Even Pete Giordano is a fan of stalling!

[Tyler Durden]

Pete Giordano (TheRealBeat on Party) was stalling like crazy today, purposely too. I was sweating my friend in the 250k today and w/ blinds of 2k/4k Pete was going into his time bank on every hand. One would think the 50th place finisher in the 2004 WSOP would be above this. But one would be wrong.

When asked about it:


TheRealBeat: i play the game the way the schedule forces me
TheRealBeat: soemtime slow and sometimes fast
ytrain: ok
TheRealBeat: right now it correct to play slow at least with my stack
TheRealBeat: that changes around 20
TheRealBeat: at least on this site
TheRealBeat: other sites are different

[LethalRose]

I personally have never stalled, even as the small stack, but maybe hes right?

[Mad Genius1]

It's funny that you bring this up because I never ever stalled in a tournament until I was watching Pete play on Stars one day. They were nearing the money, and he explained how he had to stall because he was a shortstack. So I figured, hell, if Pete says you need to stall as a shortstack, I guess you should do so. I do stall a little bit when we hit the bubble, although I try to stay away from doing it for the most part. Is it really that unethical to stall?

[Tyler Durden]

i'm really disappointed in the replies thus far.

[pokerraja]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm really disappointed in the replies thus far.

[/ QUOTE ]

Im surprised that your surprised that many big name players practice this technique. I've seen Gank, along with many others have it down to perfect science.

[johnsmith]

doesn't this just typify the thought process of people who just want to make it to the money and are not really going for the win because they guarantee themselves alot less hands by stalling and in the meantime you are only playing a few hands while the clock for the blind escalations is running constantly. This is the reason I usually am not too happy with these people, especially if i have a midsize stack still. I don't mind so much when i have a huge stack I guess.

[shaniac]

"Even" TheBeat Stalls?

He stalls constantly, and in many situations where it's not apparently favorable (I personally think stalling is almost never a good strategy if you're trying to win a tournament and said tournament is not a turbo and/or super-satellite).

That others in this thread are looking up to TheBeat as an exemplar of expert stalling strategy is completely absurd.

Shane

[Eihli]

I have never stalled. Funny story though, was in a 140 man tourney, 18 pay and we're down to 19, the big blind is 600 and there is this guy barely hanging in with 330 chips left stalling every single hand. I was able to completely walk over the table because nobody wanted to give the staller the satisfaction of making the money. I raised 6 or 7 hands in a row and never got a caller.

[ansky451]

I hate stalling, it is stupid and unethical. Anyone who stalls should grow some balls and not play scared of losing.

[sloth469]

I agree it is stupid, but I don't think it is unethical. IMHO it's the man's dime, he is within his rights to spend it as he sees fit, as long as he is acting in good faith for what he believes to be his best interest. I think it is similar to keeping a small stack alive so that you can continue to run over the table.