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You are the Tournament Director Series 5: Can a Player on another Table Call 'Time'

This one was posted on the Mob forum by jun_fan_lee

Quick question, is it possible for a player from another table to call the clock on someone?

For example, if there are two tables left playing hand for hand on the FT bubble. Someone from the other table decides to watch the action on the active table after their hand is finished. Can this person then call time?

Obviously it is hand for hand so it doesn't affect the next elimination but if the blind clock is still active and they are short stacked then it might be a concern for them.

Jack Effel
Yes, a player is allowed to call the clock on a player at another table if a reasonable amount of time (no less than two minutes) has passed, and the tournament is at a stand still. The TD should be watching closely at that stage of the tournament to ensure players are not deliberately stalling.

Thomas Kremser:
Players can only call time on their own table.

David Lamb
Yes, as long as it is a bubble or in the money situation. Even if the clock was stopped during hand-for- hand, the other players are entitled to resume play within a reasonable amount of time.
 

David Luzago
Yes. Calling the clock from a player of another table is possible and only possible at a hand to hand situation.
At any other moment time may only be require for all those who have been dealt in the hand. They will not be able to do so players from other tables but they can make a complain to the tournament direction if they noticed a voluntary loss of time of a whole table or a particular player because this may affect to the normal and legal development of the competition. The complaint will be heard and heeded.

Matt Savage
The only time I allow time to be called by a player on another player to call time is hand for hand on the money bubble and that is only if it is not abused and a reasonable amount of time has elapsed.

Thomas Lamatsch
No, it isn’t possible! A player from the other table could have other and more information about the hand, also a friend could be involved in this hand and it isn’t an objective decision! For sure there can some concerns for the shortstack on the other table, but it is the responsibility and overview of the TD to stop maybe the clock. Also, if you once starting to allow players from other tables to ask for time, we would have a never ending story! 

JP McCann
I only allow players at the table to call for a clock. As we are playing hand for hand all players will be paying the same amount in blinds and antes.However if I suspect a player is intentionally stalling the progress of the game he will incur a penalty.

FIDPA (The International Poker Rules) Ruling (Marcel Luske)

57.1. Any player in the tournament may put another player on the 'clock,' if a player is taking more than a reasonable amount of time to make a decision.

57.3. A player intentionally stalling the progress of the game will incur a penalty.

Rule 7 - Poker Etiquette,
To maintain the integrity and fairness of the tournament and to provide a player friendly environment, the following actions are considered improper and unsportsmanlike behaviour; needlessly stalling the action of a hand.

No matter if there are 2 or 22 reasons to think of why, it is clear that it will effect all players in the event and so its all players right and obligation to report unsportsmanlike like behaviour !

As a competing player in the competition you are obligated to report any kind of foul play in the event you are in , no matter on which table you play or if you are part of the action or not !

Mob Verdict

Many of the TDs mention the hand for hand stage as being the time when players should be able to call time on a player at on other table. In one way this is curious as 'hand for hand' comes into effect not only so as to make sure it is allways clear who finishes on the bubble but also precisley to obviate any benefit that might be derived from time wasting at this crucial stage.

In our experience it is the period imediately before hand for hand when you are more likeky to see time wasting.  There are also other stages in a tournament where the problem is common. For example when a table is about to break, when the blinds are about to go up or when players are waiting for a short handed table to fill up.

There are broadly two schools of thought expressed by out TDs.  Those like Jack Effel who feel all players have the right to draw attention to time abuses and those like Thomas Lamatch who consider it would be too disruptive in practice and would lead to players jumping around and watching each others tables.
As is often the case, we can see both sides here and to some extent we are going to sit on the fence.

We feel that players close to the action, i.e. at the same table, should be the ones to call time on individual players, but that all players should be able to draw the attention of the TD to a particular table where they think there is a problem with stalling.  After all, this should only be necessary if there was a failure by the players on that table as a whole to police the problem.  Having had the issue brought to their attention the TD can now keep an eye on that table and take action/issue warnings as they deem necessary.  This approach provides players and TD with a means of ensuring fair play whilst minimising the disruption and abuse that could arise from opening up clock calling rights to everyone.

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