Those %#^* sitter outers

[villaridge]

Hey Scrawnybob, thanks for the great job u do. i'm sure u have pondered many times about the fact that sooooo many people in the 4K freerolls sign up and then sit out the whole game. It is very annoying. I guess i need to learn how to exploit this situation to my advantage, but so far I just get frustrated and play stupid cards. Is there a poker strategy on how to play when the table has 6 to 7 sitters?

[jctm1988]

Well i always use the advantage on this situation it's the point that you still lay down your shitty hands, your hand value doesnt go up for them sitting out , they only go up when the table has less people on them, for that you still play the goods , you would see them stealing allot of pots, and sometimes you'll steal , ( obviously more then on a full table ) , but to exploit this to the fullest , if you get a marginal hand , i would suggest you stealing from the one that doesnt sit out when he is on the bb sb , or has called a pot , and you can always lay your hand down if the flop doesnt come out well or your opponent goes all in or reraises allot ..

When you get dealt a monster , dont go oh **** they all sit out if i raise 4 x 3 x the bb now i wont get action , and if i limp and nobody raises i would only have 1 pair aces vs the other 2 3 players that do enter the pot , dont think like that . Just make a raise that looks like a steal , 3.5 x bb usually does the trick for someone to reraise you , and that is your plan ofcourse.

Hope this helps you for the sit out tables .


JCTM1988

[villaridge]

hey thanks. that sounded like very good advice, and i'm going to try it.

[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

[villaridge]

thanks scrawnybob. i was wondering about the collsion thing, if chatting that hey, lets split these blinds, was ok.

[xxmommaxx]

I know it can be boring, but take advantage of the situation and rake in those blinds if possible. If there is another player at the table that doesn't know how to play a "Sitter Table" you can take their chips too.. Or.. other times I am friendly feeling and ask the other non-sitter(s) if they want to alternate taking the table blinds until the sitters are gone.. Once most of the sitters are out and some real players are there agree to start playing normally..

Of course, this only works with someone who is willing and isn't trying to "trick" you.. I've been lucky so far and have had several people work with me..

What really bugs me is when You are the only live player at a table for 30 minutes or better and some "Sitter" finally decides to show up and starts playing like a maniac. After patiently and boringly collecting blinds for 30 minutes, I have built up a grudge against sitters and tried to aggressively impose my will..only to be knocked out soon after.... Can you say "TILT?".....

[mookjnsn]

i think we've all been in those situations, and the above advice is spot on. Take best advantage you can and try not to lose your mind

[villaridge]

Just an update, to says thanks for the advice. I have used it and find i tolerate the situation much better and to my advantage. This happens at a lot of forum freerolls everywhere. I have found that folks will usually take me up on the offer to split the blinds, once the concept is explained to them. for the times they don't respond I now raise the 1xBB and play like a heads up situation. and have had good luck with that.
So thanks 4K's

[dak76]

Hi villaridge
Nice thread

I am running away from those tourneys, but once in a while I do take my shot into the freroll sitters nightmare.

I wonder a few things:
A. What or how exactly did you propose live players into the deal?
B. Did you bet-fold 1BB preflop? did you find it +EV strategie?
C. Did you bet-fold 1BB flop? again, was it +EV considering 3bets on you?

cya

[$nidely]

Got bumped to a table where there was only 1 other live player, the rest sit outs. I started stealing blinds, but left the live player alone. Then he/she folds to the sitter outter. I found this frustrated me more than the sitters, so I went after those blinds as hard as I could. After a while live players showed up and I was just dissapointed I wasn't the one to put he/she out. I'm also curious about how to approach a player about splitting the blinds of sitters. It doesn't seem unethical to me, but I can see how it could be viewed that way.

May your straights never get flushed

$nidely