OIC rules question

[Ralle]

The rules state that

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If at any point your bankroll drops below 25 BB's for the current level you are playing, you MUST drop down to the previous level and work your way back up.

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Suppose you're playing 1/2 and you drop just below 50. Then, while you're waiting for the blinds to come around, so you can quit and step down to 0.50/1, you win a pot that puts you above 50. Should you still drop down a level, or keep playing at 1/2?

[HavanaBanana]

Here they come Mike H gl /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[CrackerZack]

This was discussed in an earlier thread about the OIC. I don't remember which one but there are only a few with a ridiculous number of replies so check them out.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Not sure we had this particular one last time - I think the last one was regarding playing the free hands after going up a level (which was ruled to be OK - you have to drop out next time the blinds reach you. If you play on in the free hands and go back below the qualification mark you have to stay there until you requalify).

My view on the drop down issue (and I dropped down a few times in the last OIC!) is that you have to drop down straight away after losing the 25BB's. Chances are you will throw more money away in the free hands trying desperately to get back up before the blinds hit, which seems to contradict the reasons for making people drop down (i.e not to tilt away huge sums).

No doubt Mike/Jason will clarify but, to me, this is the 'common sense' interpretation.

[Mike Haven]

As you know, everyone has to act in good faith. No one is looking over your shoulder.

If you want to sleep well at night, if you end up winning a prize, as in life, obviously you must have always done the right thing.

If your balance drops below 50, in your example, you know you have to move down to .50-1 with your 49, (or whatever it is).

If you happen to win the next hand somehow, and end up with 55, you should leave the table after you finish the round, (or whenever you choose to restart the OIC), and go to a .50-1 table with your 49, (or whatever it is), remembering to change your non-OIC funds by 6 (etc) when you log into the TGC's results page.

The very fact that you have asked such a question demonstrates to me that you will play by the Rules to the letter.

Good luck to you.

(PO and I are looking again at PO's published Rules to try to tidy up any apparent anomalies. Please pm us if you spot anything that causes confusion. Thanks.)

[Ralle]

All right, thank you for the ruling. Now I know how to handle the situation. Back to 0.50/1 for me... But I'll be back!!

As a side note. In some of the rules discussions in the forum it has been implied that the rules may not cover all situations. Well, as all golfers know, this is not unexpected. Actually, "Decisions on the Rules of Golf" is a rather thick volume when compared with "The Rules of Golf".

[Ralle]

Oh, and one more question while we are discussing this subject.

Of course, the reason for my initial question was that it seemed silly from a general poker perspective to immediately quit the table to move down to the lower level, instead of using the free hands. The ruling took care of this problem.

Now suppose you drop below 50 at a 1/2 table during the play of a hand, and that you end up winning that particular hand. Should you keep playing at the same level in this case? This hasn't yet happened to me, but it doesn't seem like an unlikely situation.

[HavanaBanana]

In That case carry on, wherever you are in the middle of a hand does not matter.