This query pertains to the proper way to play in an unsual final table-s, and the implications of changing dealers during the final few hands. First, the situation and then, the finals. A 50000 tournament advertised as a max entry of 100 players but ending with almost 200. 25000 of equal cash and table play chips for 1st, 12000 for 2nd etc. 36 wild cards for rebuy, 6 more called from those eliminated in rebuy, and I think 4 more for semis and 4 for the final tables. Yes, there were two final tables with six at each and only six will be in the money. Here is where the interesting part begins. On table 1 the dealer is dumping chips onto the players. Table 2 players are taking a beating. At the count, (15 hands) all six players at table one are leading, with the nearest competitor at table 2, 3000 behind the lowest at table one. On hand 16 the 2 dealers exchange tables and the fortunes are reversed. Now the dealer is dumping on table 2. After the final hand, table two has taken the top two spots(only 3 players were left at 2), and both totals are a max bet greater than the #3 finalist. I have seen this happen before and wonder if there is any way to counteract the reversal. There was a count on hand 19, which allowed the players to gauge their play, but short of someone actually telling you what each player on the opposing table has bet, then you have little information with which you can use to play hands 16-19. I think there should be a title for the alteration of cards played, when the dealers are changed during a round of tournament play. Just an observation, maybe some of you have experienced similar oddities during your play.
format this is a very weird format - for sure - makes the last round a 12 player accumulation format - which is very unfair - don't think changing dealers had anything to do with the change in cards - they would have to be cheating for that to happen - so most likely coincidence - best advice - don't play this tourney until they make the format rational - as you describe it - it is just a shootout and pray to get lucky
Unusual Format This sounds like the tournaments at Kiowa casino. 21 hands, 14th hand lowest chip count out, 21st hand lowest out, possible 5 advance. If a person busts out they don't count on the 14th or 21st hand. So, you can intentionally take the lowest chip count out with you by busting out. The first time it was a wierd game to play. After a few times it became very interesting and fun. It took a lot of strategy (or luck) to survive. Standing at the final tables (2-3) it was fun watching the chip stacks at the other tables and trying to bet accordingly. Check out Kiowa Casino Happenings 3 pages back.
coincidence-change dealers RKuczek, It is interesting that you say a change of dealers would only be a coincidental event in the reversal of table play from one table to another. I also agree that it is coincidence, but somewhere in this tiny brain of mine, I think there is a something happening that is beyond counting and is unexplained. Could the elimination of players improve the grouping of cards? Could each dealer burning a card alter the remaining cards in a + or - manner? I sometimes play in games where the addition or dropping of a player seems to alter the results. Is this coincidence or am I expecting a change and when it does happen it is easily remembered the next time I play. There may be a number of studies out there that explain the significance or not of this happening. Meantime I watch people jumping in or out of games because of the number players at the table. Does this alter your wins and losses? I ask questions that I do not have the answers. Maybe you wise members of this forum will jump on this topic and provide more insight.
changing dealers the probabilities depend entirely on the cards remaining in the deck/shoe - number of players doesn't matter - though the probabilities do alter as each card is dealt - what you may be seeing sometimes - is that a lot of low cards are coming out early at one table - which favors the dealer - while high cards, that favor the player, are coming out early at the other table - towards the end of the shoe - the first table will have a positive count - as it is depleted of low cards - and more high carfds remain - so the hands turn favorable at the end - while the other table - the reverse is happening - most likely it is just random variance - and - I believe a lot of what people see as 'unusual' is just because you notice the odd events, but forget the many times the cards behave as you expect them to - someone jumping in or out of games as the number of players change - well - probably isn't a very good player - as that really doen't make a lot of sense - the only effect the number of players would have - I think - is that if you have a positive count - more players means more cards dealt - so you probably won'y have as many hands to benefit from before the count goes back to neutral - but - same reasoning would apply to a very negative count - fewer bad hands for you if more players are removing more cards from the deck - I am sure that there are players on this site that could address that issue better than I can
