03-29-06, LearnTexasHoldem:

Blind Assignment When Small Blind Busts Out

Question: Hi: At a tournament when you get to the final table of eight players and a player is knocked out and the player to his left was the big blind and now will be the small blind and next hand the big blind again - What are the rules governing blinds in this situation where by their size it impacts the game? Lloyd.

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

>Answer:Thanks for the question Lloyd. If I understand what you are asking, you want to know how to handle this situation: We have 8 players. You said, the player who gets knocked out has the big blind to his left; that makes him the small blind. (I'm assuming that's what you mean, or this answer obviously won't answer your question *smile*).

Hand 1:

Player
(DEALER)

Player
(SMALL BLIND)

Player
(BIG BLIND)

Player

Player

Player

Player

Player

- The small blind busts out in this hand.

Hand 2:

Player

Empty Seat
(DEALER)

Player
(SMALL BLIND)

Player
(BIG BLIND)

Player

Player

Player

Player

- We use a "dead dealer button" here in the empty seat and the other two blinds are assigned as normal.

Hand 3:

Player

Empty Seat

Player
(DEALER)

Player
(SMALL BLIND)

Player
(BIG BLIND)

Player

Player

Player

- And now everything is back to how it should be.

Now, what just happened above and why? We used what is called a dead dealer button. A dead dealer button is when you put the dealer button on a seat that doesn't have a player in it. It is used for blinds issues like this so that we can keep everything as fair as possible. As you have guessed, since you sent in this question, it isn't fair for someone to either get nailed with the big blind twice in a row or for someone to get away without having to post the big blind at all. (Remember that you don't want to be in the blinds because it forces you to wager some money without seeing what cards you have yet.) So by implementing the dead dealer button thing, we solve the both issues: we don't skip anyone or double anyone.

And as a side note for home games where the dealer button is actually a "dealer" (someone who deals cards as opposed to cardrooms that provide a dealer), you can just have the previous dealer deal again.

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