Cash Game Bank came up short... (1 Viewer)

[Felt_Lizard]

I show up to a game late. They're drinking and there's a birthday boy, and I notice that no one person is in charge of the bank.

Tldr; I crushed it, and was the last one to cash out, so I walked out about $15 light. (.25/.50 NLHE, bought in for 100, cashed out 400).

One of the gentlemen, quite drunk of course, helped me understand the situation:. "You're the big winner, so who cares if it's short!?"

Lesson: Make sure you cash out first....

 

[Snapplefacts]

As the guy that handles the bank for every home game, this always sucks. Thankfully it doesn’t happen too often, especially since I’ve gotten into the habit of counting everyone out to avoid mistakes - but having nobody in charge of the bank would probably lead to more issues than normal

 

[Felt_Lizard]

Follow-up -. I bought a locking cash box with a drop slot the next day for *my* place. I'd be pretty unhappy if that happened to anyone when I am hosting.

My bank might come up short in the future....but it won't be from lack of trying....and I'll cover that shit.

 

[Marius L]

It's the price you pay for having drunk opponents (which is worth it, imo).

Well run games are obviously the best, but sometimes things like this will be very much worth it for the opportunity to play against weak players.

 

[Felt_Lizard]

It's the price you pay for having drunk opponents (which is worth it, imo).

Well run games are obviously the best, but sometimes things like this will be very much worth it for the opportunity to play against weak players.

Recognize.
Testify.
And kneel down alongside, BROTHER!!!!

 

[TheDuke]

Thankfully it was only $15 and you were up a monster amount. Still annoying nonetheless.

Usually it only takes one time for the bank to be short and then everyone wisens up.

When I host, I control the bank so any shortfall is on me and out of my pocket.

Many years ago I just let me people buy in themselves. It was short probably the 2nd game in. Altered habits right after.

It's funny how the bank always gets shorted in these situations and it's never over...

 

[Felt_Lizard]

It's funny how the bank always gets shorted in these situations and it's never over...

Never...

 

[Silver_Fiend]

That sucks. I'd walk out with the hosts chips and sell them back when he coughs up the missing dough. Chip cash box should NEVER have more than one person touching it. If the cash is short at the end, its on him and he can pay out of his pocket for the shortage

 

[Organista1]

Thankfully it was only $15 and you were up a monster amount. Still annoying nonetheless.

Usually it only takes one time for the bank to be short and then everyone wisens up.

When I host, I control the bank so any shortfall is on me and out of my pocket.

Many years ago I just let me people buy in themselves. It was short probably the 2nd game in. Altered habits right after.

It's funny how the bank always gets shorted in these situations and it's never over...

I agree, if I’m hosting it’s my responsibility to make the pot good. If I’m at someone’s house someone owes me $15 and I’m looking at the host. One thing I’m afraid of is mixing cash with tourney chips (I think I’m good now) and if someone realizes that and tries to pull a fast one. By pocketing a tourney chip then when we play cash, cashes out early. Always good to count your chips after just in case

 

[Felt_Lizard]

That sucks. I'd walk out with the hosts chips and sell them back when he coughs up the missing dough.

Hold on now. I've visited this game a couple times before and walked away to the good each time. How to say this delicately...

I don't want to piss in my honey hole...

 

[grebe]

I would pay $15 to play in that game.

I would chalk that up as a minor inconvenience. They were drinking....I wouldnt read anything into this besides it's a poorly run but very good game.

 

[trigs]

As host, I'm responsible for the bank. I had one night it came up short and I bit the bullet and took the loss. My game, my responsibility. I'd never let a player in my game walk away short. I also would not let anyone else touch the bank and buy in/cash out chips. One banker only, and if I host it's me. I haven't been able to run games where we do tournament first and then open cash games as tables become available, but even in the situation that I'm still in the tournament and people are playing cash, I'd still run bank and make them come see me for chips. Sorry if it's an inconvenience to the players, but again, when I'm hosting, I'm responsible for what goes on at my games.

In this scenario, it was only $15. Why would host not just pay up?

 

[Taghkanic]

As a host, I am always the bank if I am there at the start of cash. If I am still in our earlier tourney, and others want to start playing cash, they can do so; but once I join the cash game, I am going to stop the action long enough to do a count and verify the box.

If there were any discrepancy in the count from before I sat down, those involved would have to settle the balance among themselves before I officially take over. (This has never actually happened.)

Once I am responsible for the box, I consider it my duty as host to make up for any shortfall. I think the host should have given you the $15.

 

[Klobberer]

I won't play at a certain game in my town because this happens every single time. Always the host's fault and he never wins so he never feels it. A single banker that is in charge of all cash and chips is the ONLY way to go. Should be the host because host never leaves early. If the banker does have to leave early, must account for every chip on the table and every penny in the bank before cashing out. Simple.

 

[surfik]

Follow-up -. I bought a locking cash box with a drop slot the next day for *my* place. I'd be pretty unhappy if that happened to anyone when I am hosting.

My bank might come up short in the future....but it won't be from lack of trying....and I'll cover that shit.

I did the same thing. As a bank came 30 usd short. Notice tha someone opened briefcase with chips while I was smoking. Next week I bought metal trey with solid lock. Only downside was I had to pay for tray.

 

[Shaggy]

Same sentiments as all the rest.

Were there people that left the game early that cashed out up? This is an opportunity for the host to make a counting error. What were the buy-in amounts? $15 sounds like an odd amount to be off if it were a buy-in error. That amount is likely a cash out error... or theft. Negating theft, it could have been three stacks of $5 chips that had 19 chips instead of 20.

But yeah... there should be a single banker that is responsible for shortages.

 

[Dugthefish]

Agree with all the replies, only one set of hands in the bank. I don't have a lock box, but keep all the money in an old domino box, set up on a high shelf above the chip racks. If anyone wanted to get into it, there would be no mistaking.

I also track total buy ins and do a bank/chip audit once towards the end of the night after I came up short $100 (my fault, took a Venmo buy in and forgot to put cash from my pocket into the box). Been a while since my notebook, cash box, and chip tray didn't match up.

 

[FDLmold]

Being in charge of the bank is a thankless job. Zero reward, and you take all the risk. Yuck.

 

[AK Chip]

The host should make the bank square. Big winner should imo kick in the most for food and what not but shouldn't be shorted.

 

[Marius L]

Being in charge of the bank is a thankless job. Zero reward, and you take all the risk. Yuck.

Agree. If there is no rake, and a friendly game, I accept an honest mistake and splitting the bank difference between the players that are up a lot has been the go to play the few times it has happened over the years in games i have played in.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

This is the second bank-related thread I've seen today, so it's time for a reposting of my banking procedure:

1) Cash in, chips out. Never give chips from the bank on credit. Ever.
2) Only the banker touches the bank. This includes both cash and unpurchased chips. If I'm in a hand or in the john, they can wait two minutes.
3) Count everything twice. When someone buys chips from me, they count the money and I count the chips. Then we trade: they count the chips and I count the money. If we disagree, we do it again. Same procedure in reverse for cashouts.
4) The banker is always responsible for bank errors. I always cash myself out last. If the bank is short, I eat it.

And a corollary: If I'm playing in a game that doesn't follow similar procedures, I try my damndest to be one of the first to cash out.

 

[upNdown]

Agree. If there is no rake, and a friendly game, I accept an honest mistake and splitting the bank difference between the players that are up a lot has been the go to play the few times it has happened over the years in games i have played in.

I’m with this.
As a host, I’d make it up.
But the one time it happened to me, as a guest, I was up big, and the host was up too, and we split the difference between us.

I just take exception to how everybody here always says it’s on the host. Maybe it’s because so many of us host, and we take it seriously. But as a guest, I understand that mistakes happen, and I also have a measure of gratitude toward the host - they organize the game, they open their home to the gusts, they’re often providing drinks and snacks and maybe more, and they’re often left with a mess to clean up. In many ways, that’s the last guy who should get stuck making up a deficit.

 

[trigs]

I’m with this.
As a host, I’d make it up.
But the one time it happened to me, as a guest, I was up big, and the host was up too, and we split the difference between us.

I just take exception how everybody here always says it’s on the host. Maybe it’s because so many of us host, and we take it seriously. But as a guest, I understand that mistakes happen, and I also have a measure of gratitude toward the host - they organize the game, they open their home to the gusts, they’re often providing drinks and snacks and maybe more, and they’re often left with a mess to clean up. In many ways, that’s the last guy who should get stuck making up a deficit.

I have also pitched in at another game I didn't host when bank was short $100, but I don't ask or expect others to do so if I'm hosting.

 

[AK Chip]

I’m with this.
As a host, I’d make it up.
But the one time it happened to me, as a guest, I was up big, and the host was up too, and we split the difference between us.

I just take exception to how everybody here always says it’s on the host. Maybe it’s because so many of us host, and we take it seriously. But as a guest, I understand that mistakes happen, and I also have a measure of gratitude toward the host - they organize the game, they open their home to the gusts, they’re often providing drinks and snacks and maybe more, and they’re often left with a mess to clean up. In many ways, that’s the last guy who should get stuck making up a deficit.

As a player I would always help the host out in this type situation. But the responsibility is on the host IMO.

 

[Highli99]

I’m with this.
As a host, I’d make it up.
But the one time it happened to me, as a guest, I was up big, and the host was up too, and we split the difference between us.

I just take exception to how everybody here always says it’s on the host. Maybe it’s because so many of us host, and we take it seriously. But as a guest, I understand that mistakes happen, and I also have a measure of gratitude toward the host - they organize the game, they open their home to the gusts, they’re often providing drinks and snacks and maybe more, and they’re often left with a mess to clean up. In many ways, that’s the last guy who should get stuck making up a deficit.

I think folks are saying the bank should be accountable. The bank is often, but not always the host. I play often in games where the bank is usually kept by someone other than the host.

Your decision to share the cost as a guest was kind and generous. The notion that “whoever is up” should share the cost as a principal is unfair because that person is not responsible for the error. The bank is responsible. If the game has a communal bank then everyone is at fault and share the loss however.

I like count cash and chips right on the table so everyone can see and catch mistakes as they occur. Then cash goes in the slot in front of everyone.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I like to have multiple people verify chip counts and cash counts. After 3am my brain is mush and a mistake could happen. They are far less when multiple people check the counts.

I have played in games that nobody can cash lout until everyone cashed out. If there was a shortage for whatever reason it was spread out among all the players cashing out, winning or losing.

 

[CrazyEddie]

The notion that “whoever is up” should share the cost as a principal is unfair because that person is not responsible for the error. The bank is responsible. If the game has a communal bank then everyone is at fault and share the loss however.

It's true the bank is responsible for the error, but that doesn't necessarily mean that that person should bear the brunt of correcting the error. Mistakes happen, and it's not unreasonable for the community to agree to share the loss from a mistake even if it's clear that a single person made that mistake.

That said, I have the same sentiments that pretty much everyone here has already expressed in one way or another:

• In my games, I'll be the bank and I'll cover any mistakes.
• I don't necessarily expect or demand that anyone else do the same in their games.
• If they aren't, I'll kick in to cover any mistakes, especially if I'm up, and won't grumble about it (publicly).
• I'll have a somewhat lower opinion of hosts/bankers that don't expect to cover their mistakes.
• I'll have a drastically lower opinion of hosts/bankers that keep making mistakes.

 

[CraigT78]

This is the second bank-related thread I've seen today, so it's time for a reposting of my banking procedure:

1) Cash in, chips out. Never give chips from the bank on credit. Ever.
2) Only the banker touches the bank. This includes both cash and unpurchased chips. If I'm in a hand or in the john, they can wait two minutes.
3) Count everything twice. When someone buys chips from me, they count the money and I count the chips. Then we trade: they count the chips and I count the money. If we disagree, we do it again. Same procedure in reverse for cashouts.
4) The banker is always responsible for bank errors. I always cash myself out last. If the bank is short, I eat it.

And a corollary: If I'm playing in a game that doesn't follow similar procedures, I try my damndest to be one of the first to cash out.

Pretty sure I just found the banker for DiD

 

[JustinInMN]

Being in charge of the bank is a thankless job. Zero reward, and you take all the risk. Yuck.

Tip your host.

 

[JustinInMN]

Mistakes happen, and it's not unreasonable for the community to agree to share the loss from a mistake even if it's clear that a single person made that mistake.

Again, tip your host.