Thoughts on Backing

[Zybomb]

It has been my experience that when playing with someone elses's money I subconsciously play a little bit tighter than I usually do. Bluff a little less, play back at people less etc....not a \DRASTIC difference.... but I believe there is one....although I don't mean there to be

[Penguinfan]

I can Speak as someone who has put his money behind people, TP included. The last thing I want is for you to change your game at all simply because if I am backing you it's because I have seen you play and think you are a good investment.

Also I would never want someone to feel bad about finishing out of the money, mostly because two of the three people I have backed it was me looking for them.

Everyone involved should be an adult and understand the potential out comes. You should feel no worse losing a backers money than he should feel about cashing part of your winnings, the deal was made prior to the cards in the air.

I partially backed a guy in a small WCOOP tourney, completely backed a guy in the Stars $200+15 and bought 10% of TP one time (which I hope is not the last time he lets me do that). Nobody cashed in any of the games in case you are wondering. That doesn't mean it was a bad move on my part and doesn't mean I won't do it again.

[Aequitas58]

Awesome thread. It seems like I've been wading through crap all week, but I like the topic and responses so far.

In poker, pool, and chess, I have played the role of backer and player. I have won, I have lost, but each "opportunity" is fun. Some of my greatest pool "memories" involve backer situations.

I always felt more pressure when I'm backed because it's not my money. I'm much more "reckless" with my money than I am with someone else's because I want to show a good return, and I want to be able to use that investor in the future.

That being said, I guess it does (somewhat) affect my play, but only to the extent that it makes me play better. But that's just me. Pressure is natural, I think it just comes down to how you handle the pressure. I think this is what Zybomb was alluding to.

I like that TP didn't care about writing that check. I don't think I would have cared either. In my mind, if not for the backer, I wouldn't be writing the check to begin with. It's a simple business transaction.

Oh, and anyone who says their game doesn't change if they are playing w/ backer-money has either (i) never been backed, or (ii) is full of shit.

IMHO.

[oketz7777]

there is nothing wrong with backers on the contrary its a good thing think about players who want to make money but are bad at the game so others will play for them and give them some of the winnings.

[Reel Deal]

Please tell me English is not your first language.

[chrisash]

I backed my brother inlaw in a Bowling tourney.i know it not about poker but its about backing...........It was a $60 entry fee and 1st took $3000 so i had no doubts on backing him cause he is a great bowler and all i can lose was $60 and gain alot..........He ended up winning like $960 so it worked out in the end but he didnt get 1st. I was happy.

P.S willl back him again

[Hawt]

I haven't backed anything really major but I have put up the money for friends in small tournaments around my school campus, usually around $20. It's nice for me because if I bust out and one of my friends comes in the top 5 (usually 20 players or so) I get my money back and then $60+ more.

Being the backer is nice, but I couldn't imagine having to pay a backer in a bigger tournament though.

Take Steve Dannenmann for example, his friend backed 5k of his 10k entry and in turn got half of his winnings, something around 2.25million.

If you look at it though, (and I hope I am getting this all right) Dannenmann won something like 4.5million for second place. My guess is that he had to pay around 1.8 million in taxes, leaving him with 2.7 million. So by the time he gave half to his friend he ended up with only like 1.35million.

Personally I don't think I could risk giving up that much money, because 1.35 million isn't that much in the big scheme of things.

I don't know much about backing though, I'm guessing not every situation is that extreme and that in most cases, backers don't get 50%. I think someone mentioned earlier they took 10% from TP one time, which wouldn't be so bad.

-Tim