Author Topic: Semi-collusion in satellites  (Read 7948 times)

Tristan

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Semi-collusion in satellites
« on: April 11, 2013, 12:19:57 PM »
I just came across this topic on 2+2.  It's from 2011, so it might be old news to some of you...but I found it interesting.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/news-views-gossip/normal-rio-sattelite-bubble-player-folds-tens-penalized-1077078/

In a nutshell: Near the bubble in a satellite for 10k seats, and it is very chaotic.  1 table is accused of purposely folding around, and the TD is watching that table.  TD starts having the players keep their hands after they fold in order to make sure there is nothing fishy going on.  Small stack mucks 10 10 from early position, TD gives them a 1 orbit penalty (?!?).  After more chaos ensues, the TD(s) have the players redraw and the satellite ends shortly afterward. 

Pretty creative ruling, and I don't really agree with it.  For one, how can we dictate how a player should play a hand, isn't exposing all of that play a big disadvantage for those players, and wouldn't that type of penalty be what the player actually wants?

But it looks like they found the best solution in the end as they had the players redraw.

As a side note, in the discussion, players talk about a cash out type of satellite.  I am going to try some out next month, have any of you tried something similar?  The way it works is; in the example of a 20% satellite, instead of the normal way, as soon as a player gets 5x the starting stack...they are picked up and awarded their seat.  The one possible concern would be the extra chips they get over 5x.  I figure those could be distributed 1 (smallest denom in play) chip at a time into the pot at the table the player came from.  Any other thoughts or feedback?
Tristan
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D.C.

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Re: Semi-collusion in satellites
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2013, 05:23:59 PM »
Hello Tristan,

I have seen a situation that was quite like this during a WSOP super satellite in 2010 and the TD, I must say, made an awesome ruling, IMO (it helped me a lot on future situations).

That tournament payout had 20 places being awarded a $10.000 seat into the  Main Event and the 21st place would get $9,600. There were 23 players still in it and they had already started playing hand-for-hand when I arrived in the room to watch the action (a friend of mine was playing).
The three tables were playing reeeeeeaaaaally lsow and players would get out of their seats all the time to watch the other tables, look for the shortstacks, etc.
One of the tables was, as in the OP, folding all around.

After three 20-minute blinds the TD warns all the players that if they do not stop stalling and don't start playing for real he'd take hard actions to "encourage" them to play poker.

Three more 20-minute levels go by and nothing changes. At that point the TD stoped the clock and took three perfect actions:

1 - He made a seat redraw of all players
2 - He separated the tables, puting each one in a corner of the Amazon room (that's freakishly far  ;D)
3 - He made all leves 10-minute long from that moment on.

Players realized that they had no business stalling and shortly after the satellite was over.

That, IMO, is creative thinking at its best to solve a problem most of us have gone by.

About the side note (the cashout satellite): I think you could have some problems if, lets say, a player runs as hot as the sun and quickly ends up with like 100K on a 5K starting stack...
However, I love new formats and new ideas, I'll try to think this format through a little further.

All the best,

« Last Edit: April 11, 2013, 05:25:02 PM by D.C. »
Devanir "D.C." Campos
Brazilian Series of Poker Tournament Director