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You are the Tournament Director Series 2: When is Verbal Action Valid?

During the 2005 Monte Carlo Millions it was approaching the end of the day and Achilleas Kallakis had just lost a big pot. As the dealer started to shuffle he announced that he was going to go all in whatever saying, ‘When it gets to me I am all in whatever happens’. He still had quite a decent stack by the way.

He said it again as the dealer finished shuffling,
Again after the cut,
Again after the first card had been dealt,
Again after everyone had one card and finally just after the last card had been dealt. What are his options when the action gets to him?
In any event it passed to him, he moved all in and everyone behind him passed.

Danny McDonagh Danny
When he said his statment after the last card was dealt I would call it as action out of turn and ask him to place his all in bet out in front of him. At the end of the hand I would caution him that if he acts out of turn again I would give him a time penalty.

Thomas Kremser Thomas
If he says: “All-in” when the deal was finished, he has to go All-in if no other player raises in front of him.

Matt Savage Matt
I would make it clear to him that it is bad etiquette to do this but if the action had not changed to him when it was his turn I would make him go all-in.

Roy Houghton Roy
He has to go all in. As soon as he has made the declaration. The minute the first card is in his hand and he makes a declaration he's all-in it's binding.

Luke Ivory Luke
His verbal statement only counts after the last player has received his full hand, everything that went before is ignored as the hand had not been completely dealt. He is now bound to go all in (declaring out of turn), he should be cautioned about acting out of turn deliberately and may be penalised for doing so.

Mel Judah Mel
After the last card was dealt (not before) and he says “all in” it is binding.

Mob Verdict

All our Tournament Directors agree with the exception of Roy that the all in declaration in valid as ‘out of turn’ action as soon as the last card has been dealt. We think that between Luke and Matt we have it covered. The only thing that Luke misses out is if the action changes before it gets to him then he can change his action. If a player raises before him then he doesn’t have to go all in as action has changed whereas if all players acting before him have only folded or called then his all in stands.

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