I was sitting in a $3/5 game in the Bay Area. I had just lost a pot, and asked the floorman to bring me topping-up chips. As he was bringing them, I announced to the table that I was topping up for the max – $1,000. I was careful to say it to the dealer, and to the table as well. I was also careful to do it before I looked at my cards. It just so happened that the floorman was standing right behind me when I made this announcement.
Well, I looked down at pocket kings. One thing led to another, and I ended up all-in preflop against Chris, a regular action player in the club. I ended up winning the hand. Chris had a stack of close to $3k.
I looked at my chips and discovered I only had $940 in front of me – in the topping up confusion as I was getting ready to play the hand, I hadn't put the full $1k in front of me. The dealer, unfortunately, sat stone-faced. I stated out loud that I had $940 in front of me, but had originally declared that I was playing $1k.
Chris, just two seats away from me, said, "Do whatever you think is right." Do I:
- Say that I had announced that I was playing $1k, and thus needed to get $1k from Chris, and call a floorman to rule on it if necessary, or
- Immediately call the floor to rule on it, or
- Let the extra $60 slide and have Chris give me $940?
I will say at the outset that I don't think the answer should be a function of my opponent in the pot. The right answer is the right answer regardless of who the other player was.
