[chesspain]

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Why do we deal to a player who steps away from the table for a hand or two? I know that when He/She is up to act the cards are mucked but I could not explain why we had to still deal to the seat?


[/ QUOTE ]

During an infrequent appearance of mine at an NL cash game a short while ago, I noticed that at least a couple of players would routinely deal cards to an empty seat if someone was away from the table. When it was my deal and I refused to deal cards to an empty seat when the player had just gotten up to go to the bathroom, two of the others became agitated. Although they couldn't verbalize why they were upset when I asked, I realize now it was because they must have thought I had somehow disrupted the karmic distribution of the cards.