Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

Err, didn't think I could give the subject justice in the subject line. Here's the situation.

We've been playing about 2 and a half hours, we're down to 4 players in the game, it's a cash game, .25/.50 I've been doing well the entire game and I'm up about 185BB. The only other player with any real $$ infront of him announces cash out, he has about 120bb infront of him ($60) the other two players have around $6 and $30. I tell them I'd be willing to keep playing if they added on to their stacks. The way I see it, I have very little to gain, and a lot to lose by playing with people who have no money in front of them.

I never (ever, ever, never have, not even once) cashed out of the game, and I vowed to do it after a few hit and runs from some regulars, but the ones who I wanted revenge on weren't playing anyways. In a casino, I don't care about a hit and run. At a home game, when the players are limited, I can't stand it.

Anyways, the question is, is me not wanting to play with 2 very short stacked players bad etiquette? Also, is my reasoning ridiculous? (having everything to lose and nothing to gain)

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

I believe the best option would've been to cash. While on a strategic level, I agree with you 110%, I believe my line would've been something along the lines of "Well, I guess I'll cash out too" and if they say "Wait, don't go!" then tell them they'll have to add more to the stacks.

I've always felt that it was humiliating to have a player ask you to add chips to your stack, and usually, when I'm asked, I leave, and will rarely play the person again, because it just rubs me the wrong way.

~Mike

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

I would of asked to cash out at the sametime. If questioned, I would of said down to three players, not much sense to play on any longer. I wouldn't of asked for them to add to their stacks.

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

Yeah. That would be very strange for me though, is the thing. I wasn't kidding when I said I have never, ever, cashed out. I'm there playing with 3 players, even heads up, almost everytime we play. So it would be a weird explanation either way.

Unblinking, the way you said it is the way it happened. They asked me to stay and then I said I would if they'd add on.

I guess it would have been best to just cash out and not say anything, but again, that'd be odd coming from me. I really don't like cashing out, and to be honest, I don't see a need for me to do it. I have confidence in my game, but I felt the amount of money I was risking compared to the amount they were risking was very unfair.

Edit: What ended up happening was I said I'd play one more round (just three hands) with the stacks the way they were, and the other guy with $30 infront of him said "maybe we should just do a cheap tournament" and the guy with $6 infront said he didn't want to put any more money in. So we did the last round and that was that.

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The way I see it, I have very little to gain, and a lot to lose by playing with people who have no money in front of them.

[/ QUOTE ]I don't understand. Are you a better player than these guys? Can you make the adjustments necessary for stack sizes? If so, you have the money in front of them to gain. If not then you should leave because the game isn't good for you anymore.

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I would of asked to cash out at the sametime. If questioned, I would of said down to three players, not much sense to play on any longer. I wouldn't of asked for them to add to their stacks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo.

There are many ways to cash out without making the other 2 players feel that they are not playing big enough for you (which might make them upset).

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The way I see it, I have very little to gain, and a lot to lose by playing with people who have no money in front of them.

[/ QUOTE ]I don't understand. Are you a better player than these guys? Can you make the adjustments necessary for stack sizes? If so, you have the money in front of them to gain. If not then you should leave because the game isn't good for you anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you could treat this experience as the end of a tournament (where it is rare to have two people with more than 50BBs). You are the big stack trying to kill off the smaller stacks.

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Unblinking, the way you said it is the way it happened. They asked me to stay and then I said I would if they'd add on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, in that case, I change my opinion. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking them to add if they asked you to stay.

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The way I see it, I have very little to gain, and a lot to lose by playing with people who have no money in front of them.

[/ QUOTE ]I don't understand. Are you a better player than these guys? Can you make the adjustments necessary for stack sizes? If so, you have the money in front of them to gain. If not then you should leave because the game isn't good for you anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Refusing to play with short stacked players?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I have confidence in my game, but I felt the amount of money I was risking compared to the amount they were risking was very unfair

[/ QUOTE ]

What was "unfair" about it?

I've faced the reverse- the big stack wouldn't let me buy up to close in on their level, so they couldn't lose it all back.



I'd be worried about future game support, if I asked people to buy up.

Do you always buy up to close to the max stack, when you're short... even if you don't want to?

What if you've had a bad session and your session roll is almost gone- do you borrow to buy up?

Something to think about.