Gambling Scenario - Opinions?

[easy-e]

You;re missing the point - integrity (or lack of) on the part of this nit is the very reason he needs to learn a lesson where it hurts, in his wallet. These things have a way of working themselves out in a pool room.

You’re acting crazy. You say you’re not going to get involved and then you say you’re going to dump him. Two grown men arguing the ethics of pool hall gambling and you’ve decided its best to inject your own version of shitty behavior into the mix to make it all better. You wanted opinions and you got them, grow up.

 

[ChrisinNC]

That's the problem.... most of us DONT agree with you. And acting like a 10 year old, by pourpously throwing a match isn't going to prove anything to anyone, except who has a lack of character.

In 22 years of running a poolroom and grill, I've learned you can't please everyone. You just try to handle each customer and each situation that comes up the best you can. That way you can sleep at night.

When I speak of what I'd like to see happen to teach this player a lesson, believe me it's likely it will never happen, at least as far as myself being involved, because I am a nice guy and I do have a reputation and integrity. That doesn't mean I can't at least state what I'd really like to do to get back at this guy!

 

[easy-e]

In 22 years of running a poolroom and grill, I've learned you can't please everyone. You just try to handle each customer and each situation that comes up the best you can. That way you can sleep at night.

When I speak of what I'd like to see happen to teach this player a lesson, believe me it's likely it will never happen, at least as far as myself being involved, because I am a nice guy and I do have a reputation and integrity. That doesn't mean I can't at least state what I'd really like to do to get back at this guy!

Glad it was hypothetical. Why do you feel like YOU need to “get back at him” at all? What did he do to you?

 

[realkingcobra]

If you're going to play for money, understand this....there are NO written or Unwritten rules that you play by when it comes to who wins and who loses....it just is what it is....gambling, period. Has nothing to do with ethics morals or anything else. You can save all that shit for another day, AFTER you leave.

RULE number 1 in gambling, DON'T let your opponent win the first game, then you have him playing to get that first LOSS back....and keep him chasing the rabbit as long as you can!

 

[realkingcobra]

In 22 years of running a poolroom and grill, I've learned you can't please everyone. You just try to handle each customer and each situation that comes up the best you can. That way you can sleep at night.

When I speak of what I'd like to see happen to teach this player a lesson, believe me it's likely it will never happen, at least as far as myself being involved, because I am a nice guy and I do have a reputation and integrity. That doesn't mean I can't at least state what I'd really like to do to get back at this guy!

In my pool rooms, the rules were simple, if anyone came in looking for a little action, they were looking to play me or leave. If i caught anyone looking to hustle my customers into a game for money, i just took that as they were taking money out of my pocket by taking money from my players. Tbe .ore they take, the less my customer had to spend in my pool room, that meant to me, taking money out of MY POCKET....big NO NO in my pool rooms. If they wanted to go somewhere else and gamble, they had that choice, just as long as it wasn't in MY house.

 

[buckshotshoey]

In 22 years of running a poolroom and grill, I've learned you can't please everyone. You just try to handle each customer and each situation that comes up the best you can. That way you can sleep at night.

When I speak of what I'd like to see happen to teach this player a lesson, believe me it's likely it will never happen, at least as far as myself being involved, because I am a nice guy and I do have a reputation and integrity. That doesn't mean I can't at least state what I'd really like to do to get back at this guy!

Why not player B challenge A to a rematch? Then B can set his terms at the beginning? Wouldn't that be the adult way to do it? Instead of this clandestine special op's mission to "teach him a lesson"?

I guess I just don't understand the gambling mentality. Guess it is how I was brought up. I've always seen gambling in a bar was for fools. Especially if alcohol is involved.

Maybe you can explain to me how many more games player A was required to play? Does it make you more of a man if you completely drain a man's pockets?

It is obvious, unless he got really lucky, that B was not going to get his money back. I say A is the one who showed character. You've seen The Hustler. Why did Fats quit when he could have taken every dime from Eddie? Ok...... fictitious example, but its as good a lesson as any nursery rhyme.

 

[Low500]

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[Matt]

Having someone quit ahead on you and getting bent out of shape over not getting a "chance to win your money back" is probably indicative of a gambling problem, especially after losing 4 sets in a row. That's usually the point where a hustler offers to jack the bet, so player A probably did player B a favor by quitting, whether it was intended that way or not. Player B has no claim to the money he has already lost, and player A has no obligation to keep playing beyond the current set. Sure, it stings a bit if someone quits ahead on you then hangs around, but going around whining about it just lets everyone else know what a fool you are for wanting to keep donating.

It is rather amusing that so many people think the proper "etiquette" is to give you opponent a chance to get their money back when that's really a move to bleed your opponent dry.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Glad it was hypothetical. Why do you feel like YOU need to “get back at him” at all? What did he do to you?

Maybe ChrisinNC WAS player B!

A joke. It's like when women are arguing over something stupid. Best to stay out of it and go back to playing pool.

 

[easy-e]

Maybe ChrisinNC WAS player B!

A joke. It's like when women are arguing over something stupid. Best to stay out of it and go back to playing pool.

Hadn’t thought of that!! But now that you mention it...

 

[ChrisinNC]

Well stated sir.

Not this player's first incident. He's just a different person when/where money is involved. In one of our big $$ quarterly tournaments, in a match deep in the tournament, crucial game/shot late in the match, I witnessed him fail to tell his opponent he had 3-fouled by not getting a ball to a rail.

I was the TD, and he knew that I knew he'd fouled, as I made eye contact with him from his chair and I put my hands up to gesture to him like really, you're not going to tell him you just fouled. I never said a thing - he had his opportunity to do that right thing and he didn't, and he went on to win that game and that match.

That incident revealed to me the real side of him, which I found very disappointing. The other night was just another example.

 

[WoodyMPW]

There are unscrupulous people in pool rooms!?! Well I'll be a monkey's uncle.

 

[ChrisinNC]

Not this player's first incident. He's just a different person when/where money is involved. In one of our big $$ quarterly tournaments, in a match deep in the tournament, crucial game/shot late in the match, I witnessed him fail to tell his opponent he had 3-fouled by not getting a ball to a rail.

I was the TD, and he knew that I knew he'd fouled, as I made eye contact with him from his chair and I put my hands up to gesture to him like really, you're not going to tell him you just fouled. I never said a thing - he had his opportunity to do that right thing and he didn't, and he went on to win that game and that match.

That incident revealed to me the real side of him, which I found very disappointing. The other night was just another example.

Correction on my most recent post - the foul he failed to call on himself was not a 3-foul, but just a ball-in-hand foul. If he'd already been on 2 fouls, there would have been absolutely no excuse for his opponent not to have been closely observing his kick attempt.

 

[book collector]

Two of our top players got knocked out of our weekly 9-ball tourney early last night, so they decided to match up and play some $20 sets. Both players, in their 30s, have played in our room as well as other poolrooms and tournaments for 20+ years and are among our top players. Player B has far more gambling experience than player A, but player A still has been around long enough that he should know what is acceptable in terms of gambling protocols. Neither of them are big gamblers, but they enjoy placing something $$ on their sets.

Player A got 3 sets ($60) up on player B, then player A informed player B his limit was $80 and he was planning to quit if he got to $80. The next set went hill-hill and player A won, and then quit. Player B still wanted to play more sets, but player A refused.

Then player A informed player B they could keep playing, just for fun, and player B refused, saying that was out of the question, and that he would never be playing him again. Player A then sat and observed tournament matches for another hour or more, before leaving. If he had made it to the finals of the tourney, which he often does, he would have been there up to 2 more hours.

I am the tournament director, as well as the proprietor and owner of the poolroom.
Both of these players are regular customers, and I consider both of them as friends of mine for many years. When player B told me what transpired, I was very angry.

I understand that what transpires between 2 players gambling is their business, so I am contemplating whether I should choose to stay completely out of it, or when I get the chance, to have a private conversation with player A, explaining to him that what he did was not acceptable, that player B had valid reason to be very angry, and explain to him exactly why, in hopes that he would learn from his mistake and not think he could do this again.

Just curious what others here think about this situation and as to what I, as Proprietor, as well as being a friend of both players should do, if anything?

It's a no win situation, I would stay out of it.
It is your opinion that player A had no right to do what he did , although most gamblers would tell you, that if someone tells them if they lose the next game, they are done, they are also only going to lose one game back .
It doesn't matter that he is 3 sets up , the only way most people would keep going is if they were stealing.
It might be different if they gambled together all the time, but a once in a blue moon match doesn't mean you have any special rights.

 

[pwd72s]

when all is said and done
gambling is not good for the working man

Bingo! Couldn't agree more.

 

[ChrisinNC]

It's a no win situation, I would stay out of it.
It is your opinion that player A had no right to do what he did , although most gamblers would tell you, that if someone tells them if they lose the next game, they are done, they are also only going to lose one game back .
It doesn't matter that he is 3 sets up , the only way most people would keep going is if they were stealing.
It might be different if they gambled together all the time, but a once in a blue moon match doesn't mean you have any special rights.

Believe me, both these players are close enough in skill level to where neither one is taking advantage of the other, either one is capable of winning the session, and neither player is in a financial position to where losing a couple hundred bucks would create a hardship. In 9-ball short races, we all know how lobsided sometimes the session may go.

As both being regulars, if I really felt like one player couldn't beat the other player, I feel I have the obligation as the houseman / proprietor to confidentially inform the weaker player that in my opinion, he can't win without some kind of spot.

I'm guessing I may get criticism here for stating that I'd get involved even to that extent, but to me it's just the right thing to do when the matchup involves two regulars - one of whom can't win. Once I give him my opinion, if he plays anyway, that's not my problem and my conscience is clean.

 

[mantis99]

I think most of us will agree that when one of the player states that $80 is his limit, the assumption is he means $80 loser, not $80 winner. Anyway, I've decided not to discuss this issue with the player involved. He will however, eventually come to understand the consequences of his actions.

Next time he bids high on me or on Player B in the tournament auction, which will happen, ideally in the same tournament, we'll let him have us, then we'll not even bother buying half ourselves back so he has the whole thing. We'll then go two-and-out rather obviously. He will hopefully then learn the lesson of what it means to quit on someone!

That might be the worst and most childish idea I have heard in this whole thread, especially since you are the owner. That will definitely cost you business and a friendship. You would be much better just talking to him than doing that. If you did that to me, my first thought would be, "why wasn't he just man enough to talk to me about it instead of giving me this snake like backhand to the face". I for one would personally stay completely out of it, but what you are proposing is certainly not that. I would suggest that, if it is going to bother you so much that you have to resort to some kind of reparations, then you are much better making that a man to man conversation than the above idea, or anything like it.

 

[mantis99]

In 22 years of running a poolroom and grill, I've learned you can't please everyone. You just try to handle each customer and each situation that comes up the best you can. That way you can sleep at night.

When I speak of what I'd like to see happen to teach this player a lesson, believe me it's likely it will never happen, at least as far as myself being involved, because I am a nice guy and I do have a reputation and integrity. That doesn't mean I can't at least state what I'd really like to do to get back at this guy!

Ummm, your previous statement made it sound like it was a forgone conclusion to happen eventually. You are obviously very upset by this. You either can let it go, and resume your friendship, or you can't. If you can, then you are probably better off leaving it alone. If you can't, a man to man conversation is the best way to go. He can then either abide by your expectations, or choose his own different path, which may of course include going elsewhere with is business.

 

[jokrswylde]

I just don't get why it bothers you so much that you feel you need to get involved?? Two grown men decided to gamble, one quit winners and the other didn't like it...so...he doesn't gamble with him anymore. Case closed. He's out 80 bucks, and now has one more "person to never gamble with" on his list. I guess I just don't see the big deal.

 

[alstl]

I see one issue here, the details were not discussed prior to the start of session. The right time for someone to say hey I'm playing to 80.00 is before the start of the session not three sets up.

Unfortunately, for player b, if he wanted to cry it should have been prior to the fourth set, not after losing. At the point that he started the fourth set after being told by player a that he was quiting after he got to 80.00, he accepted the challenge.......

I personally have never quit ahead without offering my opponent to play for his money back, whether it was all in on one set or a finite number of sets. But I also don't gamble for a living, I gamble for fun. I can see where a guy who depends on his gambling money would think it's ok to quit while he's ahead, AND be perfectly fine with hanging around afterwards......he just won't get my action......more than once!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

"Player B has far more gambling experience than player A"


If player B had said "I want to play $20 dollar sets and if you get ahead you have to keep playing until I win my money back. If you win the owner will start a thread trashing you on a pool website" do you thing A would have agreed to play?

The real nit is B and his buddy the owner. Is the owner his backer? If A had lost there would be no thread on the internet and the owner and B would be happy campers.

All this over $80 bucks. I'd hate to see what would happen if they lost some real money.