Thoughts On Chopping

[bdc30 0]

Was in a $100+10 freezeout at Windsor Casino today. 45 players entered, top 5 pay out. We're at the final table down to 7 handed when one of the guys suggests a chop of the pot. At this point there were 4 "bigger stacks", 2 "average stacks" and one tiny one.The guy that proposed the chop was an "average" stack (as was I).With $4500 in the prize pool, it was decided that the larger stacks would all take $750, the average stacks would take $600, and the short stack $300. Everyone agreed to the chop EXCEPT for the guy that brought up the idea of the chop in the first place...He said no, he wanted an equal split for all 7 left.Soooooo.....you can all imagine what took place after that. Play on, was the order given by the floor man, and shortly thereafter, Mr. "equal share for all" found his a$s on the rail, watching the other 6 of us chop up the remaining pot...LOLCost himself $600 trying to eeek out another $50 or so for himself while he was well below the other players at the table....What would you guys have done in the same spot?

[ForRealDD 0]

I chop often if the blinds have become too high for play, but never 6 handed.

[GambleToWin 0]

Never chopped a tourney before and I wouldn't either unless I was in a bad financial situation. Go For The Gold Baby! However, I do chop pots in cash games when the money's all in on a coinflip. I seem to lose alot of races so I'd rather just chop it and get my money in when I'm ahead.

[fleung22 1]

oop...I guess I should have read the post before voting.I said "always" but I meant in a cash game SB / BB situation.In response to your question the answer is like everything else in poker...it depends. So "sometimes" is my official answer.

[NoSup4U 0]

If there was a short stack and it wasn't me, I would never even think of chopping :)I only chopped once, 3 handed, and we all were semi close in chips. We chopped evenly for more than 2nd place money.Mark

[pocktdeuces 0]

the tournies at my local cardroom are $50 buyin,,,usually 70 entrants. i have played i think 4 times, and have cashed twice. One time we chopped 4 ways, the other time heads up. Both times, blinds were so huge that the biggest M at the table was 2.5. At this point, no matter how good of a player you are, i think chopping is still the better option. Most small buyin live tournies have horrible structure, so i think chopping is usually the way to go. If i think that i have more equity than the offer i am getting, theres no way i would chop it.Jesse

[Kuge 0]

I have never chopped a tourney in my life.That being said, I've wanted to chop every tourney in my life in which I was in HU play.No one respects me

[benhoug 0]

oop...I guess I should have read the post before voting.I said "always" but I meant in a cash game SB / BB situation.In response to your question the answer is like everything else in poker...it depends. So "sometimes" is my official answer.

I too thought this was about blind vs. blind situations in cash games and voted never. In tourneys I've chopped once. It was an FCP Chicago home game w/ about 20 guys. I got heads-up and had about 40 % of the chips, and the other guy proposed a 60/40 chop. I don't know why I did I did it, but I chopped.

[Wandigo 1]

Was in a $100+10 freezeout at Windsor Casino today. 45 players entered, top 5 pay out. We're at the final table down to 7 handed when one of the guys suggests a chop of the pot. At this point there were 4 "bigger stacks", 2 "average stacks" and one tiny one.The guy that proposed the chop was an "average" stack (as was I).With $4500 in the prize pool, it was decided that the larger stacks would all take $750, the average stacks would take $600, and the short stack $300. Everyone agreed to the chop EXCEPT for the guy that brought up the idea of the chop in the first place...He said no, he wanted an equal split for all 7 left.Soooooo.....you can all imagine what took place after that. Play on, was the order given by the floor man, and shortly thereafter, Mr. "equal share for all" found his a$s on the rail, watching the other 6 of us chop up the remaining pot...LOLCost himself $600 trying to eeek out another $50 or so for himself while he was well below the other players at the table....What would you guys have done in the same spot?

I'd like to hear your thoughts about the structure of the tourney. I played the same one at Windsor about a month or two ago and made it to the final two tables. I wasn't a big fan of how fast it started going up and turned into a big all-in fest.

[showstopper24 0]

I really only play poker at my home game. the only times i chop is when i get lucky to still be in and i have a huge chip disadvantage. if the chips are even no chops

[blakheart 3]

Often at a small MTT we play at my local casino the first place is over $650 so we usually chop it to avoid reporting it to the IRS. Bigger tournaments it depends a lot on the blind structure. If the it is a crapshoot, I am more open to a chop. If there is still a lot of play, I play it out.

[The Bwaves 0]

I chop all the time if it's going to be in my best interest.Lets say it's heads up and there's 50 bucks for grabs I'll give the guy 5 or 10 bucks to chop it and end it there if I have a huge chip lead and he's folding every other hand to a minimum raise.If I'm the short stack and I'm getting a good price it's all good.If I'm getting raped, screw that.

[bdc30 0]

I'd like to hear your thoughts about the structure of the tourney. I played the same one at Windsor about a month or two ago and made it to the final two tables. I wasn't a big fan of how fast it started going up and turned into a big all-in fest.

It actually wasn't AS bad as some places I've played. For the 45 players, the whole thing lasted just under 4 hours (chopped obviously at last 6), and onceyou got past the first 2 rounds (started with $2k, blinds 25-50) which were only 20 minutes long, all the rest of the rounds were 30 mins. I found that as long as I had at least an average stack (or above) the blinds actually were decent, and allowed a guy to make or call a raise preflop without HAVING to shove.All in all, like I say, for a low-ish buyin tourney, it was decent.

[Dogpatch 2]

It's pretty much standard to chop around here. Most people even expect it and get ill if you don't want to. I have done it. (not gotten ill, but chopped) I wanted to split one time, HU and the other guy didn't want to and I ended up taking it down. Usually what we do is a certain dollar amount for every 1k in chips. That way the larger stack gets paid off slightly more. Most of the time the splits are when it gets to heads up, every now and then we'll do a 3 way but it has to be a good sized pool.

[threeparrots 0]

Jesus. Does every tournament at Casino Windsor end in a chop? Every time I'm there while a tournament is going on it ends in a chop. Chop Chop Chop!!!! It's pretty lame. Would the TD allow a chop after the first person is eliminated? "Well, we're down to 18 so we should chop." I'm sure it would fly. Chop! Chop! Chop!

I'd like to hear your thoughts about the structure of the tourney. I played the same one at Windsor about a month or two ago and made it to the final two tables. I wasn't a big fan of how fast it started going up and turned into a big all-in fest.

Agreed. I guess the once per month, $500 tournament is a fairly decent structure but it could be hear-say.

[Wandigo 1]

Jesus. Does every tournament at Casino Windsor end in a chop? Every time I'm there while a tournament is going on it ends in a chop. Chop Chop Chop!!!! It's pretty lame. Would the TD allow a chop after the first person is eliminated? "Well, we're down to 18 so we should chop." I'm sure it would fly.

It certainly would fly. They already got their rake from the buy-in and they wouldn't have to get dealers for the tournament either. Although I don't think that kind of chop would ever happen, but would be funny to see.

[mkaplan108 0]

For me it all totally depends on the situation...I have chopped 4 times out of maybe 10 offered. I will only take a deal if the money jump between places is significant to me or the blinds make it not worth it to continue. If there is a short stack at the table I will almost always decline and wait for them to bust. Also I refuse to chop at home games, mostly out of ego.Examples of when I have chopped-1. $20 HU Tourney on Stars- Right when we got down to the final four there was an even chop offereed. I had been playing something like 5 hours straight and was beyond hungry, so I took the deal.2. $65 Live tourney @ Local Casino (160 players)- 4 Handed all pretty much even in chips, with all having an M of maybe 3. Chopped even for about second place money ($1320). I know I was the best player at the table and if they blinds were lower I would have said no but it was the right move here.All the chops I declined were in SNG's at the local casino, usually HU of 3 handed. The local players are always asking for chops so they can lock up money, and I either just felt like gambling or had a chip lead.

[Tiltinagain 973]

Often at a small MTT we play at my local casino the first place is over $650 so we usually chop it to avoid reporting it to the IRS. Bigger tournaments it depends a lot on the blind structure. If the it is a crapshoot, I am more open to a chop. If there is still a lot of play, I play it out.

It's pretty common to chop at the locals poker rooms where I play, usually not until it's three handed though and, if I've got a big chip lead, I never agree to chop.Last time I did we got heads up and we were very close to even in chips and the other guy offered to chop the pot but still play it out with the winner getting an extra $50. Seemed like a fair deal to me so I agreed...and got the extra $50 Which card room do you play at blakheart?I see you're in Roseville, ever played at Deuces Wild up in Auburn? Good cash games, only true NLHE around from what I hear but haven't played any tourney's there.

[kkcountry 0]

I play in this tourney on occasion (2 times, one cash in a 50+5) and I would never chop on the bubble, as most of the ppl who play in these things pecker up on the bubble, and I stealing on the bubble. I would consider it 5 handed at most.