Moving Players from Table to Table in Tournament Poker

Posts: 661 · Posted: 30.03.2006, 05:26

I've often wondered about the logistics of moving players around in tournament games as the tourney goes on, and players are consolidated at fewer and fewer tables... I especially couldn't see how they could possibly do this at offline games! But I suppose those are always a lot fewer people there...
so I came across this info on that subject, if anyone else is interested:

This is all from
http://www.homepokertourney.com/moving_players.htm

Moving Poker Players Between Tables

If the number of players differs by two or more between any tables, one player must move from the highest populated table to the lowest populated table. This ensures a balanced number of players between tables.

When a player is eliminated and a move must be made, the player ‘playing a hand’ in the same position (seat), relative to the button, at the highest populated table must move to the eliminated player’s seat. In other words - if the player who busted out was four seats left of the button, move the player from the other table who is sitting four seats left of the button. The move must occur before the next hand is dealt, or the button is advanced, at any table. For the purposes of this rule, a player is ‘playing a hand’ once all the blinds/antes have been posted and the dealer has begun shuffling (riffles the deck).

A moved player will be dealt a hand at the start of the next deal and assume any obligation of the new seat including the posting of a blind or dealing.

Moving occurs at the conclusion of all hands presently being played at all tables. If several players must be moved at the same time, begin with the eliminated player, at the lowest populated table, closest to the left of the button.

When forced to choose between removing a player from two equally populated tables, one card will be dealt (by the lower populated table’s dealer) to each of the two tables in question. The low-carded table will move a player.

Example: There are 8 players at TableA, 8 players at TableB and 7 players at TableC. A player three seats to the left of the button is eliminated from TableC. The TableC dealer deals one card to TableA and one card to TableB. The player presently playing a hand three seats to the left of the button, at the low carded table, must move to the eliminated player’s seat at TableC. That player will post the big blind at the new table, just as he would have had to do if he had stayed at his original table.

The above method of moving players ensures that a moved player is never forced to post two big or small blinds in a row or allowed to deal two hands in a row. In addition, the moved player can simply fill the empty seat just vacated by the eliminated player.

You should consider playing hand-for-hand towards the end of your tourney when you are about to seat the final table. For instance, if you have one table of six players and another table of five players and you will seat ten players at the final table ... the next player eliminated will not make the final table. Some players may try to stall (slow down the game) at their own table in the hope that the other table will play more hands and a player from the other table will be eliminated first. To prevent this, play an equal number of hands at both tables, play hand-for-hand. You must be on guard for the same delaying tactic if you have a large tourney and are paying out, for instance, the top twenty players. If you have three tables of eight players remaining ... some of those players might try to stall in the hopes of having players from other tables go broke first.

An alternate method to move players is to simply move the player at the button from the high table to the seat to the right of the button at the low table.

Another alternate method to move players is to move the player from the table with too many players who will get the big blind on the next hand. He will move to the empty seat closest to the big blind in a clockwise direction at the other table.

Another alternate method to move players is ... to not move them! A shotgun tournament means that each table will play internally until there is one player remaining at that table. No players are moved in or out. Each table winner is then seated to form the final table. The obvious advantage to using a shotgun format is that you don't have to worry about balancing players between tables - no one gets moved until you seat the final table. When you do seat that final table, keep in mind that some tables might have played with more players than other tables (3 tables of 8 players and 1 table of 9 players). Make sure each player starts the final table with the same number of chips, you might have to take chips away from certain table winners. One disadvantage of a shotgun tournament is that one table might have a winner after two hours of play while another table takes four hours. Another disadvantage is that you might have the three or four best players all sitting at the same table - only one of those players will advance.

You can also use a variation of the shotgun method by playing each table internally until there are only a couple players remaining at that table. For instance, say you have a tourney of 27 players - you could seat three tables of 9 players and have each table play internally to itself until there are only 3 players remaining at that table. Those nine players would then form the final table.

If you wish to close and/or combine tables, rather than seat new tables, use the same card method as described on the Seating Players page. Prepare a deck of cards containing one card for each seat available at each table. Use different card suits for different tables and use the Ace for the first seat open to the left of the button, the 2 for the second seat open, the 3 for the third seat open, etc.. The players who need to be moved each draw one card from the deck and sit in the appropriate seat.