Author Topic: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?  (Read 6263 times)

ShaneP15

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Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« on: December 13, 2018, 11:08:55 AM »
3 last players.

Seat 1 - Dealer Button
Seat 2 - Small Blind
Seat 3 - Big Blind

Seat 1 and 3 goes all in and Seat 1 knocked out seat 3. Now Seat 1 is the Big Blind and Seat 2 is the Dealer Button. Does Seat 2 pay the Small Blind again even though they just paid? Or is it just 1 Big Blind and next hand Seat 1 is the Button and Small Blind and Seat 2 Big Blind?
« Last Edit: December 13, 2018, 07:53:20 PM by ShaneP15 »

BillM16

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2018, 04:36:15 PM »
Hey Shane,

The 2017 TDA Rule #34 covers your topic.

34:  Button in Heads-up
Heads-up, the small blind is the button, is dealt the last card, and acts first pre-flop and last on all other betting rounds. Starting heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player has the big blind twice in a row.


Yes, seat #2 becomes the SB and the Button. Seat #1 is the BB.  The rule prevents someone from being the BB twice in a row.  It does not prevent someone from being the SB twice in a row.

Dave Miller

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2018, 08:19:18 AM »
Also, when four handed and both blinds get knocked out in the same hand, the button becomes the BB as normal. Oddly, the UTG player becomes the SB without having been the BB.
Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown.
But how much does it cost to knock on wood?

Nick C

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2018, 03:21:18 PM »
Hey, Dave, In your four handed scenario, are you sure the button doesn't remain in seat one...so the UTG becomes the big blind?
« Last Edit: December 15, 2018, 06:22:08 AM by Nick C »

BillM16

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2018, 10:14:12 PM »
Gentlemen
The most recent BB will not be the next BB.

Nick C

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2018, 06:23:17 AM »
Okay, Bill...so who do you agree with?

Dave Miller

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2018, 07:07:14 AM »
Hey, Dave, In your four handed scenario, are you sure the button doesn't remain in seat one...so the UTG becomes the big blind?
Oops. You’re right.

But it’s still an interesting scenario where a player went from being SB, to being the dealer, and then the SB without first being the BB.
Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown.
But how much does it cost to knock on wood?

BillM16

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Re: Can you be the small blind twice in the final table?
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2018, 07:20:22 AM »
As Nick said above, the button stays in seat one.

Ann is on the button.
Bob is the small blind.
Carl is the big blind.
Don is under the gun.

All four players go all-in.  Bob and Carl get knocked out.  Ann and Don are now heads-up.  Ann was big blind most recently.  Therefore, Don now becomes big blind. Ann becomes small blind and on the button. Don is dealt first and Ann acts first pre-flop.  Ann acts last on all other betting rounds.

IMO, TDA Rule #34 is inadequate as it states that the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player has the big blind twice in a row.  As you can see in the above example, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure that the most recent big blind gets the button and the small blind even though they would not have been big blind twice on row otherwise.

The wording is more accurate in:

ROBERTS RULES OF POKER VERSION 11 
RULES FOR USING BLINDS
3.   In heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button. When play becomes heads-up, the player who had the big blind most recently is given the button, and his opponent is given the big blind.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2018, 07:45:14 AM by BillM16 »