How do you handle visitors in the middle of an important session?

Jessica1507 · Jul 15, 2025

You live far away and rarely receive unannounced visitors. You prepare to play in a major tournament for a month. You started from scratch with a 10-level ticket to get a $100 entry. You're the chip leader and on the tournament bubble. Suddenly, your father arrives. You haven't seen him in person for a year, only via video call, and you know he doesn't like your playing. If you don't have a father, you might substitute your mother, a sibling, another close relative, or even a friend. What do you do in this situation?

successlaw · Jul 15, 2025

I usually avoid to play when someone has to visit me .
If suddenly happens I continue to play and invite the guest into my room and we talk while playing

Jessica1507 · Jul 15, 2025

Even if I'm focused and want to continue, I lose concentration (this has happened to me) and I ended up being absent. I turned off the computer and was in a bad mood the rest of the weekend (my grandmother) I ended up in the tournament money but it could have been better. I treated her badly and she hasn't found out why until today.

successlaw said:
I usually avoid to play when someone has to visit me .
If suddenly happens I continue to play and invite the guest into my room and we talk while playing

This was an unlikely visit...there was no prior warning about it and she doesn't like me playing!

GIRAUG73 · Jul 15, 2025

Its a hard situation, but... family is first!
there will be many games in the future.

or you can offer a drink to your guest and put a sleeping pill in it, lol, just kidding... or maybe not

Jessica1507 · Jul 15, 2025

GIRAUG73 said:
Its a hard situation, but... family is first!
there will be many games in the future.

or you can offer a drink to your guest and put a sleeping pill in it, lol, just kidding... or maybe not

Drinking isn't a bad idea lol

recerveau · Jul 15, 2025

When you have scheduled visits, do not start a session.

Jessica1507 · Jul 15, 2025

recerveau said:
When you have scheduled visits, do not start a session.

There was no appointment. I rarely have visitors because my closest relative lives 200 km away. Normally, they schedule in advance, but that didn't happen. He showed up unannounced on a normal day.

Lena M · Jul 15, 2025

Jessica1507 said:
You live far away and rarely receive unannounced visitors. You prepare to play in a major tournament for a month. You started from scratch with a 10-level ticket to get a $100 entry. You're the chip leader and on the tournament bubble. Suddenly, your father arrives. You haven't seen him in person for a year, only via video call, and you know he doesn't like your playing. If you don't have a father, you might substitute your mother, a sibling, another close relative, or even a friend. What do you do in this situation?

I will tell my parents that this game is very important because it is an opportunity for me to win money and invite them to sit next to me and hold their fists for me

Cooking · Jul 17, 2025

In that situation, I would keep playing because it's not every day that I can play a major tournament, specially being the chip leader. I would explain to my father about the situation and invite him to dinner after the tournament.
In my case, my father would not mind at all about me talking with him while I'm playing poker.

MAFNL16061986 · Jul 17, 2025

sometimes i get disturpt by my kids its sometimes really hard to get the focus back on the game but mostly of the time i manege it

Sunz of Beaches · Jul 17, 2025

I tell those visitors that I am occupied and ask them if they are unaware that I don't like unannounced visitors and that they please call next time before visiting.

Since I started doing that they became less and less. Strange 🤨

perrywh · Jul 17, 2025

Tell them what’s up and keep playing! They must respect your home and what your doing!

Fosterbio · Jul 18, 2025

I have no relatives, and my best friend also plays poker... well, he'll sit next to me and root for me

Well, if a neighbor or friend comes by, I’ll say that the tournament is important and I’ll continue playing, but I won’t upload new tournaments.

Jessica1507 · Jul 18, 2025

Sunz of Beaches said:
I tell those visitors that I am occupied and ask them if they are unaware that I don't like unannounced visitors and that they please call next time before visiting.

Since I started doing that they became less and less. Strange 🤨

I thought it was funny and brave of you. I don't know if I could do that.

scobido · Jul 18, 2025

For me, visitors are definitely more important than me, so I will interrupt the session, meaning I will take a break, and when they leave, if there are still some chips left in the game, I will resume the game.

Jessica1507 · Jul 18, 2025

MAFNL16061986 said:
sometimes i get disturpt by my kids its sometimes really hard to get the focus back on the game but mostly of the time i manege it

I never worried about my children. I leave that to my husband because he is more stressed with the children's noises and they always wanted more of his attention, but now they are older and no longer a problem.

Jessica1507 · Jul 18, 2025

scobido said:
For me, visitors are definitely more important than me, so I will interrupt the session, meaning I will take a break, and when they leave, if there are still some chips left in the game, I will resume the game.

That's what I did in my case, but when I opened the table again, the chips were already gone, but I still managed to at least recover the $109 lol

NLDir · Jul 18, 2025

Jessica1507 said:
You live far away and rarely receive unannounced visitors. You prepare to play in a major tournament for a month. You started from scratch with a 10-level ticket to get a $100 entry. You're the chip leader and on the tournament bubble. Suddenly, your father arrives. You haven't seen him in person for a year, only via video call, and you know he doesn't like your playing. If you don't have a father, you might substitute your mother, a sibling, another close relative, or even a friend. What do you do in this situation?

I do not have any experience with that, but when someone is coming over unannounced, I think I would say, dat i was busy with something on te PC or something, and if they want something to drink or so.
You can also say that you was not expecting anyone, but maybe you can say to eat diner together later (it depends on the tournament time of the game).
You can offer to watch some tv or listen to some music?

NLDir · Jul 18, 2025

Jessica1507 said:
That's what I did in my case, but when I opened the table again, the chips were already gone, but I still managed to at least recover the $109 lol

Glad that you managed to get in the money

Poker Orifice · Jul 18, 2025

Visitors? What visitors...

Jessica1507 · Jul 18, 2025

Poker Orifice said:
Visitors? What visitors...

Father, mother, brother or any friend

Poker Orifice · Jul 18, 2025

Jessica1507 said:
Father, mother, brother or any friend

I was insinuating "I get no visitors"

TeUnit · Jul 18, 2025

This exact scenario, has cost me a fair amount of money. My buddy had just moved back to town and he would randomly show up at my house and I would just stop playing mid tourney set. I told him I could hang any time, but it would be great if I had a couple hours notice in the future. The notice never came and eventually I lowered the amount of games I was playing when I thought he could come over. But worrying about having too many sngs going is a thing of the past.

wushibala · Jul 28, 2025

If it’s a situation like you described — where we haven’t seen each other in a long time —
then I’d gladly skip poker for that.But if we see each other often, I’d probably just say:
“I’m a bit busy right now, I’ll join you in a little while.” 😄

R.Holynskyi · Jul 28, 2025

In such a situation, I would most likely come up with something and reschedule the meeting. But if there are no options for rescheduling, I would explain that this is work, and poker is my job, which allows me to pay my bills.

How do you handle visitors in the middle of an important session?

Jessica1507

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successlaw

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Jessica1507

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GIRAUG73

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Jessica1507

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recerveau

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Jessica1507

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Lena M

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Cooking

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MAFNL16061986

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Sunz of Beaches

Sunz Tzu

perrywh

Common sense!

Fosterbio

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Jessica1507

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scobido

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Jessica1507

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Jessica1507

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NLDir

Enthusiast

NLDir

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Poker Orifice

And Still...

Jessica1507

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Poker Orifice

And Still...

TeUnit

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wushibala

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R.Holynskyi

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