Mid afternoon Sunday I'm sitting an empty FR table in addition to other tables. A fun player joins and we play HU for a bit. A reg joins to his direct left, and we play 3 handed for maybe 15-20 hands before the fun player sits out. Reg sits out. After a few mins, the fun player sits back in and we play HU again until the reg notices the game has resumed, and sits back in. I address the reg in chat to object, but the fun player sits out, confirms he wanted to play HU, and leaves.

^Some version of this has happened to me a million times on this site. What do ppl not understand about the fact that some players want to play HU and that if there's no HU tables on a site, there has to be some etiquette about not blocking action?

What should be the "rules" to establish a HU game? E.g. do both players need to type "hu" in chat?

Typing to coordinate HU games in the chat might border on collusion based on the sites rules tbh, not positive but I don't see that it would be that different from bumhunting.

The bottom line is the site doesn't offer heads up, the 3rd player in your post is entitled to sit at the table if he choses to, neither you nor "fun player" is entitled to heads up on the site, petition to have HU tables, get enough people to sign, see if Global opens HU tables. Until then you're not guaranteed exclusive action to the "fun" player because they want HU and you sat there first lol

I'd personally respect the HU but I wouldn't expect the population at large to.

So you have no problem with what the 3rd player did here? I understand your pov, as it seems to be the norm, it's just not a very nuanced take. "Guaranteed exclusive action" is a very cynical way of putting it, I'm not guaranteeing myself anything, I'm asking a player if he wants HU and if he does, that's great and we usually don't get to play anyway due to reg blocking, if not, he leaves and doesn't play anyone. Obv it's a low % the time that the fun player wants HU exclusively, it's not like a regular practice of mine to block regs from games where I sat first.


What are you basing this on? lol why would it be collusion to agree to play HU?

thanks

You are making an agreement with another player, which is the definition of collusion, to not play against the third.

You're making an agreement to play some people in some situations and not other in other situations, it's not colluding against the 3rd player, but it very likely at least approaches bumhunting based on the rules. The only problem I could have with Player 3 in your story is if he is willing to sit HU with the rec but not HU with you because that is bumhunting.

You are asking for a rule that says first person to sit with a rec who wants HU is guaranteed their action exclusively, that's literally what HU is, the only one who gets the chance to win the recs money.

It's not a HU table plain and simple. Anyone has a right to sit as long as their is an open seat. And this part I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure it's within the rules to only sit when the game will not be heads up, and get up when it is. In the same vein, your rec is probably allowed to play heads up, and stand up when others join if they only want to play HU.

In theory, if you and rec really want to play HU, you can just move to the empty table every time someone joins and see if your Player 3 eventually gives up following......although I'm pretty sure that will eventually get flagged as bumhunting lol

Play HU sngs against each other, then that wont happen.

Seriously? Collusion requires a victim, and being prevented from playing a game where 2 sitting players want HU against each other doesn't qualify. Maybe there's another word you're looking for to describe this particular situation; collusion isn't it.

A couple points. First of all completely agree with you that it's not a HU table, everyone technically has a right to sit, to sit out for certain "player constellations" (lol) and sit in for others. This isn't really a question of what is technically true. It's more of a question of etiquette around players who want to play HU on sites that don't offer it. Sites have largely got rid of HU tables in the last few years so this is an issue that is not going away.

Your definition of bumhunting is extremely liberal. I'm sitting in on tables. I play regs HU too, every day. I'm not sitting out on any tables, changing seats, following a player to new tables. I'm sitting in on tables. You don't seem to get that? "First person to sit with a rec" >> No, the rec sat with me.

As an aside: the cost to holding tables is losing blinds to players who play their SB then leave, which happens a lot on this site because, again, there's not much etiquette observed. As a player who holds tables, you pay that cost, and in return, you occasionally get a few HU hands with a fun player before another reg makes it 3 handed.

It's not uncommon at all for fun players to "chase" HU action by joining tables where I'm sitting alone, instead of open seats at more full tables. It's so cringeworthy to see the bumhunting reg follow the fun player around. I will say that there have been times (few) where the reg realized what's happening and didn't follow, or responded to my chat request.

Play SnGs if you want to play HU, you'll pay less rake too.

less rake if you play HU sngs, i doubt anyone is truly going to respect you sitting at a fr table trying to play HU