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You are the Tournament Director Series 5: Online MTT Player all in but away, can they win the hand?

This one was submitted by Tony Ure:

Player is in an online tournament and is sat out at the start of the hand. Blinds are 1,000/2,000 and antes are 200. The player only has 150 chips remaining so is put all in by the antes. Is this players hand live, i.e. can he win the portion of the antes that matches his 150 "bet" or would you fold him and eliminate him from the tournament.

Obviously much easier in the live environment as you can see the player is not at the table.

I have differing opinions for both views, some European online sites would let him win play for the antes, others will fold his hand and eliminate him from the tournament.

What would your opinion be?

Thomas Kremser
In the world of live poker, an All-In hand of a player will be dead and the explanation for that is, that there is no player to play that hand. In other words, the player cannot make a showdown (actively turn over his hand).
I have no idea how online sites are seeing this situation but my personal opinion would be, to make no difference to live game. The player is not there to play the hand because he is on "sit out". He might not be at his computer or may have left the tournament at all. It would be unfair to other players that are playing actively.

David Lamb
The hand is dead, he is eliminated.
 

David Luzago
His hand must be clearly dead as long as he is not there to play it. Makes no difference to me if the hand has been dealt on a live or a net environment. Makes also no sense to me the fact that the web site allows him to continue playing even if he is not there to do it.

Matt Savage
The hand is dead. Online and live clearly have different rules but I think this hand has to be dead or else a non active player could actually win the tournament.
 

Thomas Lamatsch
The hand is dead, he can not win. Especially online is has to be like this! No matter, why the player is on "sitout", he is not there and not active! So there can't be any protection and difference, if he would have i.e. 210 left, players hand is dead and he is eliminate from the tournament!

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

We are talking about one absent player that is being given the maximum opportunity to get back in the game until his chip stack became zero.

He or she have clearly declared not to be at the table.( by the sign saying I am sitting out ), so the player did notify all players and the TD up front.

Why should that then suddenly being treated differently with the final All in of the chips?
All those times before when nobody raised any BB in the same circumstances not one single time they deal a flop. (I have never seen a flop being dealt in that particular situation)

So therefore: Online they don't take player's entire stack out of play because they might be back at any moment, so therefore they give the benefit of the doubt to the player..Until the last chips are placed in..that will be the latest moment to exclude them from further play or rights to win the all in play, unless the sign says .. I'm Back.... in time,...which is more than fair I believe.

Rule 17.1: An 'absent player' will maintain their obligations for blinds, antes, and forced bets. Blinds, antes, and forced bets will be taken in turn from all chip stacks regardless if the player is seated.

Rule 17.2: On occasion, a situation may arise whereas a player may have to voluntarily leave the tournament due to unforeseen circumstances. The player should notify the Tournament Director of their intent to voluntarily leave and not return to the tournament. At that point, the player’s entire chip stack will be taken out of play. The player will then be deemed 'disqualified' and will not be allowed to re-enter, nor will the player’s entry be transferable or refundable.

David Flusfeder (IFP – International federation of Poker)
I think the live/online element is a bit of a red herring here... The player's absent: his hand is dead.
IFP rule, number 8:
ABSENT PLAYER: An absent player will be dealt in and maintain his/her obligation for blinds, antes and forced bets. An absent all-in hand will be automatically mucked and the player will be eliminated. The player will be entitled to any prize monies that finishing position may award.

Mob Verdict

We have to admit when first faced with this scenario we didn't see it as clear cut as the panel do. However on reflection the weight of one way opinion can not be ignored and if a player is not at the table his hand is clearly dead.

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