I play at a smaller casino in Indiana.

I know about 200 people there and I like (a lot) about 15 of them. I try to get along with everyone though. About a month ago I sit next to a 50 yo WG with a shaved head and average build. I ask him a question and he puts his finger to his mouth and says "shhhhhhhhhhh."
He adds, "I may speak to others here but never you. You, I don't like. I don't like you. I'm going to take all of your chips."
He said nothing for the next hour. I left the game up and I thought he was casting a dark presence at the table. I felt the guy's speech was so odd he may have been a paranoid schizophrenic. Before I left he got stacked for $300 by another player after calling down with 2nd pair.
I've seen him twice since at other tables and didn't look at the psycho.
Yesterday he sits in our game and doubles up off a maniac and then won't stop talking. He's telling everyone he used to be a professional boxer. He ignores me and I ignore him. I'm not sure if he remembers me though. He's definitely not a schizophrenic--too much affect...but very sick I felt. Brain damage from boxing?

My best friend at the casino is a 74 yo WG legend of the game. Yesterday the psycho starts harassing him about being a rock. My friend says, "You shouldn't talk about my game during a hand?"
Psycho says, "what are you going to do about it? I don't like you. I don't like you."
My friend says nothing.
Psycho adds, "Yeah we'll you're not going to do anything about it. Want to go? Want to go?"
He ruined the mood at the table.
Then he got up and started shadow boxing. I am not making this up. Seriously, my friend then left in disgust. He felt the guy was so unhinged he might get up and whack him.
I was revolted. The guy was threatening a 74 yo man. WTF?
I left shortly thereafter. This guy is radioactive. How do I handle this? Any advice? It's a small room.

He's unhinged, Trust me just lay low, and avoid tables he is sitting at.

"I may" this hints that something in his mind has told him what he can and cant do, or trust or not.

also does he literally repeat his last bit of his sentence twice like you write?

I've known schizo that seemed pretty normal 95% of the time but when he went off it was clear as day (thought he was the son of god) but the shadow boxing is what would worry me the most, because its just such an odd thing to do (especially towards a 74 year old)

years ago younger men would of put him on his back for even starting with him. Worlds gone crazy, cant knock a spacer out because you get in trouble, but a spacer can bully and intimidate someone at the table (an older man) same as a young kid.

my advice, dont give him any reason to fixate on you.

By being nice, or mean. Both can be just as dangerous with a spacer like that.


gl

Try get the casino staff wide to his madness, but make sure no one hears you at the table cause sometimes men are worse than women about talking when your not around but he is.

Hi FindNameHere:

I think this advice is correct. It's my experience that when playing in games with someone like this, you never know what can set them off. So, as you say, don't be nice or be mean. And I would addd, keep your head down not to give this person any excuse to go off. Fortunately, someone with this amount of negative potential won't appear often.

Best wishes,
Mason

Advise the floor about your concerns and let them keep an eye on things and handle it.

This is excellent analysis. I forgot to recheck this post. I thank you. I am going to follow your advice 100%.

Thank you Mason, read your books and it's great to have insight from a guy who knows live play as well as you.

lol wow talk about getting your soul owned

Next thing you know he shows you a swastika tattoo. These are the types of guys that follow you home from the game. Avoid.

If you're dealing with psychos you always let them get the last word in I find. A normal person can never anticipate the sort of aggression that psychos put forth.

i think he announced that he was a psycho. That speech was a psycho ID card to me.

Did he own the soul of the 74 year old man he threatened to beat up?

I wish everybody at the table was bat-**** insane, tbh.

Think you need to go on the offensive, when he arrives at the table announce that Mr Happy is at the table and then wave. You could also do your own shadow fighting like when Doc Holliday did the display with the coffee cups mocking the guy doing it with the guns.

It will probably be laughs all around including from the psycho imo

I think this guy is dangerous man. I understand your levity. That would certainly work with a normal person. The guy is an everyday poker player and he suddenly appeared last month. To me, that means he got kicked out of 1 or more local casinos before having to take refuge in ours. He's too disturbed to change his behavior. Wouldn't a normal person change if they got kicked out of a casino or two or three?

I know a player that got kicked out of the only two rooms worth playing at in Metro-Phoenix and he never hit anyone. He was just the worst 'wet towel' type imaginable and, despite numerous temp bans, couldn't keep his damn mouth shut. There are people like that and the explanation as to why they can't change is simple: There are people like that.

Yeah he will be gone soon. Just tell the people in charge about him which can only hasten his exit. If you can, get a blowup on video and post here for our entertainment

that i would do brother! i'd love to get a tape of the guy he's a total freak. Hey, you guys deserve the entertainment.

.

At an absolute minimum, his behavior is anti-social.

Do you know anyone with a history of violence that could call his potential bluff (the offer to fight and the shadow boxing)?

He could very well be totally non-violent and use the threat of violence as a bluff to intimidate and control the environment.

I used to box and would love to check out this guy and shhh him but I live in NJ

Hi bentofa:

My guess is that it’s, as you say, it’s at least 50 percent that he wouldn’t do anything violent, but why take the chance.

Best wishes,
Mason

This is the correct thing to do. Don't make a big scene about it, ideally talk quietly to the floor when this person is playing at another table or away from your table and express your concerns in a calm and rational matter.

UPDATE:
I was there tonight. I said i hadn't seen "the psycho" in a week.
I was told he was thrown out for a week yesterday. Why only a week? I don't know.
He threatened another older player who's about 70. He said he was going to "beat his a**."
That wasn't enough though. Only after an older female who is like 75 complained about his language did he get in hot water.
He took exception to her saying anything and told her to "shut up B****."
The floor heard that and tossed him for a week. At least it's a start.

If you would prefer that this player be permanently banned for the room, I suggest encouraging other players to complain about his behavior. That way, if he gets violently mad, they take the hit instead of you.

Did he also tell her to fetch him a turkey pot pie?