Gambling Scenario - Opinions?

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
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?
 

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
Based on the post. The player A quit winner. Saying that you have 4 barrels on you, does not mean that you are unable to use the atm.

He said he wanted to play more. By quitting he figured that his luck was going to eventually change and lose back some of his winnings!

I assume $80 is way more important than a gambling partner to spare with.

I personally don't understand the logic. But,what do I know?

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

mattb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You, out of it. That is the ONLY way to deal with it.

That is my opinion of course.
 

realkingcobra

Well-known member
Silver Member
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?

What is tbeir Fargorating...should player be ask for a spot in order to make a fair game?.....LOL....there is never going to be an happy loser, even in boxing the guy that just got his clock cleaned, if he can get up before the final count.... INSISTS he can go on in the fight, weak, wobbly legs and all. But in pool, there is no RIGHT that the winner of the losers money HAS to keep playing, OR give the loser ANY CHANCE to get his money back, period. Either play another day, or don't, a sore loser is a sore loser period.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
That's the strangest reason to quit I've ever heard.

Player A was basically saying, "$80 is enough to beat you out of, I wouldn't want to beat you for more, so if I get $80 ahead we have to stop gambling but we can play for fun."

Usually, it's "I have to work tomorrow, so no new set after 11PM", or "Sorry, man, I'll have to owe you for that set. I only brought $60."

If he didn't want to make B mad or beat him for more than $80, he should have said at the start, "I think I have time for four sets. Let's play for $20 each."

I wonder if something else was going on.

Part of me says "Stay away!", but the other part says, "Let's pick at the scab and see if we can make everybody angry." I'm working on controlling the second part, but it's hard.
 

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
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.

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. player A won, and then quit.

Player B still wanted to play more sets, but player A refused.

I understand a "losing" limit of $80, but you said player B had a "winning" limit of $80, meaning if he got $80 ahead, he was going to walk away......(and did)

That's very sound strategy (walk away a winner) if you're playing blackjack in Vegas, but I could understand why player B was annoyed at not being able to try to break even......

I consider it a minor issue........
 

Mikey Town

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'd stay out of it, as there could be a lot more going on here.

Player A could've just locked up the cash to surprise his lady with a nice dinner out, and didn't want to lose that.

Player A could be friends with Player B's girlfriend, and she could have told him that she's not very happy with Player B's recent gambling loses that seem to be getting worse and worse, so Player A was trying to keep him out of the dog house.

The players could be decent friends, and Player A knows that Player B is a bit tight on cash and really can't afford to dump more than $80.

Player A might not have wanted to play for money anymore because it's a grind and he just wanted to take a load off.

There are a lot of reasons to quit while you're up... and none of them will ever be good enough for the person who is down.
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cheap pool causes hurt feelings
every time someone gets killed in a bar or pool room
seems like it was a$2 game

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

as far as your responsibility, i suspect you will get in trouble trying to patch things up

no good deed goes unpunished
 

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member
If player B was that upset with the situation, he should not have played the final set. He did, he lost and is now sniveling about it.

IMO, step off. Not your business and player B is (presumably) a grown-ass man.
 
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maha

from way back when
Silver Member
why do you have to keep playing until you lose it all back or bust the guy. after every game you have the right to quit for whatever reasons. it is appropriate to let the loser know in advance you are quitting soon though and that what he did.
 

JohnnyOzone

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you don't want a guy to get 80 bucks ahead of you and then quit.........don't play for money
The winner is in no way obligated to keep playing beyond what is already stipulated...they were playing sets, so either one can quit after a set is complete.
Player B should take his loss and look to play him again at a later time. Player A might have been doing him a favor that night
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What is tbeir Fargorating...should player be ask for a spot in order to make a fair game?.....LOL....there is never going to be an happy loser, even in boxing the guy that just got his clock cleaned, if he can get up before the final count.... INSISTS he can go on in the fight, weak, wobbly legs and all. But in pool, there is no RIGHT that the winner of the losers money HAS to keep playing, OR give the loser ANY CHANCE to get his money back, period. Either play another day, or don't, a sore loser is a sore loser period.
I guess I come from the old school that you don't quit a winner unless you have a reason, like you need to leave. To stick around, and then have the gall to ask the guy you just quit on if he wants to continue shooting for fun, is unacceptable, in my opinion.

I think I'll choose to stay out of it, based on what many of you here recommend. Personally, I've enjoyed playing sessions with this player. However, after this incident, I have no interest in playing with him anymore, knowing he thought this was OK to do this to another regular here.
 

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
If you don't want a guy to get 80 bucks ahead of you and then quit.........don't play for money
The winner is in no way obligated to keep playing beyond what is already stipulated...they were playing sets, so either one can quit after a set is complete.
Player B should take his loss and look to play him again at a later time. Player A might have been doing him a favor that night
Your point is only valid if BOTH players are thinking the same way!

I highly doubt that the player B would quit winner like that.

One player respects the other and one does not. Purely based on the disrespect with the way it was handled. We certainly will not see any more action from several locals as a result of his actions! Hope it was worth it?

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

drlouis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I'm not a gambler, probably never will, but am I to understand that if you gamble you have to be willing to be held hostage by a losing player (if you win) until he's ready to give up, or be considered an ass because you actually won some money??
 
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