Tournament Rules: When does the next blind level start? (1 Viewer)

[Frogzilla]

That’s why, when using two decks, the cut is the magic point in time.

People sometimes cut during the previous hand

it’s much more easily abused than posting a blind

 

[T_Chan]

I've gotten very tired of the "quick quick! post your blinds!" just to beat the clock. At my games, when the last hand is finished, ie. cards are exposed and a winner is declared, the hand is over. If the timer beeps anytime after this, then it's still the old blind level. If the timer beeps before a winner is declared, then the next hand is the new blind level.

I find this also prevents rushing the next dealers, especially in home games. Moving cards over, or someone forgot to shuffle the 2nd deck, etc.. or someone who's just slow in general.

 

[Poker Zombie]

While I agree with the premise, I still don’t like the house rule changing when a new level starts. (I don’t like most house rules that deviate from accepted rules, though.) I think it tries to regulate one (kind of rare) instance of a larger set of issues.

For example, as dealer, I can not intentionally stall to “artificially” raise the blinds early with the house rule, but I can certainly do that as a player. I can take several seconds or maybe even a minute to make a decision with my big stack, knowing the blinds will go up soon and hurt the shorter stacks. So, the house rule really doesn’t prevent anything, it just takes away one method of doing it.

To me, this is one of those situations in which it’s better to leave the standard rule in place (since I’m big on rules being the same across the board as much as possible) and the players/TD will self-police any angle-shooting by dealers. A player may get by with stalling one time. He/she may even get by with it twice since the situation presents itself to a specific individual quite rarely (especially with a rotating deal) and people may not remember the last instance. After that, players aren’t going to stand for it. I think the benefit of standardized rules outweigh the potential confusion of a house rule and the very small benefit of having it.

You are right, players can always stall, but repeated intentional stalling becomes easy to detect.

The more likely scenario, is that players are chatting and accidentally stall the game. In a casino, the dealer always moves the action forward. In a self dealt game, a winning player may be so busy discussing their hero call and pulling a pot that they simply dont notice that it's their turn to deal. This leads to frustration by a short-stack - in particular one that just lost a big hand. So either blind really helps to prevent that unintentional delay, and prevents frustrated players.

As a side benefit, that guy that always forgets to put their blind out will be a little quicker when someone is urging him to put out his blinds.

Mind you, I would have no issue with any home game that uses first riffle (or the cutting of the deck), as that is TDA appropriate. However, the TDA makes rules for casinos with dedicated dealers, so I don't think it's the best solution. I also like Tony's "declared winner" rule, as I don't really see that ever resulting in a delay.

As long as it is consistent, it is fair. The "Blinds out" rule seems to have the most benefit though, is the most common in home games, and is the least exploitable.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Hence the riffle rule.

As pointed out, much easier to exploit.

 

[abby99]

Mist important for self-dealt home games, identify the point at which the new hand begins, make sure everybody is informed, and be consistent. It should be a house rule, and house rules rule.

 

[BGinGA]

People sometimes cut during the previous hand

That's just procedurally wrong, and bad practice in general. It pretty much negates part of the reason for cutting the deck immediately prior to dealing (preventing the top card from being observed for marks and identified).

 

[Gobbs]

People sometimes cut during the previous hand

it’s much more easily abused than posting a blind

If you’re allowing that, you have bigger issues. The cut should be obvious, in plain view, and with one hand.

 

[louBdub]

As the king of my table, I declare all as I see fit.

Riffle the deck, locks in blind. If a blind is posted, and dealer is being a retard, I’ll pause the clock, and say DEALER RUN THE TABLE!, and restart once they un-tard themselves.

I have spoken.