The use of "Casper stacks" in single-table tournaments

[Lottery Larry]

I wanted some opinions on the advantages or disadvantages to using "Casper stacks"- the practice of putting stacks in a seat for an absent player and blinding off their chips until they arrive.

My understanding is that in B&M, the remaining stack is usually pulled out of play at some point and you cannot blind your way into cashing out. I understand that online this is NOT the case.


My questions about the practice

- Is a Casper stack more of an advantage or disadvantage to the "ghost" player? Whether it is intentional, ala Phil Hellmuth, or merely accidental, does the player gain or lose by having their stack blinded off without having to see any hands at the beginning of a tournament?

- Is the presence of a Casper stack more of an advantage to the players that are seated near that seat (on both sides)?

- Do the other players at the table lose an important amount of EV being far away from a Casper stack? Do they suffer any significant strategy disadvantages as well?

- Is a CS at one table a big disadvantage to players at another table, without a Casper stack to strip dead money off of?

- If you can cash online with a Casper stack, does this become a much bigger advantage?

Thank you
LL

[T0asty]

I played in a free roll the other day and it was soon obvious there were only three of us actually there.

1 player was betting v LAG and i soon realised he was winning all the blinds. Long story short he busted me and the other player and went on to recieve the dead money everyhand to build a nice chip lead.

What was the comment about Phil and casper stacks ? I havn't heard about this, please tell /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

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What was the comment about Phil and casper stacks ? I havn't heard about this, please tell /images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Phil routinely shows up late to the start of a tournament and lets his stack get blinded off until he decides it's time for him to show up. He thinks it gives him an added psychological edge in that it makes it appear as though he's so much better than everyone else that he can come in whenever he feelse like it, sometimes hours late, and start with fewer chips and it doesn't even matter.

[TheGrifter]

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- Is a Casper stack more of an advantage or disadvantage to the "ghost" player? Whether it is intentional, ala Phil Hellmuth, or merely accidental, does the player gain or lose by having their stack blinded off without having to see any hands at the beginning of a tournament?

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Online, clearly you lose. In a large B&M tournament the blinds are so small compared to the stacks that no one is too active in the early stages. Online this is not the case and if you miss a couple of levels you may be at a significant disadvantage.
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- Is the presence of a Casper stack more of an advantage to the players that are seated near that seat (on both sides)?

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The biggest advantage is to the player immediately to the right of the absent player/s. He has the opportunity to steal blinds because he acts last when the absent player is in the blind.
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- Do the other players at the table lose an important amount of EV being far away from a Casper stack? Do they suffer any significant strategy disadvantages as well?

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Yes and no. If only one stack is absent then they don't really lose much, but they do not have the slight advantage of being able to steal the blinds as often.
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- Is a CS at one table a big disadvantage to players at another table, without a Casper stack to strip dead money off of?

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No, it is a slight disadvantage at most. The exception is when, as is the case in large autosignup freerolls, many many people are absent and some tables have only one active player.
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- If you can cash online with a Casper stack, does this become a much bigger advantage?


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Only at sites with rapidly escalating blinds and very, VERY poor players. I've cashed a few times in low level party SnG's when I was disconnected in the first level. However, if players are even half aware of what is going on they will not allow you to finish higher than 4th.