Gambling Table Etiquette

[mattb]

Depends

If they go about it in a decent way, they may get the table. If I like what I am doing and so does my opponent they may have to wait. If I am "told" to get off the table they may get turned into a Popsicle with a pool cue. My money, while it may not be as much, still spends the same. If they are that into it they should take their 2K and put a down payment on their own poolhall. It just depends on how they go about it.

 

[Sam Waltz]

New angle... LOL

If I'm playin' $20/sets I'm probably lookin' to win or lose $100, so here's the deal...

1. Me and my opponent here will take $50...EACH!
2. Richie Rich and his opponent will pay our pool time and buy us each a round for being such great guys as well. :thumbup:
3. Me and my small wagerin' opponent will make a toast to our new friends...
4. Then we'll roll right up to the bar...grab another table and continue our set there. :grin:

All is right in the world and life can now procede... :clapping:

 

[Masayoshi]

The guys waiting for the table can either buy the table from us or wait until we end our session on our own time. If they don't want to pay for it, they don't need it that badly.

 

[tanco]

The situation the original poster, who was also an employee at the poolroom during this time, is referring to involved Grady Mathews. Grady had done an exhibition at the same pool room earlier in the day. The set to be played was for 2,500. There were approximately 40 people in the room just to see this match.

 

[tanco]

A few quotes from the original poster regarding Grady posted on another forum.

"I'm glad that you have an idol and think of Grady as an icon of the game. Back when I played and we both played 9-ball, he was a decent shortstop. That's how I still think of him. He can't compete with any of the one-hole players of today. I kind of think he went to one hole cause he couldn't win at 9-ball."

" I don't even remember if it was me that thought of that. I'm thinking that maybe it was my opponent. Usually I could care less. It certainly could have been me because I don't have as much respect for Grady as you do. "

 

[rich337]

lol

Holy Wall-O-Text batman[/
i rattle on a little when bored lol

 

["CaliRed".]

you don't mention where you are in the set.
if it's early in the set-you finish the game and give up the table

if it's the middle of the set onwards - finish the set (assuming the players are not hacks and it takes 20 mins to finish a game):smile:

that's the way I ran the poolroom when I was houseman..

sorry but if it's the prime gambling table, then that's what it is.. reserved for the bigger games. if no one's using it, you can play the $20 sets on it. Once the bigger action comes on, time to find somewhere else to play.

common pool room etiquette

and no.... there is no need for the incoming players to pay them anything. If it's a hour or so of time, they might want to pick up the time, but we are talking pool players here, so they might be a stretch

 

[dr9ball]

What might be more interesting is if you have some social players or a couple out on a date, where neither of them gamble on pool.

If they weren't told they may have to give up the table if someone decides to gamble, then it could get interesting.

I've seen "gamblers" demand people give up their table when the room is full, just because they wanted to gamble and not even for a lot of money.

I'm ok with people gambling, but I don't think they deserve special treatment because they want to match up. If they want to be rude about it, they can wait till I finish and then they might have to wait some more.

As many have said here, much of my decision would be based on the attitude of the players who wanted my table.

Obviously, if the owner kicks me off of the table that is their choice and I will vote my opinion with the money I spend in their establishment or elsewhere.

 

[smoooothstroke]

true

Sadly, in all the years I've been in the game I've only seen this once, in an 8 table room in Endicott, NY. The place only lasted a short time.
As far as me giving up the table, it depends on how they go about asking for it and if they want to pay our table time for it. If we aren't done
playing they can damn well play on another table. I've seen some real jerks go about this like they owned the table and thought anyone else should
immediately give it up.

Good points Pushout

Yes the attitude of the interlopers can be a factor.I try to look at it this way.1)we are all friends here.2)you cannot have a thin skin in a real pool room.

 

[Hungarian]

That's BS. i worked hard for my dough. i if i'm gambling then i'm finishing my set up unless they want to buy us out. if i'm stuck i might not give the table up at all unless they bought me out. hell if i'm winning i might not give the table up at all. i dont' book a lot of winners so if i'm winning i might not want to pull up.

i got no problem giving up my table or quitting if it's the first set. but if i'm into something they're going to have to do more than just ask me politely to move if i'm 3-4 sets into something

If there's $4K action about to go off in my pool room I am prolly in the middle of that. Regardless, I'm changing tables. Everyone in my pool room is changing tables to get action going. Anything less than that is nitty in my book. Don't know why changing tables is that big of a deal regardless if you work hard for your money or not.

 

[Hungarian]

you don't mention where you are in the set.
if it's early in the set-you finish the game and give up the table

if it's the middle of the set onwards - finish the set (assuming the players are not hacks and it takes 20 mins to finish a game):smile:

that's the way I ran the poolroom when I was houseman..

sorry but if it's the prime gambling table, then that's what it is.. reserved for the bigger games. if no one's using it, you can play the $20 sets on it. Once the bigger action comes on, time to find somewhere else to play.

common pool room etiquette

and no.... there is no need for the incoming players to pay them anything. If it's a hour or so of time, they might want to pick up the time, but we are talking pool players here, so they might be a stretch

Cali, Agree 100%. Change tables after the rack in progress or after the set. But change tables no matter what is the correct answer. Anything less is nitty.

 

[poolplayer2093]

If there's $4K action about to go off in my pool room I am prolly in the middle of that. Regardless, I'm changing tables. Everyone in my pool room is changing tables to get action going. Anything less than that is nitty in my book. Don't know why changing tables is that big of a deal regardless if you work hard for your money or not.

because me being stuck or ahead doesn't change at all just because they want to bet it up. i wanna finish what i start

 

[Hungarian]

because me being stuck or ahead doesn't change at all just because they want to bet it up. i wanna finish what i start

you can finish, just change tables

 

[softshot]

you can finish, just change tables

Fck YOU it's my table..I don't give a shit if I'm doing drills.. it's my table until I'm done with it..end of story..

shove your etiquette up your ass.. the gamblers table usually has the tightest pockets.. perfect for aiming drills... that's why I picked it

I must alter my life to accommodate your gambling addiction??..

what a joke.. if you want to play on a private table what the fck are you doing in a public pool hall??

 

[The Chinchilla]

The problem here is many people seem to be assuming the one hole game will just stay the same during this 20 dollar set time. Many times a guy gets antsy, or changes his mind, makes another game somewhere else (short attention span), and any other of an infinite number of reasons.

I voted give up the table immediate. It is not required, but cmon. I had a guy about to play 100 a game one night (and then flip coins for 100 after each game). The guy on the barbox wouldn't let us play because it was "his table." Then the guy ran off.It is silly to bring this example up, different scenario, but this whole "score blocker" mentality has just always bothered me.

In a good room, the guys should get off the table. Clear to me.

to OP: good question by the way

 

[SJDinPHX]

Fck YOU it's my table..I don't give a shit if I'm doing drills.. it's my table until I'm done with it..end of story..

shove your etiquette up your ass.. the gamblers table usually has the tightest pockets.. perfect for aiming drills... that's why I picked it

I must alter my life to accommodate your gambling addiction??..

what a joke.. if you want to play on a private table what the fck are you doing in a public pool hall??

Duplicate post

 

[SJDinPHX]

Fck YOU it's my table..I don't give a shit if I'm doing drills.. it's my table until I'm done with it..end of story..

shove your etiquette up your ass.. the gamblers table usually has the tightest pockets.. perfect for aiming drills... that's why I picked it

I must alter my life to accommodate your gambling addiction??..

what a joke.. if you want to play on a private table what the fck are you doing in a public pool hall??

That attitude, and the others like it, is one reason good action pool rooms are dying out. Sounds like your houseman, (or owner) doesn't know how to keep the action alive...If I were running the joint, I would politely ask you to give up the table..ASAP, The gambler's wouldn't even have to ask...If you made a hugh issue out of it, (which its not) I would simply say.. "Don't let the door hit you in your non-gambling ass...

PS..Thank God you are in the minority, in the voting. (about 4 to 1)..

 

[Masayoshi]

So what do you action junkies have to be gambling for to not give up the table immediately? $100? $500? $2000.01?

 

[ironman]

Scenario:

2 players are playing some $20, race to 5, 9-ball sets on the prime gambling table.

2 other players are jawing and put together a $2,000 one hole match and ask to play on that table. It should be a good match and one of the players is somewhat iconic.

What should you do?

if in ear sight why wouldn't they offer the table. only makes sense, after all who cares about watching a $20 set of 9 ball?

 

[Brozif]

Several issues would determine if I gave up the table or not.

1. How do they approach us and ask us for the table. If they are polite, ask us in between games instead of interrupting one in the middle, and/or offer to pay our table time for the inconvenience, then yes I'll move as long as there is another table available.

2. How far along are we in the set and what is the race to. If we are in the beginning or middle of a set, and all the criteria from the first option has been met, then no problem we'll give up the table.

3. Does my match have the possibility of becoming a higher stakes match. If my match started out at $20 a set, but has already gone a few sets, and it's turned into $100 sets or more, than I might have to politely let them know what is going on and refuse the table.

Remember, just as easy as it is for them to ask us to move to a different table, it is just as easy for them to find that open table themselves.

There's just a lot of factors to consider in a situation like this. Too many possible scenarios. The room owner shouldn't get involved as far as asking me to move. If he wanted that table reserved for big gambling matches, then he shouldn't have issued me that table.

Also, maybe it's a knock on the entire establishment, but shouldn't all the tables be kept in a condition that it shouldn't matter what table people play on, they all play good enough to be gambled on?