Quote Originally Posted by chipfiddler
seems like a sensible tactic to me. i can't see the problem.

is it bad sportsmanship? are you expected to give your opponents a chance to win their money back lmao?

and what is an ethically appropriate period of time to wait before returning to a table having banked your winnings?

i don't get it, someone explain.
The ettiquite is that money won at the table is to remain at risk as long as you play at that table. If you do not like it, you are of course free to change tables; but not pocket some of that money and keep your seat.

As the quick definition points out, it is considered rude enough that many poker rooms prohibit it.

The typical argument against it is that the chips are not YOUR chips until you cash them out, they belong to the game itself. As a rule of the game, you can choose to cash them out. But as an additional rule of the game, you cannot choose to cash SOME of them out.