Table Etiquette. Stealing chips!
I was at Casino Rama on saturday. 5-10 table, but this part is irrelevant.
A new player came to the table. Fresh buyin, $200 in two stacks of 20 $5 chips. Before he played a hand, a more favourable seat became open, so he started to move over. As he grabbed his chips, he accidently knocked one stack down. Chips scattered on the side of the table. Players helped by pushing them back to him, but I saw that one player grabbed a chip that landed close to him and put it on his own stack!
The new player recovered all but one of his chips, but noticed that he was missing one (his stacks were uneven)... I looked at the thief player in a way that suggested that I knew what he did, but I didn't say anything.
What would be your reaction in my seat? Would you say anything? If so, who would you say it to? Either of the players? The whole table? The floor?
The thief player went on to lose multiple buyins, and I had no sympathy for him...
hork
A new player came to the table. Fresh buyin, $200 in two stacks of 20 $5 chips. Before he played a hand, a more favourable seat became open, so he started to move over. As he grabbed his chips, he accidently knocked one stack down. Chips scattered on the side of the table. Players helped by pushing them back to him, but I saw that one player grabbed a chip that landed close to him and put it on his own stack!
The new player recovered all but one of his chips, but noticed that he was missing one (his stacks were uneven)... I looked at the thief player in a way that suggested that I knew what he did, but I didn't say anything.
What would be your reaction in my seat? Would you say anything? If so, who would you say it to? Either of the players? The whole table? The floor?
The thief player went on to lose multiple buyins, and I had no sympathy for him...
hork
Comments
If this happened to me (i.e. I was the one who had lost the $5), I would ask for a floorperson for help in recovering the "lost" chip. If the situation could not immediately be resolved, I'd ask that they consult the videotape of the incident to see where the chip went. I figure that even if they don't actually go the the camera, either the person who took the extra chip (if in fact it was intentional) might just give it back, or the casino would just give me a $5 chip from the tray to shut me up and keep the game moving. From their point of view, if I delay the game, they are essentially losing the rake from the missed deals. If I *still* failed to get the chip back, I would immediately quit the game and ask to speak to someone higher up at the casino, e.g. the casino floor manager.
Of course, all this is under the assumption that I was 100% sure that I had lost a chip. I'd have to say that I honestly don't keep track of my chips *that* closely, so it would have to be some completely obvious situation (e.g. like the one you mentioned).
If this happened to someone else, I probably wouldn't say anything. If I did want to say something for some reason, it would probably be something simple and non-accusatory (even if I knew who did it), like suggesting to the victim that he/she could ask the floor that the security cameras be conculted.
ScottyZ
The player who lost the chips didn't make a huge deal out of it.. it didn't stop play, in fact the dealer didn't get involved at all and kept the game going.
at most I might've said: "I think i saw it land infront of that guys stack" to see what happens, but I'd fall short of "That guy took it" I'd want to "open the window of opportunity" for the player to have a chance to say: "oh, maybe I picked it up, here ya go".
If i saw it i might throw him one of mine too and tell him he needed it more than i did.
In any case it sounds like the all and powerfull Poker Gods took care of it!
BCC-55
however, as sloth pointed out, if you decide to say something, as in any negotiating situation, you want to allow the person you are "accusing" to have an out with some dignity...an open window as sloth said. if you say, "he took it", you can be certain he's going to argue. giving him an out with "i think i saw it land near there" gives him a way to return the chip without an admission of intentional guilt.
as for not noticing; if the guy had just bought in, his stacked chips would be even. i'd notice one missing too. after a play or 2, forget it. no way i'd notice one little chip.
'nuff said
Last year, I was at a game with some friends of friends and a player adamantly and loudly insisted that someone had stolen a chip from a huge pot I took down. It's entirely my fault for not paying more attention, but it was a weird situation where a much larger stakes sidegame with strangers started after I busted out a friendly low buy in tournament where I knew most of the players. The chip in question was apparently taken as the stealer helped push the pot over to me. It was a weird situation because the accuser and alleged stealer knew each other well, and got into a huge argument because apparently the stealer has some bad history. It was $5 from a $200 pot, and I didn't see it happen, was crushing the game, and only knew one player at the table and didn't know him that well either really. I felt because I couldn't really prove anything and I was in a great game with some horrible players I had to try to get them to forget the argument because it was threatening to break up the game. They argued for another 5 minutes and we took a break and eventually got the game back together. I definitely learned to be more careful with my money after that experience. One interesting note, the chip stealer in my case was also a terrible player, and I suspect most good players realize they can make more by keeping the game on the level and keeping the fish in the game rather than resorting to this sort of thievery. I bet most chip stealers are losing poker players.