WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

Playing at the casino the other night in an extremely wild and juicy NL 2/5 game when some gray haired guy who looked like Joe Cool, wearing oakley shades and all, gets moved to our table. Well, the game continued to be played like microstakes on the internet, but after about 2 hours, Joe Cool suddenly tells the dealer that he wants a setup change.

Now, I've never heard of a setup change before, so I just assume that it's a when everyone redraws for seats and new decks are busted out. It's confirmed by someone at the table quickly thereafter that this is exactly what happens.

I become a little irritated, although I never said anything, because there was a maniac fish with a stack of around 2.5 K directly to my right, who I had patiently been waiting to isolate.

A couple of regulars say that the floor won't honor his request for a setup change, and Joe Cool goes on and on about he's played poker for 23 years, lived in Vegas for over a decade, been to Mississippi, AC, etc., and never been denied a setup change. JC says he's requested 2 setup changes in the same hour before, and the requests were granted. A player next to JC then asks him if he thinks there was collusion going on, or marked cards, and Joe Cool tells him, "No. I just want to change things up, and see if my luck improves." Now, I'm really irritated, because it seems he's requesting a setup change for absolutely no logical reason.

Well, the floor comes over, and informs the JC that his request won't be honored, but they can do a setup change at 1 AM, which is a couple hours away. Joe Cool argues with the floor to no avail, and the shocked look on his face was quite priceless. He left the game soon after.

My question is, do people request setup changes often? Isn't it really bad form to do so unless you suspect collusion is occurring or there are marked cards? And if you did suspect either of these things, why would you continue to play in the game to begin with? Do some states have laws where all setup change requests must be honored?

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

Setup changes involve changing cards, not seats, at least everywhere I've played.

Some casinos have limits on players requesting setup changes to avoid abuse. This must be what you referred to in your email that he had asked for a new setup in the same hour.

I'd like to know which casino you were in where a setup change involved redrawing for seats in a cash game.

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

Since when did a setup involve redrawing for seats? I've never seen that happen. Then again, I've never drawn for seats in the first place either.

I would leave a game if I was denied a request to change decks.

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

I think you are mistaken in the idea that a setup change involves seat changes. If you aren't, time to find a real card room...

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

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I would leave a game if I was denied a request to change decks.

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But I'm sure you wouldn't request a setup change without a very good reason, not "I need to change my luck".

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I would leave a game if I was denied a request to change decks.

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But I'm sure you wouldn't request a setup change without a very good reason, not "I need to change my luck".

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Never been in a California cardroom?

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

Set up changes do not involve seat redraws, only that the decks be changed. IMO this is extremely bad etiquette unless of course the deck is marked or warped. I play tons of live poker and in my experience, it is usually some old man that asks for the deck change and his excuse is always "to change my luck". I hate it when people do this and it slows down the game.

Thankfully, I have noticed that lately, at least at the places I play, they are putting limits on how often and when people can request setup changes, and with the introduction of a lot more online players into live games, players are tolerating this request a lot less.

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

I've never heard of such a thing. A new setup is just getting a new deck of cards and at a lot of places in LA it can only be requested once per hour, typically at a set time on the clock like between 25 minutes past the hour to 30 minutes past. What would be the justification for redrawing seats? Is it the only table going and has it been the same players for hours on end? Strange.

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

I have seen people ask for new setups on several occasions. Usually it is a regular who is having a bad run of cards and thinks a new setup will change it up. I have also seen it requested after a particularly bad beat (that may or may not be part of a bad run of cards).

I don't recall seeing it honored in AC with the exception of a bad deck of cards (once). They change the decks rather regularly in AC anyway so any requests are usually met with this answer. I've seen it most often in Las Vegas.

It does not require new seats, just new decks of cards.

Re: WTF - Setup change?!?!?
 

I am willing to let the loose player with a big stack request just about anything if it keeps him in the game. A new setup takes a few minutes, but why screw with the sweet vibe of the donkey? Take that time to buy the guy a drink keep him playing.