The min buy-in regular
 

I don't know if this is just a Chicago thing or what, because I don't remember seeing it so frequently when I played out in Vegas a couple of months back, but a lot of folks at my cardroom have a habit of buying in for an amount that is woefully inadequate for the game that they're playing in. If this comes from some newbie that has migrated up from the blackjack tables or what have you, obviously I don't mind it so much, and am happy to have whatever money they want to bring into the game.

What's weird, though, is there is a certain contingent of folks who favor a small buy-in but are regulars who are there every time that I go to the cardroom. I have seen these folks bust out and leave the table. I have also seen them bust out and pull out a wad of $100s from their pocket and rebuy, sometimes after playing for quite a while with a stack that will force them all-in with any sort of significant pot.

What's up with this? Is this a telltale sign of a gambling addict? Is it some sort of angle-shoot, since it can be an advantage to play shortstacked?

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

I think it's simply a sign of a bad player. I saw this constantly last night at Bay 101. People we're buying into the $3-$6 with $40 or $60. Very strange.

(Course I also saw people who wouldn't raise the river with the nuts. Then there was the guy to my left playing 100% of his hands. Chips plee!)

--
Bruce

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

When/how is it an advantage to play short-stacked?

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

[ QUOTE ]
When/how is it an advantage to play short-stacked?

[/ QUOTE ]
Say you have a marginal hand, one that is probably behind your opponent, but has some decent outs like a flush draw with a gutshot. By going all-in, you are giving yourself significantly better odds of making your hand and winning the pot than if you have to play it "correctly". And, the earlier you can go all-in with that hand, the better.

Sklansky discusses this aspect of all-in play in HFAP I believe.

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

It's a Chicago thing and a bad player thing, I beleive. People don't know better, they see others do it, so they do the same thing.

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

Yah, I see this all the time at Trump (Indiana, right near Chicago) and at all levels too - people buying into the $10-20 game for $200 or less. It seems real common at the NL game - in general, out of the 10 people, 2-3 will buy-in for the minimum $200, 2-3 will buy-in for $1000 or so and the rest buy $300-$500. And the ones who buy-in for $200 never win and they always go into their pocket for more. Even some of the $3-6 players will buyin for a rack of white, not realizing it's not even 17 big bets.....

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

It's the telltale sign of a moron with no clue. Mark them down "moron" in your notes. They may be loose, they may be tight, but they are certainly WEAK and also CLUELESS.

al

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

I've seen it a bit at foxwoods. Some of the regular/semi-regular fish will may make multiple 400 minimumum buy-ins. I have no idea why people would do that, but if you see it, I think its good indication that they probably suck.

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

I see people short-buy for $20 frequently (3/6, 4/8).

Re: The min buy-in regular
 

Not a Chicago thing, I see people buying in with the minimum all the time, all-in, rebuy minimum. Often these "rocket scientists" will end up buying at least a rack oftem more like 2 in small buy-ins. Of course you know that when one of these individuals gets on a hot streak, one of two things will happen. 1. Gives it all back. or 2. hit n run baby! I saw a guy make a $10 short buy in a 2-4 game at San Manuel a few years ago and hit a little rush to around $300 in less than 30 minutes, of course he left.