Ethical quandry: raising when the food arrives

[TreyOfLight]

I like to raise when the food arrives because people are hungry and will fold. Is it ok for me to do this to my hungry friends?

[Humble Pie]

I don't see any ethical issue with this.

[UnblinkingEye]

This is a common practice. I do it when food arrives, when I realize that something is on TV my opponents would rather be watching, when the cops knock on the door, etc.

[scpi10]

Ethical yes, brilliant yes

[blinden84]

beware of food, if someone stays in a hand when there is food around, it's a good hand.

[Lottery Larry]

bored, were we?

[BrianBigNFun]

most of the tourneys I play they order food to arrive at the first color up/addon time and break

[garcia1000]

You don't want to do this. Since most people play too loose, they are actually playing close to optimal when they fold to your raise because of food-related reasons. So you have accidentally managed to make them play better.

[Poker Clif]

[ QUOTE ]
I like to raise when the food arrives because people are hungry and will fold. Is it ok for me to do this to my hungry friends?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are all kinds of ways to take advantage of the mechanics of a situation, having nothing to do with poker skills. For example, if I'm playing in a small local tournament, it's good for me (a teetotaller) if alcohol is served. Is it unfair for me to drink Diet Coke?

I brought up another issue on this site, and in general, people were OK with what I did. In a bubble situation in an online 1TT, I waited to act until I knew that the blinds would go up, and hit my competition for the last money spot with the BB on the next hand.

A lot of these situations have absoluetely nothing to do with cards, but they ARE about pushing small edges (maybe big edges, if my opponent gets drunk enough).

[Fubster]

When the food arrives, expect your otherwise aggressive opponents to play more passive due to that sweet sweet itis.