[track1697]

What is everyones thoughts on people stalling on the bubble? It happens online all the time. I was in a tourney tonight and I guy that had the 2nd lowest chips with 1 place left that wouldn't get paid. It was a 2.20 tourney and 15th got all of 5 bucks. Yet he took the full time every single time for about 3 times around the table. I raised his BB when I was on the button with 3-8 and showed him and told him that he should stop stalling but then the whole table jumped down my throat. Everyone seem to agree what he was doing was perfectly legal.

Someone finally got knocked out and he went all in and was the 1st one out after the bubble man and won his 5 bucks (well only profit 2.50) that he was so desperate to get.


Either way I'm not a big fan of stalling, but I guess I should just keep quite and just take these guys chips next time. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[sensei24]

Originally Posted by track1697

What is everyones thoughts on people stalling on the bubble? It happens online all the time. I was in a tourney tonight and I guy that had the 2nd lowest chips with 1 place left that wouldn't get paid. It was a 2.20 tourney and 15th got all of 5 bucks. Yet he took the full time every single time for about 3 times around the table. I raised his BB when I was on the button with 3-8 and showed him and told him that he should stop stalling but then the whole table jumped down my throat. Everyone seem to agree what he was doing was perfectly legal.

Someone finally got knocked out and he went all in and was the 1st one out after the bubble man and won his 5 bucks (well only profit 2.50) that he was so desperate to get.


Either way I'm not a big fan of stalling, but I guess I should just keep quite and just take these guys chips next time. Anyone else have any thoughts?

I don't blame him. It's ok if he stall.
Think about that on the other table it will be a player that stalls too.
That's why they put a time for every player on his hand.
You have the right to use all the time you had.
If you are, let's say, on a tournament with $150 for the 15 place i'm sure you will stall too.
Maybe he needed that $2.5 , who knows.

[TriptreysNJ]

Stalling is apart of the game man. Even if in a ring game, you can use stalling as a way to make people think your "thinking" hard about your decision...ya know?

[BSgutshot]

It's perfectly legal to do, I wouldn't stall on the bubble, especially for a $2.50 profit. I may play slower(as in playing conservatively), but I wouldn't stall. Basically, I have no problem with other people doing it, I just wouldn't be the one doing it.

[UofTNick]

I understand that stalling can be very annoying. I've been in both situations - meaning that i have had a big stack and have had to wait for a staller, and I have had a really small stack, and have slowed down myself.

But like the other guys said, they aren't breaking any rules. They are simply using all of the time that has been alotted to them. It can be frustrating, but it's a perfectly legitimate strategy, that can pay off.

[iceberg]

At first I was against it. Then I added stalling as one of my strategies when on the Bubble. With two tables left, you need to also monitor the other table to checkout who may blind out first. Nothing worse than playing for a couple of hours and busting on the Bubble. I've seen it where one table plays regular speed and the other takes it's time. There is more opportunity for a novice with a mid-size stack to make a mistake or take a Bad Beat on the Bubble. Yup, just keep quiet and steal their blinds.

[track1697]

You all made some good points and next time I'll just be quite and steal the blinds of these stallers. I wouldn't have been suprized if this guy would have folded AA just to win his 2.50. I have slowed down and even to the point that you may consider stalling closer to the bubble. But I have never been to the point were I'll let my timer time out and sit me out every time it was my turn to act. Maybe I'll look to do it a little more next time I'm on the bubble.

[Acorn89]

Stalling is prefectly fine with me because if someone stalls they will be stalling for me too since were at the same table and like you guys said you can have free control over there blinds. I know on Fulltilt though they make it more like live play because when it gets down to the bubble they will play the tables hand for hand. Im not sure if this is on any other sites though.

[iceberg]

I'll definitely say something when a player is stalling at the BEGINNING of the tournie. That makes it boring and frustrating.

Hand for hand is a good idea on the bubble and on increases in payout (when there are still two or more tables). But most sites that I've played don't have that, so stalling on the bubble is a good tactic to use IMO. I've seen players survive the bubble with about 1BB or less.

[TriptreysNJ]

Originally Posted by iceberg

At first I was against it. Then I added stalling as one of my strategies when on the Bubble.

I have no shame in doing it either my man. ....this is poker. Only the sneakiest survive.