Chopping at a table where you pay for time.

[SUfan5]

Two weeks ago, I was playing the 15/30 at the Turning Stone and it was 6-handed for awhile. In that game, they take $6 for every half hour you play. What are your thoughts on chopping the blinds. Every other person at the table though that chopping made sense when it was 4-6 handed, but they wouldn't chop if it was 3 handed. It didn't make sense to me since you paid a fixed amount every half hour. What would you guys typically do?

[Flip_Dog]

Chopping dosent make sense in time collection games.

[SUfan5]

Alright I didn't think so. Everyone at the table seemed to think that it was normal when it was a full table, but not shorthanded. I wasn't sure what the point was. I'm pretty sure I'm never chopping again. Thanks.

[Chipr777]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure I'm never chopping again. Thanks.


[/ QUOTE ] At least not in a time raked game. The whole point of chopping is to avoid the rake.

[afish]

I disagree. Let's say you are at a table with 5 bad players, but the players on either side of you are of equal ability as you. Wouldn't you rather chop so you can get more hands against the bad players?

[3rdCheckRaise]

Choping is a huge leak for a winning player. Most of live players have no a idea of how to play HU and choping lets them off the hook easy.

[mak15]

shouldn't the decision to chop always just be based on how good you are in the blinds and how good the players to your right and left are? i mean if you can beat them, you don't mind the rake, right?

[marsvolta619]

[ QUOTE ]
Choping is a huge leak for a winning player. Most of live players have no a idea of how to play HU and choping lets them off the hook easy.

[/ QUOTE ]

It may be -ev in the short run, but in the long run you will be making more money off the fish by not pissing them off. It's also an etiquette thing. How many times do locals complain about you raising their blinds when you raise from MP? Always chopping is just one of those things where the money is going to be made up later

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Choping is a huge leak for a winning player. Most of live players have no a idea of how to play HU and choping lets them off the hook easy.

[/ QUOTE ]

It may be -ev in the short run, but in the long run you will be making more money off the fish by not pissing them off. It's also an etiquette thing. How many times do locals complain about you raising their blinds when you raise from MP? Always chopping is just one of those things where the money is going to be made up later

[/ QUOTE ]

You have it right. The vast majority of players at limits 20/40 and below do not like playing short handed and resent people who won't chop. If memory serves me even Tommy Angelo (an excellent short handed player) would chop in a full game, knowing that keeping good karma is the most plus EV thing of all. At the same time Tommy would often play late at night in short games where it was understood that there would be no chopping.

As an aside, in Los Angeles many regulars agree to chop six-handed of more and always play five handed or less. Unfortunately the jackpot drops now being taken in most clubs in yellow chip ($5) games make five handed play prohibitedly expensive.

~ Rick

[MikeGuz]

Hi Rick,

I'll chop if asked, but don't really like it. I laugh when I think of playing 20-40 a few years ago in Mt. Pleasant Mi with an old guy (older than me) in a wheel chair, on oxygen.

This old feller and I chopped for 5 or 5 hours. On one hand he raises me - I said here I am playing poker with a dead man and he raises my big blind after chopping all night. Well I had AK - and raised him back we. As it turned out we chopped anyway since he was holding AK too.

Mike Guzaldo formally rounder.