[FlopZnuts]

An interesting thing happened at my home game the other night. We have a boyfriend/girlfriend couple that started playing regularly with us recently and both are fairly solid players. However, don’t get in a hand between them unless you have the nuts because they are super competitive against one another, and want nothing more than to bust each other out. But neither one has really been what I consider a strong winner and have either gone home about even or a small loser for the night, but they have only played regularly with us for a few weeks. Anyway, early on they got in a big hand against one another and the guy busted his girlfriend. (Read: sleeping on the couch that night!!!) After the hand, instead of getting more chips from the house (me) she just wanted to buy her chips back from him and have him pocket the re-buy, basically bringing him back to even and still having money on the table. I casually said I would re-load her and motioned to pass the money to me to go in the bank and got another rack of chips ready. Well, you would have thought I shot somebody because the couple and one other player in particular made a HUGE deal out of it and basically blamed me for being greedy and just wanting more money out on the table and made me to be a real ass. For whatever reason it really pissed them off, and in turn I got pissed off because I felt my ethics were being brought into question. But I just felt it was not fair to the other players at the table to have money that should have been in play, not be in play. I feel that all chips should come from the house to keep all the money in play so that everyone has an equal shot at winning as much as they can. It is not about my greed, but more about what is ultimately fair to everyone – not just me. Anyway, I guess my question is am I out of line in wanting all players to get their chips from the house, or do you allow people to buy chips from other players at the table and put that money in their pockets?

[Big Mike]

You are right here. Otherwise this is just like everyone playing for a while, and the big stack deciding to stick half his chips in his pocket so he stays a winner.

[Strange]

Short answer: no, you were not out of line.

[hachkc]

Its called ratholing or "Going South" and most folks have an issue with it especially in NL games. You can't do it at casinos while at the same table nor can you do it online. Online, most sites force you to buy back in with what you cashed out if you come back within a certain time frame and I believe some casinos may enforce this also.

Money in play stays in play until you cash out. Add it to your home rules if its not there.

[BPTDirector]

All chips in play should come from the rack - not from other players. You are perfectly in line with the way it truly should be.

Stick to your guns, if they ever played anywhere else where the host knew the rules they would fully realize you are correct.

BPT

[Wylecoyo]

I run my home game like a casino runs their game - all chips must be bought from the "house" - period. Chips (i.e. money) stays on the table or are cashed out - period. If people don't like it they can play somewhere else. I don't think it is fair to hedge "profits" taken from other players. If you don't want to give people a chance to win back what they have lost then get up from the table and go home.

[hachkc]

One last comment, I don't have a problem with folks buying chips from the big stack at the table. The money though needs to stay on the table and is in play. Some folks don't like having cash and chips in play buts its helpful if the host is involved in a hand or you have multiple tables going.

[VARoadstter]

You are completely right here.

Here's the thing... since they are a couple, you can consider their money more or less shared. There simply is no risk for them to get all-in against each other if ultimately they plan to just return the money to each other. The poor unfortunate slob who starts off a hand with a marginal holding is going to be faced with two all-ins and they are going to have to fold. The couple basically end up splitting the blinds and whatever loose money gets put on the table every time this happens. It can only be bad for them when someone gets in there against the two of them and can call the two all-ins.

It's actually worse than angle shooting. It is flat out cheating.

[A-Ro]

We never allow money to be transferred between players. More money can't be won unless it's on the table.

I always try to keep it as close to casino rules as possible.

[weak]

freddy deeb again?