Playing at a table with $1k max buy in. New player comes with huge stacks of chips, like 4-5k. I think he didn't change table, but really new to the game. So he plays only 1k and put the rest side. Anyway, new guy started talking with his neighbor who's a regular rec player (so am I). New guy asked what neighbor does for a living... Used to be in military (which is the truth). New guy just slid over $500 to him "thanks for your service".
This happened right about the end of the down and dealer about to get up. He didn't tell new dealer coming in what just happened, but after getting up he was kinda quietly asking some players (mainly me as happened to be in seat 1) to initiate a floor call. I didn't really mind it in this case and didn't really see any reason to possibly antagonise the recipient. So I didn't say anything and outgoing dealer left after a few tries at asking.
The new guy was just gonna load up more from the chips he put aside anyway, and the recipient kept the chips in play. If the chips left the table I might've had issue with it. What do you all say?
I only think ultra rules nits will jump in here and tell you to yell for the floor and do your best Ace Attorney impression.
However, I am curious how big a stack the recipient was playing. I think this is completely acceptable in all cases if he was on less than $500, for obvious reasons.
I think the waters get a bit murkier if he's sitting on a stack that's already greater than the table limit or the reason for the donation is less magnanimous.
I have zero issue with new player passing over the $500 and replacing with chips not in play.
I have no issue with the recipient pocketing the gift. Total chips in play don't change at the table. No different than new guy handing him chips from his reserve, no in play, rack chips or cash from his pocket for that matter.
I have no issue with recipient keeping all of the gift in play if he is still below the buy in max. He could pocket the gift and then pull it from his pocket to rebuy below max buy in and it is identical
I have no issue with recipient keeping all of the gift up to $1K in play and pocketing the rest.
As Cashed states, only gets tricky if the gift puts recipient over max buy in and he keeps over max in play. I probably don't mind but it would be against the rules so I also don't mind, and would defend it, if someone does protest.
I also have an issue with the exiting dealer. His job is to run the game. If he notices this and it is against rules, it is his job to call the floor himself. It is poor if he doesn't notice. It is bad if he does and chooses to ignore. But it is really s****y if he puts a player in the spot of calling the floor. Do it his darn self.
The only issue in this case should be the table limit ... and that would be a pretty minimal issue for me as a Floor unless someone brought up the issue. If I knew the Reg/recipient I might suggest taking the 'excess' off the table so he can use it to add on or take it home as a true gift ... but I wouldn't ask him to take it off the table even if he'd had over 1K already. If he wants to put the chips at risk then that's up to him unless someone at the table objects.
There was no 'selling' of chips at the table, which in most rooms is an issue in today's world. Although the gift really should've come from 'out of pocket' the end result is the same .. NG has the same stack he had in the previous hand. GL
