I have a friend who has dropped out of school and is a door man at a local hotel. He lives in a crappy apartment that does not have internet...he does not even have a car. I am in college and he only plays when I am home on breaks on my computer. Christmas break he lost all the money he had saved up (around 2k). Spring break he lost all the money he has saved since christmas (again around 2k). Now this summer, he is already down 1500. These losses are devastating to him, becuase these losses comprise of ALL the money he has (hence why he still doesn't have a car). He plays stakes from 10/20 to 25/50 (only when hes hot...then he quickly loses it). Since he is using my account, I get the rakeback and bonuses, so that I make about $20-30 an hour that he plays.

Since it is my house, computer, and account, I could easily ban him from playing. I have told him I was thinking about doing it, but he said it is his money, and it's not my decesion to make for him. Do I sit there and watch him throw all his money away (while i rack in $30 an hour), or do i tell him he can no longer play?

EDIT: Against all the advice I recieved, I let him play again last night. There was only $89 left in the account, and I figured what is $89 when hes lost 6k. I decided after he lost this money, I would not let him play again, or atleast cap how much he can play. Well I went to bed last night, he pulled an all nighter, and when I woke up, there was over 3k in the account. What a run. Now the question is should I make him stop now while he is ahead? I mentioned it to him, and he thinks hes on a super roll and got his groove back and doesn't want to quit. My fear is that he is just going to blow through this 3k and be back to nothing again. Maybe I am wrong and he'll run it up to 6k...probably not. Advice?

It doesn't just sound like he's a losing player, but that he has a problem. Gamblers Anonymous might not be a bad place to start to look for help.

or teach him how to play well...

In his defense (the little defense he does have)...last summer, he turned $500 into 8k over a week. He took out 5k and bought a car (he totaled it a few weeks later), then lost the other 3k playing.

Also in his defense, he never plays when I am at school and he does no other forms of gambling just poker. So I am not sure if he is addicted, becuase he can hold off when I am not home, and he never does anything excpet for poker.

But then again, he also donked off 6k since christmas break.

give him the rakeback and stuff obv.

No, you need to say something. He has no business playing shorthanded 10/20 without a proper bankroll. Don't let him piss away his life.

Its not your problem! If he wants to play let him play, he is having fun and he stands the chance to win, everyone get lucky sometime. BTW, has chris moneymaker won anything lately? And for the people that want you to give him the 30/hr, that is your cut for letting him use your computer. Also, think of the other families he is feeding by dropping 6k over the internet.

"Its not your problem!"

What?

The guy is his <span>friend</span>. Do you know what that word means?

Here's a hint: It's not synonymous with "bookie."

friends are people you go drink with, go to parties to, and talk about how girls are evil. If you want to control their life they arnt your friend they are your puppet, so give tell him you think he should play lower limits, then if he doesnt listen dont push the issue, just buy pick up the next round at the bar. Then you would be a true <span>friend. </span>wow, the bold really does emphasize the true meaning of the word. good idea!

if your buddy has an unhealthy relationship with poker / gambling (and, for what it is worth, it sounds to me like he does: does he WANT to be the guy without a dime to his name, pissing away MONTHS of savings in 3 days? I doubt it...) then, as a friend try to help him see these facts.

Also, your computer is your computer. I see no reason why your friendship DEMANDS that you let him use it however he wants.

Keep in mind, if he is an addict there is not much you can do (ultimately). try to be sympathetic with, try to reason with him. These things might work (or they might not). only way would be to tell him, as a friend, you are concerned about his $ and mental health.

--tc

It's very difficult to have friends at the table. I used to play at QPC in nyc with a friend. Me and him had an agreement to finance each others losses. However it was basically me turning 5-6 hundred in profits, and then giving him the 150 he had lost...Lucky for me, my friend is a genius, quit poker, and has worked his way up to being a manager at his firm. The point is while this is your friend, you always have to consider your own welfare. You're making money....and he's still young. My advice(terrible advice) to a lot of young people is to take a lot of risks financially when you're not yet an adult. once you're settled with a job etc you can't just take all your money and go to AC. If he's not ur opponent then take the rakeback and buy him a membership to a poker training site. If he enjoys poker he won't mind watching some of the videos. There are three ways to beat the "big game" and they're being good enough and bankrolled enough to play in it, playing LAG with a touch of maniac, or just lucksacking ur way into a few pots and leaving the table. Ask him to work on his hit and run game and maybe to do some grinding on the side while he plays his 10/20 game...

I don't think teaching 'hit and run' poker is going to benefit him long term. I do agree with using rakeback to get him a membership to a poker school. It allows you a buffer such as, 'Hey I was checking out this video on shorthanded play, I think it'll really help your game'. This allows you to convey your desire to make him a better player without you having to come right out and say it to his face.

friends are people you go drink with, go to parties to, and talk about how girls are evil. If you want to control their life they arnt your friend they are your puppet, so give tell him you think he should play lower limits, then if he doesnt listen dont push the issue, just buy pick up the next round at the bar. Then you would be a true <span>friend. </span>wow, the bold really does emphasize the true meaning of the word. good idea!

Dude, if that's all you think friends are good for, then you don't really have any.

A <span>friend</span> is someone you watch out for and who you can trust to do the same for you. His friend clearly has a problem and is gambling away money he should not even be thinking about bringing to the table, regardless of the limits.

Yah, let him gamble his savings away. Be a "friend" and watch him do it... and buy him "the next round."

Then in 5 years when he's begging for money on the street because he can't afford food or shoes... you can sit and talk about all the good times you had drinking and talking about girls.

Right?

where do i start? First, you cant make him quit playing, you can only advise him to quit (like i said), if you want proof look at Ricky Williams and pot. Second, he can only get better, atleast he has a hobby that could turn around and make him money. Third, He still has a job and hes not blowing money he doesnt have, so how is never going to be "begging for money" or "on the street becaues he can't afford food or shoes" (which is impossible because only crazy people that dont want to be help end up on the streets due to our taxes) he is simply going to remain working at his crappy hotel job leaving the high points of his life when you come home to visit. So in closing, dont be a dick and continue to be his <span>friend</span>.

Right?

Id just say point blank "youre no good, you need to learn" and try to get him some help, like reading my poker books or convince him to join one of the sites that help, or whatever. But as far as not letting him play, if it wasnt a inconvenience to me, id let him play.