stalling in heads up tournament game....cheating?

[Kumubou]

One solution is to go by hands played instead of time elapsed, which would remove that incentive completely (and if anything would encourage players to move faster). In single-table tournaments there is no reason to not do this, but this gets more involved as you go to multiple tables. If I remember correctly, some large tournaments late in the tournament will 'synch' tables, so that no one can benefit by stalling and playing fewer hands so that someone on another table busts out and bursts the bubble.

I have no idea what kind of effect that would have on a tournament if you went with that rule the entire time. You could end up with some very funny looking results (ie: the people at the final table not being ranked top ten, or something strange like that). Probably would have to have reset points for really large tournaments, and it may just get too complicated to be useful.

Another solution would be to decrease the amount of time given (and then provide a time bank for those times you actually do need a few extra seconds -- why PokerStars is the only site to do this leaves me wondering). This could backfire, though (as bwana devil's example suggests -- since the tournament is going faster, you stand to gain more by slowing down yourself.) Of course, if things got too fast, it would get silly.

The shot-clock in basketball is a really good example, actually.

-K

[JackOfSpeed]

I think that was a good analogy. I also think you're just bitter. It's not cheating.

[crockett]

Sheesh…once again my opinion differs (only slightly) from the others.

I always try to think in terms of “Poker” in these “situational” questions. And because I grew up playing poker I always immediately conjure up the “live” backroom games I started playing in when I think is this correct “Poker.”

IMHO, Is this unethical? Hell yes! If you pulled this crap in a live tournament people would be going through the roof and getting plenty of supporters and backers. In fact, I’d bet you’d be hard pressed to find someone who would whip out the old “It is well within’ the rules” speech. But put it on an internet forum and an internet tournament and everybody is preaching “You should known better, it’s within the rules or your opponent is obviously a poker genius and just doing the right thing, blah, blah!” BS!

Sportsmanship applies to any form of civil competition. The guy obviously lacks class and sportsmanship.

On the other hand, if you are indeed goading others into these HU matches you have to wonder if you got what you asked for. As far what should you do? Nothing, what he did was within’ the rules. I guess choose your matches more carefully or play under different rules if this is possible.

[Token]

Unfortunately this is something that UB allows. It is an advantage to do this during a MTT since other players at other tables will be busting out allowing you to move up in the ranks. People prefer PokerStars' tournaments since they don't allow this.

[moondogg]

If you are expecting ethics or sportsmanship to be applied to online poker, you will inevitably be disappointed.

When you have hundreds of thousands of people playing online anonymously, it is not reasonable to expect sportsmanship; there is what is within the rules and what is without. Otherwise it's like demanding a high level of maturity at a T-ball game full of 6-year-olds, you are just expecting more from the system than he system could possibly provide.

Additionally, poker (live or online) is not a sport and it is not honorable. It is an enjoyable way to make money by taking it from other people, many of whom are gambling addicts. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I personally love it. But we're not saving the [censored] manatees here.

[wbrumfiel]

Early in my poker days I was playing in a $10 + $1 full ring SnG at Party and a guy came in and used his full 30 secs EVERY time he could. So if he was in a hand to the river it would take at least 2 minutes plus the 30 seconds for every flop that he actually folded. No idea why he did it, guess he was bored. What it really did was put the table on tilt and cause people to go all in with crap so that they could move on to another SnG. I finished 2 other SnGs that I started AFTER this one before I got busted out in 4th place (the worst). Anyways, I emailed and called Party about it and they refused to do anything because it didnt go against the rules. "We have to allow every player 30 seconds to make a decision". Sounds like you may have ran into the same guy [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[StacysMom]

it sure seems legit and fair... on a side note everytime i play in a sng and one player always plays inf slow, it puts me on instatilt and i bust out. maybe its a good strat in taht regard, but he gains no real advantage

[obeythekitten]

[ QUOTE ]
it sure seems legit and fair... on a side note everytime i play in a sng and one player always plays inf slow, it puts me on instatilt and i bust out. maybe its a good strat in taht regard, but he gains no real advantage

[/ QUOTE ]

so youre saying that you would be willing to play people heads up for $10 + $0.50 starting with 1000 chips and starting with blinds of 50-100?

[StacysMom]

nope, i surely wouldnt. like i said, it puts me on instatilet which is def -ev. one of the reasons i dont play heads up sng's. but if u really wanna play em, i know on stars u can see the other player sitting at the table, if u know this guy always does this, then dont sit down first, and check who is awaiting a match. if their is a buddylist function on the site, add him to ur buddies, and only use this when he is logged in. but i still dont think it is cheating,.

[kendal14]

You are missing the point in the responses. No one is saying that they look for a 1000 chips 50-100 blind game. But everyone and their mother has told you pretty much the same things:

Does it suck that he took advantage of the rules? Yes. Is it against the rules? No.

Like someone else suggested... if it really bugs you that much, right an email to UB. But I doubt this goes against their T&C.

Vent if you like, as that is what forums are for... but when everyone in the world says the sky is blue and you see it as red... time to change your definition of blue.