Thoughts on this (1 Viewer)

[SCPaul]

We've got a group who plays home tournaments most weekends.

Blinds were at 1k/2k. Two guys are all in and the loser had slightly more chips so he ends up with 2,075. Next hand he's UTG and goes all in blind. Everyone folds around to the small blind. Small blind folds (note: this guy is super tight and will routinely fold the small blind in an unraised pot, so nothing out of the ordinary). Big blind (not tight at all) is the chip leader, and he also folds. So he decided not to put 75 more into a 5,075 pot that he was already into for 2,000, when the other player hadn't even looked at his cards. That upset a few guys at the table.

Just curious about how you guys would feel.

FWIW, we've all been friends for years. No one is concerned about actual collusion, it just felt like he didn't want to take his buddy out right after he lost a big hand.

 

[upNdown]

it just felt like he didn't want to take his buddy out right after he lost a big hand.

Sounds like you’re right. Probably just soft play, which is totally lame. But it happens. All you can do is ride that guy mercilessly, for playing like a chump.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Is this on the bubble? Nothing so extreme but we've had big stacks keeping a short stack alive so they could milk the middle stacks more efficiently. I suck at poker but as a monster stack you loving have tiny stacks when there's a bubble or big pay jump, it would be good to keep them around even if just for one more hand.

But this is one of the most egregious spots. Yeah we'd call him soft but no formal penalties or scrutiny.

 

[buzzmonkey]

Why were there 25 chips in play if the blinds were 1k/2k?

 

[brewdawg]

Does seem like maybe he felt bad for him. But definently the wrong move when you are that pot-committed and should be reminding of it in fun the rest of the game.

 

[SCPaul]

Why were there 25 chips in play if the blinds were 1k/2k?

You know, I almost put that into the original post anticipating that question. The host wanted to play different stack and blind levels than normal and they don't even think about color ups when setting up the blinds. We had a 750/1500 just prior, and the next break was after 1k/2k, so the 25s had to stay in play way too long.

 

[SCPaul]

Sounds like you’re right. Probably just soft play, which is totally lame. But it happens. All you can do is ride that guy mercilessly, for playing like a chump.

He definitely caught a lot of shit afterwards.

 

[BGinGA]

You know, I almost put that into the original post anticipating that question. The host wanted to play different stack and blind levels than normal and they don't even think about color ups when setting up the blinds. We had a 750/1500 just prior, and the next break was after 1k/2k, so the 25s had to stay in play way too long.

Excellent reason to not have a 750/1500 level in a tourney structure. 600/1200 and 800/1600 levels work just fine, and don't require T25 chips.

 

[upNdown]

big stacks keeping a short stack alive so they could milk the middle stacks more efficiently

Such a huge point. It’s a high level play, so it’s not something I’d expect to see at a lot of home games. But if the circumstances are right, it’s a smart play.

 

[springbox]

Is this on the bubble? Nothing so extreme but we've had big stacks keeping a short stack alive so they could milk the middle stacks more efficiently. I suck at poker but as a monster stack you loving have tiny stacks when there's a bubble or big pay jump, it would be good to keep them around even if just for one more hand.

But this is one of the most egregious spots. Yeah we'd call him soft but no formal penalties or scrutiny.

This was my first thought as well, although I will say this relies on the other players at the table adjusting to the short stack correctly, which might be optimistic for a casual home tournament.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

This was my first thought as well, although I will say this relies on the other players at the table adjusting to the short stack correctly, which might be optimistic for a casual home tournament.

Very fair. I hosted a tournament for @Mondaynight that paid top 5. 6 left, 3 short stacks, a middle and two beasts.
I open 2 BB with a huge stack.
Woman who went on to win it and has a hand ranking chart in her hands calls.
First short stack goes all in for slightly more (4ish BB), then the OTHER short stack calls for slightly less (3ish BB). Bananas.
I fold and watch the chaos as Hand chart calls, knowing that the payout was probably going to be a conversation.
Hand chart wins it from behind and we're in the money.

Just agreeing that I wouldn't be trying to use leverage that others didn't know existed!