Another ruling question (theoretical)

matt2500 · #1 07-11-2007, 01:05 AM

Here's one I've never encountered. A buddy of mine was playing in a small $35 tournament with around 25 players.

Eleventh-place goes bust, the players redraw for seats at the final table, and go on a five-minute break. He's seated to the right of another regular in these tournaments.

They return from break, he takes his seat, and both he and the guy to his right fold their hands. After the hand is played out, guy to his right says, 'Hey, I don't have this many chips.' It turns out he had taken my buddy's seat, and my buddy his.

If either, or both, had actually played the hands they were dealt, what would be a ruling? Obviously, they would be playing cards that they should not have seen, with chips that aren't theirs. If one were to get into an all-in situation, the number of chips they'd be playing would be wrong.

This one had us both stumped.

vhawk01 · #2 07-11-2007, 02:35 AM

I'm pretty sure they'd be responsible for whatever action they'd made in the hand, since it is their responsibility to protect their chips and know how much they are playing before the hand is dealt. So, if they got involved in a hand and won or lost chips, I think that would be binding and they'd switch seats after the hand. The problem would be if they got it all in. They'd only be able to 'double' for the smaller amount, I think. I'm pretty sure there is no 'correct' ruling on this, but thats how I'd rule.

atrainpsu · #3 07-11-2007, 02:49 AM

Wow, this is a tough one. If the stacksize didnt affect the hand, then I say switch seats, find out what the previous stack sizes were, and your friend gets the difference in chips.
If the stack size did affect the hand (ie. a player ends up allin or what would have been allin) then I think the excess chips should be dead, except if guy on right loses them. In that case, I don't think you can penalize a 3rd party for the 2 other people's stupidity.

youtalkfunny · #4 07-11-2007, 02:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]
the players redraw for seats at the final table, and go on a five-minute break.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a terrible procedure, which leads to errors like the one described in the OP.

If you must give them a break at that time, tell them to keep their seat cards with them while on break, so that when they return from break, they won't forget which unfamiliar seat belongs to them.