MTT Heads Up Moral Dilemma - What's Your Move?

FakeKramer · #1 04-21-2006, 09:25 PM

I just had a friend win an MTT on Party Poker today (he's not a 2p2er to my knowledge). Anyway, when he got heads up, his opponent disconnected. My friend said he debated whether or not to sit out and wait for him to return, but ultimately just stole his blinds until all of the chips were his. I don't necessarily fault him for his actions, but it did make me a little curious what you guys would do. I'd like to think I would sit out, but I'm not really sure if I would when push came to shove.

Poll Question: If you are heads-up in an MTT (that carries standard payouts) and your opponent disconnects, would you sit out and wait for him to return or take advantage of the situation by gathering his blinds while he is gone?

timex · #2 04-21-2006, 09:35 PM

The way I look at it, this is all a part of online poker, would you think your opponents would not steal your blinds? I think disconnecting can happen to anyone(once happened to me 4 handed)and I think you shouldnt put yourself at a disadvantage by not stealing.

mudbuddha · #3 04-21-2006, 09:41 PM

who the hell voted wait?
poker is about edges

him folding everyhand = +ev
thats like not check raising bc its dishonest

A_PLUS · #4 04-21-2006, 09:41 PM

I would steal 2 blinds then sit out and wait for 5-7 minutes. Any more time, and you basically surrender a blind level, since higher blinds = more luck, ay more and you are hurting yourself. If I honestly thought the guy was a very solid player, I may wait longer, but no way he is getting more leeway than I would wait for a college professor to get to class.

Basically enough time for him to reboot and log back on, or call a friend and have them take over (I would expect to be told someone is taking over),after that, sucks for him, but I wouldnt expect any different if I lost my connection.

JohnFR · #5 04-21-2006, 10:37 PM

On PS, I would probably stall and let my entire time bank run out, in my SB, then take the blinds(note, disco at FT gives you free 240 seconds, then 180, then 90, then 30 I think), so he wouldn't sit out immediately, that is like 10 minutes if I run my time down a bit, and if he isn't back after that, then that is his problem I got better things to do with my time than wait an hour for somebody to get back to their connection.

At Party, I dunno, it would take a few blind steals before I realized he was disco'd, then I would probably play slow for about 5 minutes, then rob him blind *shrug*

Soul Rebel · #6 04-21-2006, 10:50 PM

This subject comes up occasionally. I don't see a dilemma here. Stealing the blinds is not cheating by any means. I would be pounding on the bet button as fast as I could. It was the opponent's choice not to get a backup internet connection, he gambled on that decision. Now your buddy's job is to make him pay for it.

CardSharpCook · #7 04-21-2006, 10:56 PM

No dilemma at all. Unethical to steal his blinds. Exactly as A plus said, give him the respect you'd give a college prof or any other situation in which you have to wait for someone. For me, that is fifteen minutes. This has come up for me before, and there was never any doubt in my mind that I was correct in sitting out. I thgink I only had to wait 2 min.

Just like the opponent who is inadvertantly showing you his hole cards. It isn't a "poker-edge" to not look away, it is just plain immoral. (or unethical... I get those two words confused.)

CardSharpCook · #8 04-21-2006, 11:03 PM

Oh, and stealing the blinds would be about 20 times worse than what JJ and ZJ did. Those two stole a fraction of equity from about 4000 people. Stealing the blinds would be stealing a HUGE amount of equity from a single person.

And don't come back with, "ZJ and JJ broke the T&Cs, stealing blinds is part of the game". That's BS. What is Right and Wrong may not always be governed by rules or laws.

Jordan · #9 04-21-2006, 11:25 PM

this has happened to me both ways on multiple occasions. as the benefactor and the guy getting screwed. anyway, in all but one of the cases the blinds were stolen. There has been one time the guy was nice enough to wait for me to return. it's a little dick, but it's part of the game.

poopstar212 · #10 04-21-2006, 11:57 PM

i don't see what the problem is the guy got screwed, kick em while he's down. its the american way right? hey if the mormon church can steal american taxpayer money through hijacking the boy scouts to do their evil deeds like spreading hate and discrminination and bigotry then i have no problem stealing some guys blind m oney in a tounry as a means to an end for my hedonistic lifesytel