Cash Game Am I wrong to ask a player to pay for their referral who didn't pay up? (4 Viewers)

[OfficerLovejoy]

The more I think about it, the more I think this is just more of the "online poker sucks" think, for me.
Even the site I play on, where the guy keeps the accounts, and lets people cash out once a week - I realized early on that I wasn't going to cash out once a week, because that just creates more work for everybody when I inevitably have to deposit again. So I decided to let my account run up to a certain threshold, and only cash out the excess. Which worked fine I guess, but for me, leaving money in some online poker account makes it less real. And like chips in a casino, easier to piss away.
For me, poker is walking in, putting cash on the table, and (hopefully) walking out that night with a fat pocket full of cash. Anything else is a poor substitute.
/rant

I agree. Online poker can only be a poor substitute to live play.
If I have a great night, I want at least see that reflected in a nice e-mail from paypal when my winnings get transferred back to me.
This is how we do it at our little PCF Europe homegame and I wouldn't want to change that.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I'm a little surprised at how many have said "collect money up front".

How many players played in MatB's online game, paying at the end of a week, sometimes for several thousand dollars?

My recommendations:

1. Do not play for deep stakes online, unless you personally trust everyone. On your head be their debt.
2. I do not like to loan money, but trust most of my players enough to float a loan as necessary. I also have plaques that I will have them sign as a marker. I will not loan more money that I am comfortable losing. Afterall, a loan is a gamble - treat it as such.
3. Online poker sucks. I played it for a while, but it really isn't the same. I get that some use face-to-face technology which may improve the game, but Zooming with a friend isn't the same as just hanging out with one.
4. Don't invite people who aren't trustworthy friends to an online game. Hell, I wouldn't invite someone to a home game if someone didn't have a high level of trust with that person. Unless you are running a raked game (in which case the loss should be much easier to absorb), no one gets cards if they aren't friends or family.

 

[CraigT78]

My recommendations

"collect money up front"

/Thread

 

[JustinInMN]

What stakes game are you playing in? Problem is when you get to .5/$1 or above. If people are buying in up front and cashing out fully the next day, then it works a couple of times until the host/banker gets all their accounts frozen due to setting all sorts of red flags off.

Mostly 0.50-1 200 max NLHE or PLO. Occasional 1-2 400 max. But again I don't think everyone was cashing out next day, I left my balance there until I decided to fully cash out a few weeks ago.

I don't really enjoy online poker, but I knew a lot of players in this group so that made it better than randos on a randosite. But now that I am hosting some live again, I am not making time for online games.

 

[EricMichael]

I'm unsure if this issue has been resolved but like everything in life and business there is an acceptable amount of risk when dealing with new customers, clients, vendors, players etc...

You stated that you and the other members of your club were looking for a Fish instead of trying to build your player base back to previous numbers. Next, what does your vetting process consist of? Do you vet the players after the recommendation to validate their pedigree? Do you have a process in place to catch these potential missteps and were they followed? If not where did they fail?

In this instance what is the "Fishes" risk if he doesn't pay vs yours? Your club is out and members are out $800 and in my opinion learned a valuable lesson. I don't fault John because he may not have known the full scope of the Fishes pedigree. I believe that falls on the club leadership to do their due diligence in the follow up.

If you know a prospective player is playing at another club, it might be in everyone's best interest to speak with them and get background information on them to avoid potential issues in the future.

 

[Legend5555]

I have never and will continue to never (whether online or live) allow people to play on credit. You must have the money whether cash, PP, or Venmo in my possession before you will be given chips. If someone else agrees to pay for someone that's fine. But I still must have that money before they play