My first encounter with the ugly side of gambling

[Table Manners]

A couple of weeks ago I was playing poker at my university poker society in Edinburgh. After bombing out of the tournament early, I sat down at a NL cash game with 20p/40p blinds.

There was a really drunk guy at the table who wasn't a student. He wasn't a good player, but for the first hour or so he wasn't chucking away his chips. As he got progressively more drunk his play became more and more erratic until he started raising every hand blind to £2 and calling £20-£30 bets on the river with hands like queen high.

The rest of us thought all our christmas's had come at once, here was a guy just giving his money away to the table. After he lost about £80 and the venue closed down he was asking if there was a home game on. He said he wanted to play 50p/£1 blinds and would sit down with £150! This may not seem crazy to most people, but we're students; this is a lot of money to us! After a bit of discussion we thought "hell yeah!", let's take him to the cleaners! It made me a little uncomfortable fleecing the guy for all he had, but I thought if he wants to play then it's up to him. We weren't forcing or even persuading him to play.

His girlfriend was with him as well, and we soon became aware that she was trying (with good reason!) to persuade him against it. We just waited around on the street about 30m away while they were talking... then arguing... then shouting. Then next thing I see she's been hit to ground! We ran over to them, helped the girl up and asked if she was ok. She said she was said she didn't want the police involved or anything. After being asked by her, we left them alone, but sat in a nearby cafe so we could step in then call the police if he did anything else. Eventually they got into a cab together and left.

This is my first encounter with the ugly side of gambling/poker, and it shook me quite a bit. It's not turned me off the game entirely, but it's made me realize it can be dangerous, both for the compulsive gambler and for the shark who's fleecing said gambler.

Has anyone else found themselves in or witnessed similar situation that have made them uncomfortable about the game?
Has anyone found ever found themselves in a moral dialemmer because of poker?

[stallyon]

to be honest, if he wants to chuck away his money due to being drunk then the best thing you can do is to try and get in as much pots with as you can.

as for hitting a woman....he needs his nuts stapling to a wall - and i dont mean 

[Wardonkey]

This guy has bigger problems than gambling...

[yt]

He should have used his wit, charm and intelligence to explain to his woman where to stick her advice.
You should only ever hit other men. Preferably ones smaller than yourself.

[tikay]

And never hit peeps older than yourself.

[AdamM]

i think what you witnessed was the ugly side of humanity rather than poker/gambling. drunks hitting their partners and the partner not involving the authorities is a problem that runs far deeper thanthe trigger for the actual violence. if he wasn't hitting her over gambling it'd be over his tea not being ready or about her looking at another bloke or her dressing wrong.

YT, always hit men BIGGER than you mate. if you hit smaller guys it looks bad in court. if you're 5'9" and hit a 6'6" guy you'll get away scott free.

[Dubai]

Poor effort all round really. He was drunk and losing money and NOT ONE OF YOU even thought to try it on with his missus. Shocking stuff.

[b4matt]

Poor effort all round really. He was drunk and losing money and NOT ONE OF YOU even thought to try it on with his missus. Shocking stuff.

Finally some common sense

[tikay]

Poor effort all round really. He was drunk and losing money and NOT ONE OF YOU even thought to try it on with his missus. Shocking stuff.

Straight into the short list for Post of the Week.

[Royal Flush]

Poor effort all round really. He was drunk and losing money and NOT ONE OF YOU even thought to try it on with his missus. Shocking stuff.

PMSL

Seriously though, it has f**k all to do with gambling.

[moritzey]

lol, was she fit? But seriously, nothing to do with gambling, that guy has bigger issues ..

[Robert HM]

Poor effort all round really. He was drunk and losing money and NOT ONE OF YOU even thought to try it on with his missus. Shocking stuff.

Classic 

[MPOWER]

I sat facing Tikay once does that count


Regards

M

[lazaroonie]

I could probably write a book based on all the misadventures thru gambling  and horses/dogs/cards/scams etc that I have seen or been involved with over the years.....

In fact, maybe i will.

start with the time, standing outside the moat house in liverpool waiting for a taxi to aintree, and this Irish guy asking if we were going to the racecourse could he jump in for a lift as he was in a hurry...

turned out to be the one and only JP Mcmanus. We started talking about Istabraq and how he was very confident for the Aintree Hurdle that day. He left me to pay the bloody taxi. I spent the following two hours hoovering up every available price the good side of evens, with every penny I could lay my hands on, including all the money from my new girlfriends cash and credit cards.

Of course it got beat a short head by a horse I can no longer remember, and she was really excited cos she had 2 quid on the winner.....