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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Rants & Raves: The All-In Muck

(Updated 10/02)

Last week, ESPN's WSOP coverage showed the most controversial hand of the Main Event. Here is the Poker News entry in their Live Reporting of the Main Event:

Gaelle Baumann opened for a min-raise to 60,000 from under the gun, and the action folded to Andras Koroknai, who moved all in for what looked like 2 million from the small blind. Gavin Smith folded from the big blind, and thinking that the action was completed, Koroknai mucked his hand.

When he realized his mistake, he pulled back one of his cards, but the other was irretrievable. A floorperson was called to the table, and the dealer explained what had happened. Tournament Director Dennis Jones was called over to make the ruling, and upon hearing the story, he stood silently for half a minute. 

Smith, who was standing next to him, began laughing at the difficulty of the decision. 

After a moment for thought, Jones informed the table that Koroknai would have to forfeit 60,000 chips to Baumann, but that he wouldn't be eliminated completely. 

"Really?" Smith blurted. 

Baumann was also confused with the ruling, so Jones pulled out his iPhone and called Vice President of the World Series of Poker Jack Effel. After a two-minute conversation, Jones hung up, and announced to the table that the original ruling would stand. 

"You're not losing your tournament life," Jones told Koroknai. 

In Jones' explanation to the table, he cited the "integrity of the tournament" as the major factor in the decision. 

According to Smith, Baumann showed two kings. 

Many players that I've overheard talking about this hand think it's bullshit that the Tournament Director let the SB stay alive in the tournament. He said "All-In", and then forfeited his hand, therefore he should forfeit his tournament life.

As many of you know, I am a former Tournament Director for some home games back in Cleveland. I feel the WSOP got this call mostly right. There was clearly no angle-shot by the SB. He simply screwed up by not paying attention to the action of the UTG.

But Greg, he said All-In and everyone knows that "verbal is binding". Yes, if you want to go with "the letter of the law" then verbal is binding. But TDA Rule #1 is "Floor people are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as top priorities in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floorperson’s decision is final."

That means you don't eliminate a player on a technicality, as it is not in the best interest of game or fairness. However, I will criticize the Dealer. It's his responsibility to follow the action, and stop the cards from being mucked. Then the action could have taken place as it should of done, which is UTG calling the All-In and running out the Board. Remember, just because she had KK, it doesn't mean that she would have won.

So, Greg, isn't this just encouraging other player to go All-In as a bluff, and muck their cards when they get called? No, that would be a different situation: Player A makes a preflop raise; Player B goes All-In; Player A says "Call"; Player B says "@#$!" and mucks his cards. The key is when the Call is made. In this case, Player A clearly said Call before Player B ejects. This is a clear angle-shot, and his All-In would be binding, even if the Dealer couldn't save the cards.

The one part of the decision that I do disagree with was the amount that the SB had to surrender. To me, the All-In was a raise, and he should have to make a raise. In cases where the amount of the raise is unclear, then a min-raise must be made. And that is what I would have ruled that he surrendered, which would be 90k.

I would also like to give the SB a 1-orbit penalty for being a moron, and putting me in this situation. However I don't think the rules would allow me to do that.

EDIT (10/02) - As it turns out, the dealer for this hand is a dealer at the Peppermill named Steve who also does various tournament series around the area, and I've seen him on some of the TV coverage. He was our dealer yesterday at the Grand Sierra's Fall Pot Of Gold, and a discussion of this hand came up.

He said that he stopped the action at the table once he realized that the SB had insta-mucked. He tried to grab the cards before they were gone into the muck, but was only able to grab one of them because the SB tossed them so hard. The girl didn't say that she wanted to call until 20 minutes later, after a few Floorpersons were called over.

He also brought up chip dumping, and how easier it would be if a someone's horse would go All-In and muck all of their chip to their Master.

Many of the players at the table asked the dealer what his opinion was about this situation while they were waiting for a decision by the Floor. He said that he's just a dealer, and it not his job to make decisions, which is the right attitude for a dealer to have.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Amen, good call.