[scrawnybob]

hi

yep unfortunately sitouts are an annoyance - they're also pretty much across all private tournaments (but we do constantly stive to reduce password sharers who seem to just signup for anything and then not turn up - even though they shouldnt be in the game in the first place)

regarding a strategy for dealing with sitouts (in all tournaments)

its pretty easy - if you have 6 or 7 sitouts (ie. 7 sitouts, yourself + 2 live players)

you have two choices and you'll have to see how the "gentlemen's" approach works

in both cases the key thing to remember is that the satout players in the blinds will stay in until someone raises - and then they fold

"gentlemen's" approach is to just alternately steal the blinds with the other live player - personally I dont view this a collusion - your merely saying we cant have a decent game other than 3 way / heads up ... so why fight amongst oursleves

This only works for as long as it works - just alternately raise and not call until someone breaks the gents agreement to wait until the table gets broken

The other alternative - which I would favour in many regards is to just auto raise on every flop pretty much - this means you will pick up the blinds unless the live players want to fight back - when they do then your into a 3 way or heads up situation - this will give you some good tactical practise

if the other player suggests halving the blind stealing - then fine try it until they break it

at the end of the day sitouts are annoying - but there is no point in making the hands last any longer than needed - one way or another make a 1x BB raise everytime unless you are playing the hands through heads up - in which case one of you will clear them out

cheers scrawnybob