Broken table: assuming the SB position

[Luca P.]

Hi folks,
I come with a question about moving players from a broken table assuming the SB position.
Situation is the following:
- Pos.1 BUTTON
- Pos.2 SMALL BLIND
- Pos.3 Empty
- Pos.4 BIG BLIND

During a hand, BIG BLIND get busted, and a table has been broken.
A new player goes to Pos.3 that was empty. Now the situation is the following:
-Pos.2 BUTTON
-Pos.3 New Player from a broken table
-Pos.4 Empty
-Pos.5 ? ? ? ?

So the question is: can the new player seats in pos.3 and pay ONLY the SB and player in pos.5 pay the BB? Or the new player must wait?
For what I know, nobody can pay only the SB, everybody must pay both the SB and the BB, it's for the protection of the player and of the game (to not favor the player who will not pay the BB while the others do)

[K-Lo]

I think you mean can pos. 3 come in and post the SB while pos. 5 posts the BB, and I would say definitely yes.

[Luca P.]

I think you mean can pos. 3 come in and post the SB while pos. 5 posts the BB, and I would say definitely yes.

So you are telling me that a player from another table can assume the SB position?
Even if he didn't pay the BB?

[K-Lo]

Yes, a player from a broken table can definitely come in and assume the small blind without having posted a big blind at the new table.

Since the seat that the player is coming into would have been randomly drawn, there is no unfairness here as it comes down to the luck of the draw.  It is possible for a player to have posted at a blind at his old table, and then come into the new table and have to post a blind again.

The rule is clear here:

9: Breaking Tables
Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the responsibilities of the position. They can get any seat including the big or small blind or button. The only place they cannot be dealt a hand is between the small blind and the button.

[Nick C]

Ken,

 I agree 100%. Although, I always thought that the rule could be better written to explain exactly what is meant by: "between the button and small blind." I realize that there are many who feel a change is not necessary but, I will tell you there are many others that are confused. Between the button and small blind only pertains to an unoccupied seat in that position.

[K-Lo]

Nick:

I think that language such as "not dealt in... when occupying a seat between the small blind and the button" would be fine, along the lines that you suggested.

K

[Tristan]

So the question is: can the new player seats in pos.3 and pay ONLY the SB and player in pos.5 pay the BB? Or the new player must wait?
For what I know, nobody can pay only the SB, everybody must pay both the SB and the BB, it's for the protection of the player and of the game (to not favor the player who will not pay the BB while the others do)

When you start the tournament and draw the button, does someone not pay the small blind without paying the big? 

Also when new entries take their seat, they do not always pay the big blind before the small...unless your house policy is to have them post in tournaments (which I personally am not fond of).

When you break a game, you do not know for sure what position the player was in before they moved.  They may have just paid the big blind or the small blind and now they might draw the blinds again.  It's luck of the draw.

However, when you are moving a player from worst position they will never go into the small blind.  There will be at least 2 seats open if you have to move a player, so that player will go into the one that will be the big blind first.  Small blind would be the last seat to pay the big blind.

The only time a player should have to wait to play is if it will mess up the blinds.

[WSOPMcGee]

Without a big long winded explanation (because K-Lo and Tristan "got this") the answer to your question Luca P. is Yes.
Yes they can pay only the small blind.