Hey guys, I've been reading this forum for awhile and just decided to post. I am currently in a disagreement with some friends of mine and would like your opinions. The topic is switching tables (within the same limit) when you are ahead and whether or not it is sportsmanlike.

Here is the example that prompted the disagreement: Player A buys into table for $100. He immediately portrays the image of a big bluffer by frequently overbetting the pots. He gets caught by Player B and winds up putting in all his chips with only an 11% chance of winning. He ends up catching the river and doubles up to $200. Player A then immediately leaves the table and buys in on another table for $100.

Is switching tables like PlayerA did:
A) Completely outrageous - This type of action should be banned.
B) Unsportsmanlike - Player B and others at the table should have a chance to win back their money.
C) No big deal - It's now his money and he can take it to whatever table he wants.

[EDIT] So far it's 8-0 in favor of "C". My question to those voting for "C", would this also mean "Going South" with your chips is not a big deal either?

its his money - why shud player B care if he wns it bafrom player A or someone else. changing tables is one of the best advntages of the net

it's C all the way. too bad for player b.

Morally, he is in the clear.... although some don't like hit and run, sometimes it's a viable strategy, and completely ethical.

EDIT- and yes this means that "going south" with your chips is ethical as well.

i think the whole hit and run concept is totally invalid who made the rule that it is ur right to win back lost money and it is the responsability of the winning player to give u that chance i could understand in a heads up match if two players have an agreement but certainly not at a full table with random players

Early- You can run (live) but not switch tables w/ less $$.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but when I'm playing if someone does that to me I am very pissed. I have a personal rule with myself that If I win a huge hand I stay AT LEAST a few trips around the table (6 max usually). I just think its very unsportsmanlike to make a big hit then runoff on someone.

For reference the stakes are usually 2-4 or 3-6 nl (sometimes 5-10), so maybe at the lower limits like .25-.50 or .50-1 people feel different. If you watch a 50-100 game you rarely see someone do that, and I'm sure if you asked any of the guys that play high stakes they would tell you how they feel about it (I'm sure its not good)

On the other hand I don't think it should be banned. The freedom to move from table to table as we please should be our own choice. I just wish more people had a little more sportsmanship than to hit and run people all day long.

So i guess my choice is B?

-Brian

To my knowledge, no reputable casino will allow you to return to a table w/ less $$ than you left it with. They will at least make you wait a certain amount of time. Any live players... plz. weigh in on this.

We're talking about going to a new table, not the same one. Most online sites force you to bring just as much money back if you return to the same table within 15 minutes or something like that. Moving to a new table with a shorter stack is allowed live, as long as there is another table to play at. I doubt many winning players do this though, unless it's a no-max table....I'd think most good NL players would want as many chips as possible on the table in a game with a max buy in.

IMO, people who complain about stuff like a "hit an run" are huge crybabies. You're not entitled to a chance to win your money back from someone once you've lost it to them. The only downside of doing this is that if you play a high stakes game where there isn't as much turnover and everyone plays somewhat on reputation, people may not want to play with you if you are known as someone who frequently does this.

I agree with Brian. If you suckout on me, then I want you to stick around. I (almost) never leave right after I scoop a big pot.

D) you should be kicked for asking if it's unacceptable and anyone who thinks it is should be beaten with a wooden stick.

If you're online and you want your money back, just follow that player around

agreed brian, I guess its just another one of those little bitch things you have to put up with if youre gonna play online. I like to play with the same people for at least an hour so that we can pick up reads on each other so we can play "poker" and match wits. I just like to think that I can I can still make a profit playing poker without hitting and running. I mean how would you like it if you were playing blackjack vs. the house dealer and after every time you bust the dealer takes all but ten bucks off his stack and sends it to the house safe?Of course there will always be an endless supply of players to win your money back but its the gamesmanship and competition part of it that just seems pretty gay and nit like. Imo

The other day i was playing some low limit ring on party and I noticed the guy in the seat next to me would constantly leave the table and reseat immediately with less chips after he won any decent sized pots. Nobody else seemed to notice and/or give a fuck so I asked him if he always takes chips off the table. He said "all the time, it minimizes my losses" . Fucking hilarious. I just laughed it off and didnt make a big deal of it but you can bet your ass if we were playing for higher stakes I definitley would have had a problem with his punk ass.

Definitely unsportsman like but 100% acceptable so I vote B & C since they don't conflict

Anyways if I was loser I would pick up and go right after him. If I were the winner and I donked off by accident I would stay and play off the donk i mage. But there is a HUGE difference between going south and swicthing tables. Doyle talks about this in SS.