How Many Seats At Poker Table
The first place to the dealer’s left is called “seat one,” or “the one seat,” followed clockwise by Seat 2, etc. For most games, the last seat, which is on the dealer’s right, is either Seat 9. It’s ten people, it should be fun. If you’re just crushed in with nine other people, and you don’t get to see flops, it’s going to be pretty off-putting for people who want to come. Seating poker players Most full-size oval poker tables can comfortably seat 10 players and most round or octagonal poker tables can comfortably seat 6 or 8 players. Eight, 9, or 10 players per table is.
Poker tables range from 4 to 11 players, with 8 being one of the most common configurations. The actual physical size will vary from around 50 inches for more compact round tables up to 70 to 80 inches.
To the OP, it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever unless you have information about the cards that are going to be dealt OR if the shuffler is as bent as David Beckhams penalty kicks!!!Actually (and I guessing based on 5-card poker) that if you had a close decision you might change your decision based on other people's decisions (in 5-card I think you play marginal AK hands if everyone else does), so sometimes playing last (and receiving last) could have a benefit.
btw I'm hoping the shuffler using a timing chip, so it picks the hands randomly at the time the button is pressed rather than by some pre-determined [random] order. The only time it matters is if the first three cards are already waiting to be handed out (sitting in the tray) and someone barges in, changes money and bets the first box ahead of you. This might be a reason for never playing an early box or always grabbing first box if you were superstitious.
But technically if you were only playing your own hand based on your cards only - it should make no difference.
How are you gonna base your decision on any one else's cards? We are talking about the game where the optimum strategy is the exact same every hand, correct? How would it possibly change if you wait for other players to make their decision to bet or fold?
Don't forget the button on the shuffling machine that makes everyone lose.
Everyone knows that's not true, it's just a joke about the old days before the new book was written that clearly states that anything the casino offers, such as surrender, is a sucker bet. Surrender is just like insurance. Doubling down is not offered by the casino, it is permitted.
.... Doubling down is not offered by the casino, it is permitted.
Ah....that's DIFFERENT!The main reason for this is the fact that if a player sits down in front of you, there's a chance that they'll sit down to a great hand, which would have been yours. Granted, there's just as good a chance that they'll take the rotten hand and give you the good hand. But if the player does sit down and 'take' your winner away, you have to ask yourself if you're the sort who would go on tilt because of this. As a table games dealer, I've seen this happen countless times, and as a gambler myself, I've had this happen to me.
If you think you might tilt and start playing poorly as a result (betting -EV hands out of frustration), better to avoid the situation by taking the first seat, where for better or worse, you will always have 'your' hand.
Statistically, it makes no difference which seat you choose. Psychologically, however, I would submit that in games like Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold'em, you would benefit from taking the first base seat if it is available.
The main reason for this is the fact that if a player sits down in front of you, there's a chance that they'll sit down to a great hand, which would have been yours. Granted, there's just as good a chance that they'll take the rotten hand and give you the good hand. But if the player does sit down and 'take' your winner away, you have to ask yourself if you're the sort who would go on tilt because of this. As a table games dealer, I've seen this happen countless times, and as a gambler myself, I've had this happen to me.
If you think you might tilt and start playing poorly as a result (betting -EV hands out of frustration), better to avoid the situation by taking the first seat, where for better or worse, you will always have 'your' hand.
Exactly. Games are all psychological, math has pretty much nothing to do with it. The casino knows this. That's why they hire people to sit down at half-empty tables. What makes me go on tilt is when I don't play the side bet and it hits! 50 to 1 on the royal match and I didn't play it! God I'm so stupid! I mean yeah I'd been sittin there for a couple hours, so that's like 25 hands. But if I would have been betting $25 each time, I woulda made like $1500!!! Let's get ploppified!
Actually (and I guessing based on 5-card poker) that if you had a close decision you might change your decision based on other people's decisions (in 5-card I think you play marginal AK hands if everyone else does), so sometimes playing last (and receiving last) could have a benefit.
btw I'm hoping the shuffler using a timing chip, so it picks the hands randomly at the time the button is pressed rather than by some pre-determined [random] order. The only time it matters is if the first three cards are already waiting to be handed out (sitting in the tray) and someone barges in, changes money and bets the first box ahead of you. This might be a reason for never playing an early box or always grabbing first box if you were superstitious.
But technically if you were only playing your own hand based on your cards only - it should make no difference.
How are you gonna base your decision on any one else's cards? We are talking about the game where the optimum strategy is the exact same every hand, correct? How would it possibly change if you wait for other players to make their decision to bet or fold?If you could see everyone else's cards it could make a slight difference in strategy.
We’ve scoured the poker world for some of the most respected professional players on the circuit to answer some of the burning questions about exactly how to run the perfect poker tournament.
Winamax Pro Adrian Mateos, Unibet Poker Ambassador Dara O’Kearney, 888Poker’s Dominik Nitsche, PokerStars Team Pro Igor Kurganov, and Niall Farrell all contributed to this article.
We've tried to cover all our bases because we’re asking the important questions the poker world needs answers.
Just how many players should be sitting around a standard table?
Our first question is one that has provoked opinion since players first gathered round crude oval benches on the Mississippi riverboats (probably). Just how many players should be sitting around a standard poker table, and why?
Every one of the five poker players we asked was certain that 10-handed poker is not the way to go.
O'Kearney: 'You’re getting fewer hands per hour, the blinds are going round way slower, and it’s cramped as well. It’s horrible.'
O'Kearney: 10-handed is terrible, it’s so boring and slow. It’s not just a matter of one extra player at the table. When you have ten people to act instead of nine, each hand is going to take longer. You’re getting fewer hands per hour, the blinds are going round way slower, and it’s cramped as well. It’s horrible.
Farrell: 10-handed live poker is not great, everyone is squeezed in around the table. Everyone has to play so tight, and there are fewer hands to play. Everyone knows the whole point of poker is to play hands. It’s just a poor experience for everyone.
Mateos: I feel like 10-handed poker should be banned. It’s so boring; you have to play really tight. You want to play hands and have fun. 10-handed poker is so bad for poker.
Kurganov: I guess the optimal amount of players per table should also depend on the buy-ins, and what types of players are in there. It would be not nice in an event with a lot of qualifiers, for example, to make it 6-max. Those players, in general, have a style that fits a 9-handed or even 10-handed game better.
888poker is widely available in Europe, and in most European countries you can log in and play without having to live in the country. Use bonus code NEW888 and get a free $88 + 100% up to $888.
Play NowPokerStarsPokerStars is the biggest online poker room in the world, and operates in every regulated market in Europe. Sign up with PokerNews and you get a 100% deposit bonus up to $600!
Play NowUnibet pokerUnibet is one if the biggest betting firms in the world, and their poker product is top notch. They're giving you a €200 Welcome Bonus + €12 Unibet Open Tickets + €8 Cash game ticket if you sign up through PokerNews.
Play Nowpartypokerpartypoker is one of the biggest poker rooms in the world, and operates in most European countries. Sign up through PokerNews and get a deposit bonus of up to $500 + 40% of your rake back every week!
Play NowO’Kearney: I’ve played 11-handed in Las Vegas once, and that was the absolute worst. It was a really horrible experience. You end up having to fold so much. Ten-handed, your ranges have to be so much tighter.
Farrell: 'Some recreational players find 6-handed intimidating, and that’s understandable.'
Farrel: It’s brutal, just from a comfort point of view. It’s ten people, it should be fun. If you’re just crushed in with nine other people, and you don’t get to see flops, it’s going to be pretty off-putting for people who want to come and play to have fun.
Nitsche: Eight is good for large fields. Once you get to 10, there is not really enough space at the tables.
If 10-handed poker is beyond acceptable, then should players push for 6-Max? Most see that as a step too far, especially for recreational players, the most important demographic in the game.
Kurganov: I think in terms of Main Events and most tournaments where you have people who qualified, 9-handed seems pretty fair, because it ends up being 8-handed for a while, and 7-handed would be a bit rough on them, which would be the case if you started out 8-handed. 10-handed is a bit too boring; I think 8 or 9 for Main Events and qualifying events.
Farrell: I think the perfect number of people at a table, and probably because I’ve been spoilt by higher buy-in stuff, is 8-handed. For live poker, that’s perfect. Some recreational players find 6-handed intimidating, and that’s understandable.
Kurganov: In terms of high buy-in events, I think those are the spots where people do come to play and most of the time buy-in directly and never qualify. I think anything from 5 through 8-handed is the optimal number because people value their experience, they value other things about their experience and want to be involved in a bunch of hands. Given they pay a bunch of money for it, I think they should get that opportunity to do it properly. If you get someone who wants to play a lot of hands at a 9-handed table, you’re not giving them really a chance to do well.
Mateos: 'more than 9-handed, in my opinion, should be banned.'
Is the standard seating arrangement to be eight-handed poker, then? It fits neatly between the hand-frequency of a 6-Max game and the 10-handed pack-em-in approach.
Poker Seat Names
Farrell: I’d generally be looking for an 8-handed standard. When we normally have 9-handed, that goes to 10-handed because they’re huge, I’d like to see it only going 9-handed if it’s situational. I know operators want to fit more players in for less staff, but there has to be a limit. The number of times I’ve heard from organizers that they can’t fit everyone in and there are fucking empty tables in the room... Sometimes it's just that they didn’t want to employ more staff.
Mateos: The best way to play is between 6-handed and 8-handed, and I think there’s room for both. 8-handed should be the standard, and in some extreme cases with not much room or many tables you could play 9-handed for a bit, but more than 9-handed, in my opinion, should be banned. Recreational players don’t like to play short-handed, but you need to find the equilibrium.
How Many Players At Poker Table
VERDICT: Balance, in life as in poker, is everything. Players seem to agree that 10-handed is a nightmare, but that 8-handed or 9-handed at a push is the best solution for a full-ring game.
In our next article in this series, we’ll be talking about which tournament format is preferable; freezeouts, single re-entry, or unlimited rebuy. You won’t want to miss it!
8 Seat Poker Table
Tags
Igor KurganovNiall FarrellDara O'KearneyAdrian MateosDominik NitscheThe Perfect Poker Tournament10-handed8-handedRelated Players
Dominik NitscheIgor KurganovNiall FarrellAdrian Mateos