Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

Playing 4/8 Limit today, 9-handed. Two players were away from my table and one player was racking his chips about to leave; nobody on the waitlist so I decided to pack up as well. As I was racking my chips, the dealer starting dealing to the remaining 5 players at the table. One of the players called over a floor and asked if the hand could have a reduced rake of $3 (instead of the normal $5) since the hand was being dealt five handed. The floor quickly allowed it.

First time I'd ever heard this. Anybody else ever seen anything like this?

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

Most rooms allow reduced rake when the game is short handed, but usually only if a player asks for it. I of course always ask, and if they won't do it, I generally leave. Half rake at five handed is standard, and a buck at three handed is preferred, at least for me. Not all rooms will do it, it depends on the policies of the house. But it never hurts to ask.

al

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

Where I play 4/8 in Puget Sound area the rake is normally capped at $3 plus $1 for the jackpot drop. When we play shorthanded (not sure if it's 5 or 6 when they drop it down) it goes to $1 and $1.

I have also seen the floor deny a request for reduced rake at Tulalip $4/8 6-handed. The requestor racked up and cashed out and the table broke about 5 minutes later.

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

At Taj last week, they called off the waiting list to open new $5/$10 and only 5 ppl showed up. Dealer asked floor if we could play rake free, and they allowed it, until 7th man came.

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

At the casinos near me, they allow reduced rake 6-handed or less. I saw a request denied once because the missing players still had chips at the table.

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

The Wynn did this a bunch the time I played there and at one point the rake was only $1.

Re: Reduced rake for short-handed table
 

I was playing 8/16 at the Bellagio and the Wynn last week and I asked for reduced rake when the table got short. The dealer at the Bellagio told me she had already reduced it and the floor quickly approved the request at the Wynn. I would be surprised to see it refused since the table is in danger of breaking entirely if they say no.