01- 4-05, LearnTexasHoldem:

What Determines The Number Of Side Pots

Question/Comment: hi,

I've just started to play with some friends the problem, and i think the main one is the side pot thing. i read some examples, and there's no example with 2 side pots, if you could give one with 4 players instead of 3 it will be really appreciated...

1) what determine the number of sides pots ???

2) a simple question also...if on a 8 players tourney, there's 2 ALL-IN'S does it mean we'll have 2 side pots ???

thx a lot

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer: The answer to question 2, is not necessarily. If the two players have different amounts of chips then there would be two side pots. If both players had the same amount of chips and went in all-in at the same time, there would be only one side pot (or no side pot if there wasn't betting after they went all-in).

What determines how many side pots there are created is how many all-in players there are and the betting after the person went all-in. The idea with the side pot is that a player shouldn't be able to win more from another player than he himself wagered. So if I have $50 left, I can only take $50 from you. I can also only take $50 from someone else, etc.

Here is an example of 4 players and some side pots.

Player A $1000 chips

Player B $800 chips

Player C $600 chips

Player D $500 chips

No Limit Holdem - Blinds $50/100

Preflop:

- Player A posts Big Blind - $100

- Player B posts Small Blind - $50

- Player C calls - $100

- Player D raises all-in - $500

- Player A calls the raise

- Player B calls the raise

- Player C calls the raise

- the pot is now $2000 and Player D is all-in. Any player can win this pot.

Flop:

- Player B checks

- Player A bets all-in - $500

- Player C calls all-in - $100

- Player B calls all-in - $300

- notice how Player A has more chips than the other two players so we are going to have to make some side pots to make it fair. We look at the person with the least amount of chips, Player C and multiply that by the amount of callers (3).

- So the first side pot is $300. Player A, B or C can win this pot (just like the main pot) because they all wagered money in it.

- Player A and B both wagered more money after Player C went all-in and that side pot will be whatever Player B has left times two (because there are two players left with money).

- The last side pot is $400 ($200 from Player A and Player B). Only Player A and B will be able to win this pot. Player A also gets his remaining money ($100) back because no one had enough to match it.

Then to figure out who won which pot we first start with the main pot. Who has the best hand out of Player A, B, C or D? That person gets the pot.

Next, for the first side pot, who has a better hand, Player A, B, or C? Again that guy gets the pot.

Lastly, who gets the last side pot? It is whoever has the best hand between Player A or B.

Notice how Player A could lose the main pot and still win the other two. Or he could have the best hand and take them all. See the whole point again with side pots is you can't win more from me then you wagered against me. As soon as Player D's cash ran out, his chance for winning more money ran out. The max he could hope for is to go all-in and get called by everyone.

Your rating:

Click on the clover of your choice

User Rating: (1 Votes)

  • Share on Facebook
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us