Interesting B+M situation with verbal bets binding situation and KARMA

Shagadelic · #1 11-09-2007, 08:25 PM

I was at Foxwoods a bit ago and playing 1/2 no limit, 60-300 buy in. I was very deepstacked (about 2k) and had a mix of red chips, $5, Greens, $25, Blacks $100 and a Purple chip $500 (with a hologram in the middle of the chip) for [censored] and giggles.

I am a very LAG player (yes i am Asian and cut my eye-teeth on west coast poker) guy with about 1K in front of him raises 15 pre flop on the button, I call with 5 7 suited one other player in as well.

Flop comes 6 8 queen, he throws out a $40 dollar bet, I call, 3rd guy folds. Turn comes money card of 4 off suit, two flush at this point but I know that this guy has an over pair, maybe even trip queens. I check he bets $60 dollars, so at this point I believe that he has an over pair, kings or aces, because this guy has been cautious with over pairs before as well. I raise to about 150 at this point, he thinks a bit and just smooth calls.

River some 2 off suit, so I have the nuts at this point, I then grab a purple chip $500 and toss it out with no declaration of the amount, and the chip kind of rolls off to the side of the pot and is not partially blocked by the dealer, dealer softly declares the bet of 5 hundred, but has a chinese accent. The other guy insta calls (and verbally says call) and then puts out 4 green chips $25 for just one hundred in the pot. Dealer then repeats the bet of "Five Hundred" out loud and says that it is a called hand. All of a sudden the other player then freaks out and says "WHAT five hundred? I thought it was a one hundred dollar bet???" I then point out that the black chips are nothing like the purple chips and that the bet is $500. At this point the hands have also been shown, he had aces, I of course had the nut straight. The other player is still freaking out at this time, blaming the dealer for not verbalizing the bet clearly. Floor is then promptly called. Floor rules after hearing all the info that verbal bets are binding and it is a called bet on the river.

Now at this point what would you do in my situation? The guy has been a really live player, and obviously willing to risk quite a bit with one pair, but he has been friendly and has donated quite a bit to the table at the time. He genuinely thought that the bet was one hundred, not five hundred, and pointed out that purple chips are not commonly seen on a 1/2 table (on a side note, floor then made me color down the purple chip to black chips after this incident).

I will update this later tonight with what actually happened later.

Cliff Notes:
I make nut straight, other player has Aces, big bet on river is called, but other player thinks bet is 100 instead of 500.

eastern motors · #2 11-09-2007, 08:33 PM

Take the money.

Don't most places not allow big chips in 1/2 games?

El_Hombre_Grande · #3 11-09-2007, 08:38 PM

Don't take the money.

bettyqs · #4 11-09-2007, 08:39 PM

Ya, that was my first thought too. A 500 dollar chip doesn't play anywhere I play at 1/2 nl

Shagadelic · #5 11-09-2007, 08:59 PM

At foxwoods all chips, and hundred dollar bills play. So the chip not playing is not an option.

Rottersod · #6 11-09-2007, 09:34 PM

If the chip plays and especially since the dealer announced the amount then take the money. Maybe it's just me (but I doubt it), but when I'm involved in a big pot I wait until I know damn well what the bet is before I call. If I am in the least unsure I ask the dealer or the player.

budblown · #7 11-09-2007, 09:38 PM

sucks for the player but he should have known what the bet was. Pay the man his 5 hundo.

van_exel_fan · #8 11-09-2007, 09:50 PM

Karma in poker is real. Explain to the guy that you should not have to pay for his mistake and proceed to buy the entire table a round of drinks (maybe 2). Take a 5 min break and then play tight for 30 mins and the whole thing will blow over and you'll be guilt-free keeping the 500...SHIP

kak1154 · #9 11-09-2007, 10:11 PM

Yes, it's his mistake primarily, but you have to pay attention too. When you see the guy put $100 in, that's when you speak up. Make sure he knows the bet amount and puts the right amount in.

Don't turn your cards over until the money is in the pot. Don't turn your cards over until the ruling has been made.

As it played out with you turning your cards over prematurely, I'd just let the floor make the ruling and abide by it. I don't like to confront or argue with people, so I'd just sit there, be quiet, and feel a bit remorseful until the ruling is made.

Shagadelic · #10 11-09-2007, 10:50 PM

So like I said, there was an interesting Karma situation by the riv.

After floor ruled correctly that the 500 bet stands, the other guy was so distraught, and counting out his chips, this guy wasn't a douchebag, just made a four hundred dollar mistake, So I made a deal with him, offered to buy him out of the bet for $300 instead of $500, so he got to keep $200 of the bet.

I know that of course poker is about being competitive and trying to stack people, but in my mind it was an honest mistake (though stupid) and I was really up for the weekend, so I was willing to cut the guy some slack... Though I did end up stacking him later that night...