Blinds-Chop?
Today I made my first trip to a real B&M Cardroom, which was exiting besides the fact that I ended up down $80 after 6 hours of 3-6. I feel I played decent, but the cards just didnt fall my way in the end.
Anyways, my question was about chopping blinds. I just wanted to hear some responses regarding it. I was given the option once through out my session and did it, but wondered if it is always the correct play?
thanks,
Irah
Anyways, my question was about chopping blinds. I just wanted to hear some responses regarding it. I was given the option once through out my session and did it, but wondered if it is always the correct play?
thanks,
Irah
Comments
It helps to speed the game up if both the blinds fold, the rake from the casino with just the blinds playing is very oppressive over time. I have folded many AA, KK out of big and small blinds, but it is each individual players right to chop/play, just be consistent.
1. If I'm in the small blind and it's folded around to me, I play out the hand as I normally would regardless of what the big blind wants. If he asks for a chop, I'll say "no" and then often I'll look down at my cards and muck them, giving him my small blind. If he tries to give me back my small blind, I refuse it (and often they will try!).
2. If I'm in the big blind and it's folded around to the small blind and he asks if I want to chop, I'll say no, but I'm willing to "roll them." [keep in mind too, that I never look at my cards until it's my turn to act so at this point I still won't know what my cards are in the BB, so I'm not angle-shooting in any way]. Rolling the cards is simply when the SB completes his blind and the cards are flipped up and board cards are dealt. Winning hand takes down the two small bets. I like this because it also makes it possible to win the bad beat jackpot at almost zero risk; whereas, if you chopped, there is zero chance of winning the jackpot for almost no gain.
That's the way I roll,
Phil
Red
Chopping the blinds is often (but not always*) allowed in cash games when the pre-flop action is folded to the blinds. Both of the blinds need to agree to chop the blinds for it to happen.
The actual "chopping" consists of both players taking back their blinds, and moving onto the next hand.
I personally will always chop the blinds with any player who wants to chop. An exception is if I see one of my opponents play his/her blinds (in a spot where they could have chopped) one time (whether or not it is against me), I will always play the blinds against this player from that point on. My reasoning is that you must either always chop, or never chop.
Here are some advantages/disadvantages I can think of to chopping.
Advantages:
1. Often raked games have a "no flop, no drop" rule, so you may avoid some of the house fee.
2. It is a lower variance play. (Although variance should be of little concern to winning cash game players.)
3. Helps to maintain a friendly table image. On rare occasions, I have seen a non-chopper become a target of the table because they are being "too serious". (This, I think, is pretty looney.)
Disadvantages:
1. If you have a large heads-up skill advantage against your opponent, you lose this edge when you chop the blinds with him/her. (The opposite is also true of course.)
2. IMO, the SB has a slight advantage heads-up versus the BB all else being equal, due to the "right of first bluff", particularly on the pre-flop and flop betting rounds. This is either a slight advantage or disadvantage whether a non-chopper is on your left or right. I listed this under "disadvantages" because not chopping yourself removes your exposure to single-sided chopping.
3. The player you are currently chopping against may decide later on to play the blinds against you instead of chopping when he/she picks up a big hand. If you discarded good hands earlier when chopping against this player, you have put yourself at a disadvantage.
ScottyZ
*I've never seen any online poker site which allows chopping the blinds. I'm surprised that any rake-based cardroom allows chopping the blinds. Generally, no chopping allowed = more rake.
Funny story. I'm at the Mirage, and it's folded to me in the SB. I look over to my left and ask if he chops. "Grumble, grumble, arge, yeah I chop". Ok, and he shows me his aces. Next round, guy to my right asks me if I chop. I look over to my left and say "If I say no, will you punch me". He smiles and I say, "yes I chop". It just kept the game "happy" and profitable.
Cheers
Magi
Imagine the The "No-Chopping" Rule:
SB to BB: hmmm.... everyone folded.... you wanna chop?
BB: Sure
Dealer: I'm sorry... we don't allow chopping here.
SB: That's pretty anal-retentive! I fold!
BB: Wooo Hooo... I win... hey SB... that was a good line... here's your SB back!
virtually everyone at riverrock's NL game chops, unless they are new and have no clue what it means....sure it hurts to chop aces once in a blue moon, but the vast majority of the time the blinds both have crap, and the house is the only real winner...however, shorthanded games are the exception, i won't chop if its less than 6 handed