Hypothetical family death mid-main event

[cambridgealex]

You've sold 50% to 15 investors and built up a stack in the WSOP main event (say day 3) when you hear some tragic news. You want to fly home to grieve and be with your family, attend the funeral etc.

What do you do?

Pay the investors what your stack is worth? What if you can't afford to do that? What if a backer has >50% + $50k makeup?

Horrible situation all round, is this just part of the variance of buying pieces? Do all investors just have to suck it up and understand and write it off?

Feels morbid discussing it but it came up last night and just had no clue what would happen.

[Boba Fett]

You've sold 50% to 15 investors and built up a stack in the WSOP main event (say day 3) when you hear some tragic news. You want to fly home to grieve and be with your family, attend the funeral etc.

What do you do?

Pay the investors what your stack is worth? What if you can't afford to do that? What if a backer has >50% + $50k makeup?

Horrible situation all round, is this just part of the variance of buying pieces? Do all investors just have to suck it up and understand and write it off?

Feels morbid discussing it but it came up last night and just had no clue what would happen.

Have the family delay funeral arrangements for 3-4 days while you finish up

[TightEnd]

Family matters more important than poker, and more important than money

Stakers have to view as exceptional situation and write it off

[lucky_scrote]

This is a horrible one. I think it's best to just do what you feel is best at the time. I mean, if it were 2 tables out of the main I'd carry on knowing that i would only be up to a day later back home to grieve. Would be a mighty tough day ahead of you though.

If it were day 1 of wsop I would just fly home. If I had a backer or had sold a lot of action it would come down to my own financial situation if I could offer some sort of compensation. However, I would worry about that later.

[aaron1867]

You've sold 50% to 15 investors and built up a stack in the WSOP main event (say day 3) when you hear some tragic news. You want to fly home to grieve and be with your family, attend the funeral etc.

What do you do?

Pay the investors what your stack is worth? What if you can't afford to do that? What if a backer has >50% + $50k makeup?

Horrible situation all round, is this just part of the variance of buying pieces? Do all investors just have to suck it up and understand and write it off?

Feels morbid discussing it but it came up last night and just had no clue what would happen.

Have the family delay funeral arrangements for 3-4 days while you finish up

I can just imagine that conversation...

"Alex wants to delay funeral arrangement for 3-4 days"

"Why?"

"Oh, he's playing poker"

I think Dan's suggestion is surely the best option all round, but of course it would be an even tougher decision if you are 5/6/7 tables out too

[tikay]

It's sort of force majeure to my mind, all bets are off.

As a staker, I'd not expect a penny of recompence. I generally only stake good, close, friends, so I'd support their decision. Friends should not fall out over money, it is what it is.

It may be different, of course, if you are a "commercial" staker.

[Doobs]

I've had very recent experience of a near death experience for a family member whilst my brother was away on a very nice holiday.  Whilst I was sat at the bedside somebody said if he knew it was this bad he'd want to come back.

I found it a bid weird, as my brother isn't a doctor and his contribution whilst appreciated by some was not going to change the experience of the family member one bit.  I am sure my brother felt horribly guilty despite all this.

I'd say it was clearer for me if the family member had died.  There really is absolutely nothing very useful you can do that wouldn't wait a week.  I'd also hate it if I thought my family members were ruining their big chances in life just so they could look good to the other relatives for a couple of days.  Seems to make the whole death experience worse.

This may all be a bit theoretical, because you may not be able to carry on even if you think it would be right to.  Death of a close relative is something it is very hard to just soldier through.   If you could get through that and still final table you would only have my admiration.  

I think it is very different if they died just before you started.

FWIW something like this did happen at a poker tournament I attended and the person affected took a break and finished the job.  I think it was very much the right thing in that situation.  I can't go into exact details as I don't think it is right, but that person went up in my estimation and not down because of what he did.

[The Camel]

Do whatever you feel is appropriate.

If you have enough chips to limp into the money and you decide to go home, don't take your % - just split the entire prize between stakers.

It would be a hard hearted staker that would demand compensation if you didn't cash.

If they asked for a ICM payout, I think I would tell them to GFY.

[UgotNuts]

It's sort of force majeure to my mind, all bets are off.

As a staker, I'd not expect a penny of recompence. I generally only stake good, close, friends, so I'd support their decision. Friends should not fall out over money, it is what it is.

It may be different, of course, if you are a "commercial" staker.

Completely agree.

[taximan007]

Is money really THAT important that people would even have to consider the question?

[hhyftrftdr]

Depends which family member kicks the bucket

[Jamier-Host]

You jest but it does depend really as it ends up being about the emotional support required from you. There could well be a situation that a few days doesn't really make much difference.

In some ways a serious accident would be worse. If something happened to one of my kids say i'd be running to get on the next plane.

[Rupert]

Player goes home and owes nothing unless their stack cashes

[doubleup]

If it was me that had died I wouldn't want the person to come back.  If I was a close family member I would tell the player not to come back.

There are plenty that turn up for a funeral and are utterly no help to the bereaved family thereafter and that's when they need support.

[OverTheBorder]

Do staking agreements have clauses to this degree? I can imagine there is rules about completing tournaments entered etc

Staker would need to be fairly douchey to kick up major stink. Can't imagine him getting much love for posting that in negative feedback on 2+2

If it was my family I would play on likely as I know that's how we roll. Solid gold tombstone come October.  Wife's family probs come back to assist.