Tourney judgment call: taking over for an absent player?

[Richard Berg]

Situation: cozy home cash game reaches out to acquaintances and friends-of-friends for some midsized tournament action. No single person knows everyone else anymore, but we assume nobody's invited a complete tool either.

Pokerwise, it's going to be a loose/passive paradise -- very intelligent people all around (Duke engineering grad students, mostly), but I'm certainly the only player to ever crack a poker book much less a forum. OTOH, soda is the strongest drink (recent string of birthdays hit the licquor cabinet hard); there's no reason to believe tempers/tilt will be a facto; nor is there a pervasive desire to gamb00l. Most people probably watch the WPT and, while inflating opinions of their own talent, do acknowledge the skilled nature of a deep-stacked NL game. Rebuys, turbo blinds, etc. wouldn't go over well.

We were very lenient about waiting for people to show up more or less at the appointed hour, but when the clock says the final guy is over 30min late and we're done counting out chips, it's time to start. Stacks start at 100xBB, level changes won't happen for 45min (fine with me, makes up for lethargic play), and all tables are 8-handed so no big deal.

Now the tricky part. A girl who only a couple people have ever met before is the first to go out after about an hour. I'm not sure who first proposed what, but we end up allowing her to take over the slightly-blinded chips from the apparent no-show in return for a 2nd entry fee. She eventually takes this stack well into the final table. Kosher?

I was certainly the biggest rules stickler all around, but this occasion didn't bother me much. What's your opinion? Note of possible importance: the "rebuy" moved her to another table.

[waciii]

I don't think she should've been allowed to take over. No one should get a benefit not available to others.

What would you have done if she'd busted out the guy's stack on a bad play as the guy was walking in the door?

[ohgeetee]

The guy had already paid his entry fee or you were just blinding him down thinking he would show?

If he already paid, to bad so sad for the chick who busted out early. thats not fair at all.

if he didn't pay yet, then it really is your call, and depends on what the tourney players think if you give them that chance. obviously, the results of what she accomplished with those chips after the decision is made should have no bearing on the decision itself, and if it causes bad blood amongst the other players, tough [censored] really, because they should have objected earlier.

frankly, with that crowd, id say give em the second chance, and any females you guys can get to stick around will only benefit you all 8P

[mrjetguy]

I would say no to letting someone takeover another persons stack. Simply because it's a freezout tournie and letting only one person have the chance to rebuy, even in a friendly game, souns like favoritism. And one HUGE problem in home games is allowing any sign of favoritism.

[Richard Berg]

He had not paid. By the time the girl went out, we were pretty sure he wasn't going to show up; he never did. Thus prize/pizza money would've been affected, and perhaps more significantly, the table where he was being blinded away was getting another T1000 chips without paying for them.

[kona]

I think the answer should be adamant no to the young lady. Unless you have a rule allowing rebuys then she busted out and that’s it. As far as you’re missing player, either you should have pulled his chips from the table and said he is out or keep track of the blinds and have him make them up if he shows up. You got yourself into this mess by taking the blinds and mingling the chips of someone who was not there and had not paid yet. That is I am assuming he had not paid because if he had you would have folded him till he was out of chips.

[RiverTheNuts]

Just ask yourself one simple question...

Was she hot??

If so, then while your play wasnt +EV, it might be +EP (expected play)

[Richard Berg]

Yes.

(and FWIW I was not running the tourney, just observing an odd situation...one of many that night...)

[Mojo Tooth]

I think you let the players give some voice. It needs to be more or less by unanimous vote, or at least by passive acclamation (if anybody has a problem with it, say so NOW).

[LetsRock]

I see no problem with that at all.