A thread on the 2+2 forum gave me pause to consider what seems to be a conflict in the two rules I listed in the subject. I have quoted the two
rules at the bottom of this post for convenience.
Mainly, if a player uses two chips of different sizes to call a raise, he might be forced to make a minimum re raise when his intent was only to call.
Yet another player using two chips of identical size, thinking he was raising, might be relegated to just call.
IE: Blinds are 200T/400T
Player A raises to 1100T using a single $1000T and a single $100T chip. The raise amount is $700T
Player B acts using 2 $1000T chips but says nothing. As per Rule #33, he has just called since removing either chip would make his bet
less than a call. His intent was to raise but he failed to say raise so his action is just a call.
Player C, seeing the action before him, puts in 2 chips, one is $1000T and one is $500T and says nothing.
He wanted to just call the bet of $1100 but according to Rules 31 and 33, by using two different sized chips, he added $400 which is 50% or
more of the raise so he must now add $300 to his bet to complete the full raise.
Yes, the problems are solved if players will verbalise their actions, I'm a dealer I would prefer that. But not everyone is an
experienced, savy tournament player and I'm thinking a solution can be found to prevent these type situations.
Or am I missing something altogether?
Raises
31. A raise must be at least the size of the largest previous bet or raise of the current betting round. If a player puts
in a raise of 50% or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she must make a full raise. The
raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed (see exception for multiple same-denomination chips Rule 33). In
no-limit and pot limit, an all-in wager of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.
33. Multiple Chips
When facing a bet, unless a raise is first declared, multiple same-denomination chips is a call if removing one chip leaves
less than the call amount. Example of a call: preflop, blinds 200-400: A makes it 1200 (an 800 raise), B puts out two 1000
chips without declaring raise. Placing chips of mixed denominations in the pot is governed by the 50% standard in Rule 31.