Ethics question - reguarding players sitting out

[Hotrod0823]

I just played a 5.00 1 table SnG on Stars. We are down to 5 or 6 players and 1 guy with a stack of 2400 or so sits out. Okay I think nothing of it. Kids have to get tucked in, bathroom break, cigarette break etc.

Well he doesn't come back!??? [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

It is down to 4 and am ammassing a sizeable chip lead and I don't think I did it intentionally but I think I "helped" the other 2 guys playing there cards get into the money.

It really pissed me off that this guy just walked away. It is one thing if you disconnect and can't get back on but to sit out!! Come on!

Was I wrong to not "try" and put the other guys out?

I did continue on to win easily with a nice lead once heads up but it we "implicitly collude".

It left a bad taste in my mouth not to mention prolong the tourny.

What do you all think?

Hotrod

[DrPhysic]

I had one once recently that got in a 9 seat sng, doubled up once, and never played another hand. Ended up 2nd by not playing.

As unethical as it gets in poker, short of outright cheating, as far as I am concerned.

I have suggested to stars that for tournaments or sngs that get big enough that the ante's (not the blinds) be doubled for anyone sitting out.

For what it's worth. I definitely agree with you that there is an ethics question here that is unresolved in online poker.

Doc

[triplc]

The thing is...you never know what really happened. I was playing one night and the smoke alarm in my house starts going off at midnight. Well, we have a security system and before I know it the fire department is there looking around, and my wife is freaked out...and I never returned.

Yes, it does stink when it happens...but it does happen for legit reasons sometimes...

CCC

[Bozeman]

I don't see how y'all can take this out on the guy who steps out. They are his chips, he can do whatever he wants with them. And he is leaving them for you, so you should be happy.

If someone leaves, I think you should strategically play a little tighter against the others because there is some dead money, but you should continue to push edges, and try to get more than your share of his dead money. They also should correctly play a bit tighter, so continue to steal from them too. Be careful if a confrontation with them could cause you to blind out before goneguy.

Craig

[Hotrod0823]

That's an excellent point! I am not faulting the guy if it was legit.

I was pushing hard on the other two guys and winning my fair share but it was a bit strange just watching his blinds getting taken.

Hotrod

[CrisBrown]

Hiya Hotrod,

lol I had something like this happen to me yesterday. I'd signed up for a $55 two-table SNG, and was the only one at the table for about a half-hour. I was watching TV while I was waiting, and realized it was time to make dinner. So I went in and got dinner started, etc., and then remembered I was still signed up for the SNG!

I came back and the blinds were already 20/40. LOL

Cris

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
I had one once recently that got in a 9 seat sng, doubled up once, and never played another hand. Ended up 2nd by not playing.

As unethical as it gets in poker, short of outright cheating, as far as I am concerned.



[/ QUOTE ]

Gimme a break! What is unethical about sitting out? Is it any different from sitting at the table but folding every hand?

The only obligation a player has is to pay his antes and/or blinds. If the tournament is structured so that the prize pool is so deep that one can win money by not playing, then so be it. Others can take the same path, or can choose to play and try to win the dead money of those not playing.

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
I had one once recently that got in a 9 seat sng, doubled up once, and never played another hand. Ended up 2nd by not playing.

As unethical as it gets in poker, short of outright cheating, as far as I am concerned.

I have suggested to stars that for tournaments or sngs that get big enough that the ante's (not the blinds) be doubled for anyone sitting out.

For what it's worth. I definitely agree with you that there is an ethics question here that is unresolved in online poker.

Doc

[/ QUOTE ]

Doc,

What in hell are you talking about? It is unethical to fold hands? How can you say such a silly thing?

Or is your post a joke?

eastbay

[Hotrod0823]

I don't think sitting out is unethical-things happen. I was questioning my own ethics by not pushing as hard as I could've/should've on the remaining players at the table.

I felt like I was almost rooting for the others to hang on. That was what I didn't feel good about not that the guy left.

[M.B.E.]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Svar på:</font><hr />
I had one once recently that got in a 9 seat sng, doubled up once, and never played another hand. Ended up 2nd by not playing.

As unethical as it gets in poker, short of outright cheating, as far as I am concerned.

I have suggested to stars that for tournaments or sngs that get big enough that the ante's (not the blinds) be doubled for anyone sitting out.

For what it's worth. I definitely agree with you that there is an ethics question here that is unresolved in online poker.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't get it -- you are saying the person who bought into the tourney and then decided not to play it is doing something unethical? Why? What is the rationale of doubling the person's ante?

I agree that it does give a pretty big advantage to the person on the immediate right of the sitting-out player, who effectively will get the button twice every round.

Also at the lowest limits ($5 etc.) where the money isn't the point and it's more about the challenge, I agree it can be inconsiderate to sit out. But there's a big difference between "inconsiderate" and "as unethical as it gets". At higher limits, I would not even classify it as inconsiderate.