When you have a friend at the table

No need to feel sorry for it. Your money is not his money so whoever is in is fair game. Whenever i am in with any friends of mine - IT BUST THERE ASS TIME -

I've played in the casino before at the same table with friends. It was the only table open at the time, so three of us sat down. Before we started playing we told each other its a game, and good luck! When you sit down I think you should have an understanding that your playing a game to win money, regardless of who is at the table.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FRIENDS OR FAMILY AT THE POKER TABLE!!!
Yes, it is so important to remember that I shouted in bold. I took my own mother off the cash game at the casino. I don't feel bad about it one bit. I warned her to sit at another table and she choose to sit at mine. She was warned. Sound cold? Too bad. This is money, it's a business and should be treated as such.

Now with that said. I have soft played my friends and relatives while hu. From time to time I don't mind it but the vast majority of the time, I will take their money in a heartbeat and I expect they will do the same to me. I despise sitting at a table with friends or family, absolutely despise it. I warn everyone up front and if they still choose to sit with me, so be it, they've been warned.

It seems to me that your friend was willing to take your money as well seeing as he kept calling you. After you bet he should have folded, to me, hu and you bet into him is a strong signal that says "I have you, fold", he chose to not listen so be it. I don't agree at all with the whole dumping him as a friend thing, I look at it more like lessoned learned, for the both of you. Quite frankly, imo, if he isn't used to playing like you suggested, then you should have warned him before you both sat at the table together. So lesson learned for the both you.

*EDIT: I forgot to mention the time to time part I have soft played, it was during home games, never ever at the casino or other like avenue.

ur friend is rather naive to sit down ina poker game and think people will softplay him just if ur friends. its stupid and contradictory to the purpose of the game and also, its against the rules.

Leave the friends at home at the homegames that's what homegames are for... He should have known better and have been ready to play you regardless of friends or not... Besides he was calling you down so he wasn't such a friend either trying to catch you bluffing..... if you were... LOL

Don't change your game

I wouldn't expect my friends to change. If I have a good day and my buddy loses, I'll buy dinner but not going to change my style or ease up.

play occasionaly with a friend online but never take it easy,we always try to come out on top of one another!
if this is his attitude and he wants u to fold trip js he...CRAZY!
maybe he used u to take ur cash

o yeah

Hi all...
I think it should be illegal to sit with friends at any online game,since the cheating could happen if its 2 or 3 friends.To me online gambling is hard gettin used to cause there is so many ways 2 cheat.Hopefully we all know its risky but enjoy if ur intentions are a fun time whippin up on ur friends...lol

Mortis said:

I wouldn't play cash games with friends. A tournament would be totally different.. but if you did just check it down with your friend, they could consider that "softplaying" in the casino, which (as far as I know) is not allowed. At least it's not in online games.. but I have never played live cash games before, let alone a cash game with a friend.

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Yes, but the point is that in a casino, there are many aspects of softplay that would never be able to be caught. Casino would never know your hole cards, etc. to know that you folded when you maybe should not.

And by the other token, the online sites DO have access to ALL the hole cards, shown or otherwise, and many will analyze that data most all the time.

ean said:

Yes, but the point is that in a casino, there are many aspects of softplay that would never be able to be caught. Casino would never know your hole cards, etc. to know that you folded when you maybe should not.

And by the other token, the online sites DO have access to ALL the hole cards, shown or otherwise, and many will analyze that data most all the time.

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As I said, they'll know if you check all the way down. You gotta show your cards then.

I would expect the house to look unkindly on you 'taking it easy' on a friend . . .

Mortis said:

As I said, they'll know if you check all the way down. You gotta show your cards then.

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Of course, but checking all the way down is only one small means of "softplaying", which this thread was about.

i make it clear ahead of time to any friend or friends i may play with( just so there is no misunderstanding) that im not cutting them any slack at the table. their money is the same color as a strangers. if they take mine, so be it. in your case, it does seem like your friend was upset bc he lost the hand. do you think he would have gone easy on you if the roles were reversed? i dont expect anyone, friend or foe to go easy on me at the table...if you have the goods, come get me. i know i would.

Playing with friends!

I find it hard to believe that you both went to VEGAS without anything being said beforehand...that being said, you had to know that this was going to happen sooner or later! If he is a true friend and gambler he would know you play the hand that's dealt to you to the best of your ability! My suggestion is find different tables and have something to talk about on the way home!

Sometimes you just can't help the fact that you're playing with friends on-line. Especially in CC games. I play against them the same as I would at all other times...to the best of my ability! It does make me feel somewhat bad (for a second or two) if I trap them & they don't realize it till it's too late. But I expect everyone to play their best against me, so why should they expect anything less from me?

Grindit9 said:

You do not have to be sorry about this, its collusion and it should be frowned upon.

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I'm not sorry that I said it, I was sorry that I had to say it to a CC'er that should have known better. I hope that makes sense

My own personal rules:

Never go head to head with a friend. It won't quit at the table, even if you think it has.

If you're stealing blinds, swap out. My steal, your steal, etc.

Fold if your friend shows strength in a hand. He should do the same for you.

Cut them in on my tourney pots. It's good fun, makes everyone happy, and shows your friend how much you enjoy playing together.

That's just me. Sounds like in this instance you shouldn't have been playing with him. Try to be more understanding.

if u are playin a a cash tab with a m8 ,,,unless u on on the table cheatin with each other you should play poker to your best abilty,,,,theres no such thing as m8s on a poker table ,,,play to win ,,,,,cos i garentee u if u wudd ov turned the tables round with the hand u played with the jjj ,,,he wudda took your money,,,,100 percent

Zorba said:

I'm not sorry that I said it, I was sorry that I had to say it to a CC'er that should have known better. I hope that makes sense

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I understand now.

going easy is against the rules. if you soft play for friends or family in a real money game it's considered cheating.
and really what was your buddy in the hand for "fun" hahaha - if he won what then, would he give your money back.
i guess this is a lesson learned "don't play poker with friends that can't handle it!"
good luck on the felt..........peace.

It is better to play with strangers then to play with only one friend at the table. when u play just with your friends at home or in another place is something else. in my opinion he doesn t have any reason to have such an attitude.

Ok my thoughts on this me my wife and my freind enjoy playing.I tried to teach both of them my wife about 5 years ago my freind about 1 year ago.Which is weird because my wife is a nit an my freind is a lag strange i know.The casnio i go to is about 2 hours away an with two kids i preety much have to get a grand parent to watch the kids so when i go so does my wife if i want to go with out here she makes me ride with a freind of mine,which of course is the one i tought to play cards(because i drink when i play always have seen i was very young). Any way the case i'm makeing now of days the casnio very rarely runs more than two tables.I know every one who works there an i ask them every time is there any way they can put me on another table from my wife freind etc.If not i'm not going to drive back home for 4 hour drive for nothing.I let every one know i know the other person an if we go heads up i checki it down always not colution but i didn'[t want the situation in the first place.complain an please put me on another table PLEASE.Plus playing agaisnt my wife is playing vs my own money an that pisses me off.

I always play to win no matter whos at the table in the casino,he should get out of the kitchen if he cant handle the heat.

ean said:

Yes, but the point is that in a casino, there are many aspects of softplay that would never be able to be caught. Casino would never know your hole cards, etc. to know that you folded when you maybe should not.

And by the other token, the online sites DO have access to ALL the hole cards, shown or otherwise, and many will analyze that data most all the time.

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Do you much experience playing in casinos? I ask because I think you are under-estimating the poker room staff. Not only are the supervisors/managers watching for this sort of thing, but so are the dealers, the players and the eye in the sky.

StormRaven said:

Do you much experience playing in casinos? I ask because I think you are under-estimating the poker room staff. Not only are the supervisors/managers watching for this sort of thing, but so are the dealers, the players and the eye in the sky.

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Well, I for sure see it in casinos. A lot of times you will have people who know each other from playing a lot there, and they more or less openly say they will check the rest of the hand down. They say it to the dealer, so they will deal it out faster. I would not say it's a big bad thing, but it does happen. At least then it's out in the open and everyone knows about it. Don't see this in Vegas as much (unless you go to a place with a table dominated by locals), but more at the Indian casinos and cardrooms in LA.

My point was that people could easily have silent "softplay" agreements with each other that no one could tell. Eye in the sky can't see hole cards, and neither can staff. So if hands end without showdown, no one would ever know.

And while I agree with you that staff and so on ARE good....you also might be underestimating the fact that casinos want BUSINESS, and they know who their regular good customers are, and they are not going to risk losing good regulars. That I HAVE seen in ALL casinos.