I was wondering if I could get some comments from all of you that play live as to when and how you deal with a short break from the table. Do you go when you have the blinds and post them? Do you go when you have the blinds but wait and post dead money? Do you wait until you are in the cutoff or maybe MP?

Please give me what your opinion is on how to handle these short breaks and why.

Thanks,

Go when you have to... not really important when...

But, if you're anal, i guess skip some EP-MP hands to go.

I'll usually go MP cuz your not UTG just before the blinds and ur not on the dealer button either.

Surely it's best to go when the blinds are approaching, miss them, then pay the same amount you would have had you stayed only in position?

Casino Arizona makes this very thing a real problem for me.

1. I'm older and have to go more often.

2. The bathroom is 'a mile away'. The new building which is said to be ready 'soon' for the past year will have a nearby bathroom.

So I go when I'm in MP and try to get back before my BB.

HOWEVER, a friend told me yesterday that if you miss your blinds at Commerce they charge you $3 if you don't get back in time to post behind the button. That means that you can't take a round off w/o paying $3. That's ****ed up.

if the bathrooms are far away, just go when you are the big blind, take your time, post when you are the big blind on the next round.

If by "short break" you mean in the amount of time it takes for 1 or 2 hands, I leave when I'm like UTG+2 or 3, so I'll be back before the BB and I'll only miss my EP hands.

If I'm gonna be gone for greater than 1 orbit I leave after playing my UTG hand.

Yea 1 orbit in our games takes like 20 mins which is longer than the allowed 'smoke break'. I also prefer UTG + 1 and sometimes I make it back without missing any hands.

Call the floor over and tell them that the table wants one of their more complicated rules explained. Once he starts talking, slip off to the bathroom. If you're lucky you won't miss any hands.

If the game is full I leave after playing the hijack, then I have plenty of hands before the blinds to get back.

AB

I usually try to skip a few EP hands but not wait out a whole round or miss my blinds. The exception would be if the bathroom was far away, in which case I'd just leave in the BB and miss one round of play.

I see people who like to play their big blind and then miss their small blind. The advantage to this is they can post their dead small blind on the button if their trip is quick, whereas if they skipped the BB they might have to sit and wait a hand and post in the cutoff.

Why would you want to give up those hands where you have best position, cutoff and button? Better to leave after the blinds and miss early position hands.

Uhhh, yea, that IS what I said. After I play the HIJACK, then the next hands sre MP and EP.

So, I only miss the MP and EP hands.

You do know that the Hijack is the seat immediately to the right of the cutoff?

I usually go when I am in MP so that when I get back I play my blinds and then get the late positions. I smoke so getting up has to happen frequently combined with trips to the bathroom.

For me it depends on how long I'll take, if I'm going to take a crap I'll go right before the blinds get to me. If I'm going to take a quick piss I try to time it so I'll be back for the BB.

As in everything, it depends. If I've been playing for several hours and want a break, I'll play my UTG hand and leave for bathroom and take a 20m break. Otherwise I'll leave UTG +2/3 and get back in time for BB.

You are correct as I had a brain freeze there. But am I correct too? Why not pay the blinds and leave. And for sure you are missing the worst hands and may come back and play one or two better positions? Are you timing it to come back to the BB? If yes, then I would skip the whole round.

No.

You pay the blinds, then play button, CO and hijakc. then take a bathroom break.

OR leave after UTG and take a 20 minute walk and come back at the BB.


AB

I usually try to go during a fill if the bathroom isn't too far away. If anything, you'll only miss a hand or two.

I time how long it takes to smoke a cig and pee at the same time, thus killing two birds with one stone. I find I can leave after folding me UTG+1 hand and still make it back for my BB. If I get held up I just buy the button. Obv this is different dependent on what casino, but at the Shoe in Hammond the bathrooms are pretty close.

Right again. I have the button going counter clockwise today.

Sorry, my bad.

In Mike Matsow's new book, "Check raising the Devil" he talks about how crystal meth really messes up your head, bad. Quitting is the best thing.

I'm pretty sure I can bring some samples of Avodart when I get back out there. That's what your doctor pals are for, right?

I read the book and did not realize he won so much/often.

I don't do any drugs but was stuck on this and had to draw it out on paper and move the button around. I notice people that smoke will play the button and get up and come back 4 or 5 hands later and do this about every other to third round and they have NO idea about position, so I understand the concept, just was not visualizing well.

I see your 3000 plus posts and know your name form middle limit section and should have done my diagram prior to my two posts.

Back to Matusow, I wonder whether he makes a justification of his mistake or he is honest about it. There are usually two sides to every story. He sets himself up for more trouble if he is bad mouthing the authorities out there.