Etiquette

I was in an awkward situation yesterday at the 20-40 game at the Isle. The normally full game was playing seven handed for almost three hours and I really don't like playing that short. I had pulled 1200 out of the game but the atmosphere was very negative, I was getting some girlfriend pressure and I wanted to go. I think my leaving might have led to the breaking of the game and I do not want to leave a negative image among the regulars, because I love the game and it needs to be fed.


I know we are all free agents and can do what we want when we want, but is there an unwritten set of rules here?

Basically, when you gotta go, you gotta go. When I have to go at an awkward time and the table is a regular bunch of guys I usually play my blinds and leave on the button. I tell the guys I'm getting heat from my other, a situation they've all been in, and I go. Anyone who casts a negative eye towards you after that is just being unfair.

"but is there an unwritten set of rules here?"


I disagree, only in home games is there an unwritten rule about leaving. Winners are expected to play at least five hours. Public card rooms were made for the hit and run experts. Don't give it another thought...


SPM,...play long and posper...

Why would you you play your blinds? Why not leave when

it is time to post?


Bruce

Bruce, Sammy and Suburban Man- In Vegas, I play at games where "regulars" leave after 15minutes or 10 hours. You should leave when you want to-- period. Our "regulars" do not think any less of someone because they split at a certain "time". Remember...it's one long game, anyway.... I do think you should leave before the blinds, however. Why commit to play more hands (which might cost you $$) if you're leaving? Get up and go...period. See you in Vegas, sometime... Babe

Blame it all on the girlfriend. Have her come over to the table and pout and whine and roll her eyes. Then leave with a clear conscience. The next time back, they will all feel sorry for you having to go, and you have a future excuse for hitting and running. Instead of being mad, the regulars will say, "I feel sorry for that guy..." :-)

I almost never play head-up but about a year ago I almost did. The game came down to two of us and the other guy was way psyched up to keep playing. Presuming I wanted to play, he starting laying out conditions. Something about a two-hour minimum unless you're stuck two racks. I don't recall exactly.


I said, "How about we do it like this. Either of us can quit whenever we want."


Right away, he said, "Okay!"


We both laughed at that, and it got even sillier when I said, "Okay, I quit now."


Tommy

The situation Bruce C described happened to me twice. Both times several of the players were people I knew well. I was way ahead and I needed to go. One of my buddies said, "I'm stuck 650 and you're leaving. You do this all the time and I'm getting pissed." Like I said this was the second time. So, I said, "Would it make you feel any better if I let you steal my blinds?" "Yeah, it would." So, I let him.

Tommy,


How do you feel about defending your blinds heads-up? And do you chop?

Ha!


But seriously, yes, I would chop heads up, using Alex's method. His innovation is to play heads up with one-big-blind and no blind on the button. When the button folds, this is effectively a chop, just as if the button had posted a SB and taken it back.


Think about it.


Tommy

I was in the game when Bruce left and no one was upset or said much after her left. We really wanted the game to continue and it did. It is normally a very full game and it wasnt that day. That is the way it goes.


Dont worry about it at all Bruce. If I wanted to leave I would too and frankly have. I have records where I won 1500 in an hour and left. The game wasnt short but I did get looks. So what, I never let it bother me. Come back soon and join the game and enjoy yourself. They certainly wont gripe when you leave a loser as we all do at one point or another.


Matt

OK, I've thought about it. :^)


Not to be pedantic or anything, but what you describe is not a chop. Chopping involves an agreement between the two blinds. In your example, the big blind doesn't have to agree to a damned thing. It's not the same.


I don't know who Alex is, but when I've played heads-up in a card room, there are still two blinds. The one blind method might be better, but I don't get a vote.

Andy,


We had a meltdown. You wrote:


"How do you feel about defending your blinds heads-up? And do you chop?"


I took that to mean, "Do you chop when playing heads up?" So of course I thought you were joshing. Still, the my-buddy-Alex method of "chopping" heads up makes some sense.


"In your example, the big blind doesn't have to agree to a damned thing. It's not the same."


As a BB, no. But as a player, yes. Once the two players agree to have only one BB, this is effectively the same as the button having an optional chop, by folding. When the button folds, it's as if he had a SB on the button and chopped.


"The one blind method might be better, but I don't get a vote."


Just so you know, I wasn't suggesting a change. I just thought it was clever of him to think of this as a chop-like situation.


As to me and chopping, I was a non-chopper for four years and just started chopping again a few months ago. See "A Reason for Every Reason" for why. It'll likely be at PokerPages eventually.


Tommy