Big blind protection rule -- new idea at Tunica to reduce impact of unlucky movement into big blind at new table

[Dan Druff]

On mid-Day-4 2023 WSOP Main Event, I was well below average stacked, and my table broke right after I took the BB and SB.

"I bet I'll get the BB on my next table," I joked as I was racking up chips. "That's always how it goes for me when I don't have a lot of chips."

Sure enough, not only did I move right into the BB, but they moved me to the next table to break! I played the BB and SB, then the table broke again.

Where was I moved? Once again, I was at the next table to break, and again in the BB!

I was furious. Six blinds in a row, and again, I probably wouldn't see the round all the way through. I complained to the floor that they shouldn't have the seat cards out for a table about to break (unless it's really short), but I was dismissed and told there was nothing wrong with what they did.

From that point I didn't win another hand, and I busted a few hours later.


Anecdotal? Sure. But one of my big tournament pet peeves is being forced into the BB after just paying the blinds at a different table -- especially because the BB ante (equal to the BB) essentially forces you to pay yet another blind, and this can eat you alive when you're short stacked.

Here is the new idea proposed at Tunica to prevent this:

For the first time, The RunGood Poker Series is implementing the first use of The Big Blind Protection Rule for all of the tournaments occurring at Horseshoe Tunica.

Implemented, the rule states that a player who has come off of a broken table having just paid the big and small blind who would have been on the button will not come into the big blind at their new table.

"The idea was that we didn't want a player having to pay four blinds all in a row, effectively five big blinds," says tournament director Mike Murphy "now when we come up to break a table, the person that just paid both blinds that would have been on the button, will get protection that if they go to the new table and their first hand would have been the big blind where they would have been paying two more blinds, they will sit out until the button passes and then come in."

The rule will be further implemented in the next RunGood Poker Series stop in Baltimore, Maryland next weekend.

https://www.pokernews.com/tours/rung...ips.595953.htm


I think this is a great idea. Some are complaining that this will create "too much burden to manage", but not necessarily. All they have to do is give a special token or card to the person who was just on the SB on the final hand at the prior table, and then if they present that token, they will be placed on the button if they walk up to the table and they would otherwise be in the blinds.

[ftpjesus]

On mid-Day-4 2023 WSOP Main Event, I was well below average stacked, and my table broke right after I took the BB and SB.

"I bet I'll get the BB on my next table," I joked as I was racking up chips. "That's always how it goes for me when I don't have a lot of chips."

Sure enough, not only did I move right into the BB, but they moved me to the next table to break! I played the BB and SB, then the table broke again.

Where was I moved? Once again, I was at the next table to break, and again in the BB!

I was furious. Six blinds in a row, and again, I probably wouldn't see the round all the way through. I complained to the floor that they shouldn't have the seat cards out for a table about to break (unless it's really short), but I was dismissed and told there was nothing wrong with what they did.

From that point I didn't win another hand, and I busted a few hours later.


Anecdotal? Sure. But one of my big tournament pet peeves is being forced into the BB after just paying the blinds at a different table -- especially because the BB ante (equal to the BB) essentially forces you to pay yet another blind, and this can eat you alive when you're short stacked.

Here is the new idea proposed at Tunica to prevent this:

For the first time, The RunGood Poker Series is implementing the first use of The Big Blind Protection Rule for all of the tournaments occurring at Horseshoe Tunica.

Implemented, the rule states that a player who has come off of a broken table having just paid the big and small blind who would have been on the button will not come into the big blind at their new table.

"The idea was that we didn't want a player having to pay four blinds all in a row, effectively five big blinds," says tournament director Mike Murphy "now when we come up to break a table, the person that just paid both blinds that would have been on the button, will get protection that if they go to the new table and their first hand would have been the big blind where they would have been paying two more blinds, they will sit out until the button passes and then come in."

The rule will be further implemented in the next RunGood Poker Series stop in Baltimore, Maryland next weekend.

https://www.pokernews.com/tours/rung...ips.595953.htm


I think this is a great idea. Some are complaining that this will create "too much burden to manage", but not necessarily. All they have to do is give a special token or card to the person who was just on the SB on the final hand at the prior table, and then if they present that token, they will be placed on the button if they walk up to the table and they would otherwise be in the blinds.

Somebody needs to bring this up to Matt Savage so it can be incorporated more. I mean for all the faults of online poker I dont think Ive ever seen that happen online.. Has it happened sometimes where its back to back if a table breaks and players are consolidated sure but it really isnt fair especially now with the BB Ante in a lot of live tournaments, instead of everybody anteing like it used to be (not an issue online clearly unless a site ops for that setup in their tournament configuration on an MTT or SNG).

[FNdonkey]

I believe Tana (Rungood owner) posted they were discontinuing this. Seemed it worked better in theory than in reality.