that the kitty has not been in play all night. I tried explaining to them that you cannot remove chips from play, and that half of the kitty should be in play for each player. They started getting loud, so I just called the $67.

After the hand, the dealer apologized and said he made a mistake, and that the kitty should have been in play.

I play at this place every week, and get along with everyone. How should I have handled this situation and still appear to be there for fun? This game extremely loose and I don't want to kill my action.

Percula · #2 06-13-2005, 01:58 PM

Table stakes are table stakes. If you do not want to be seen as the ahole, get up, talk to the floor, tell him/her exactly what is happening and why you are not making a big deal of it at the table and that the dealer is not doing their job.

Frankly I would not hesitate in telling them the deal and calling the floor over, however I would have done it long before it became a issue in a hand. I had to do this in a 3/6 game this weekend. The guy wanted to pocket 100 and keep playing. I told him he could not do that and suggested that if he wanted to "protect his winnings" to color up to red from white and just not play the red. He did just that, expect he couldnt resit getting into the reds too, lol.

nycplayer · #3 06-13-2005, 02:03 PM

What is a kitty? I've not come across this. I thought taking chips off the table for any reason is strictly forbidden.

Maybe you should have just started putting your profits into your pocket, to make a point.

glb · #4 06-13-2005, 02:08 PM

A kitty is when 2 players take a percentage out of each pot they win, put it to the side and split it. If at any time either player is put "all-in" they must use half of the kitty.

SheridanCat · #5 06-13-2005, 02:40 PM

I've never seen a kitty in a casino game, but I have seen them in home games. In my experience, the players understand that the money will need to come back into the game if it grows to a significant amount or if one of them is all in.

The only players I have seen "kittying" are usually the bad ones who think they're mitigating their risk or something.

Regards,

T

glb · #6 06-13-2005, 02:44 PM

This is just a local firehall game. These guys play the lottery with their kitty. For example, if they have $105, they play 1-0-5 for $105. True gamblers.

glb · #7 06-13-2005, 02:57 PM

So, I should get involved in another player's hand? If all the players don't know the rules, is it my job to inform them? I just try to mind my business and play my hands. I don't want to appear as a "nit."

SheridanCat · #8 06-13-2005, 04:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
So, I should get involved in another player's hand?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's really about the money staying in the game. If the house rules indicate you can legally take money off the table, then the "kitty not in play" rule is fine. If there is no rule, I guess I'd ask the game's organizer to not allow it.

However, if these players are bad - and they sound truly terrible - and my complaining would drive them away or sour the game, I'd probably keep my mouth shut and try to make sure they get as little money for the kitty as possible.

I can't believe they play the lottery with it. That's sick.

Regards,

T

MrDannimal · #9 06-13-2005, 10:10 PM

You should, not because you're getting involved in another player's hand, but because you're clarifying the rules of the game (which affect everyone).

Obviously, you can clarify before you start next time, but the first time they pulled some $$ out for the kitty I'd have mentioned "Hey, if you're going to do that, then if one of you goes all in you need to include 1/2 the kitty" (which means it's when nobody is involved in a hand).