hello,
i have a very basic question.

there are 6 players in a table with a randomly selected dealer. one hand has been played. at this point can a new player join the table play one hand and leave? or does another player who wants to join has to wait till all 6 players had the chance to be a dealer.

thanks,

if he joins in and posts a big blind, i think he can play.

The only position that he could sit down at and NOT play the first hand is if he were sitting in place of the small blind....Any other seat he could sit down, get cards without paying, unless he was the BB.

You are supposed to pay at least 1BB before being dealt any cards.

That is only if the button has already made it all the way around. This is a new table the OP is talking about. Otherwise, if they opened a new table, you were the cutoff...you wouldn't get cards?

+1

A hand has been played. If you sit down at any seat apart form the SB you should be paying a BB to play, otherwise sit out until it is your Big Blind.

Simples!

Ok I see what OP is talking about. This is a rather unique situation, so I'll just have to assume for a second.

A new table opens up at a casino and 6 people take their seats. Dealer is chosen at random, obviously 4 people got to be dealt cards for free. A 7th player wants to join the game, does he suddenly have to pay a BB even though 4 others didnt? I think the answer should be yes. The 4 players got a discount because the table had to be opened somehow. But anyone who joins must follow the standard rule. If this is a homegame I'd give the 7th player a free pass, since most home games dont care where you sit in and if you post or not.

If this were online, the table would always start HU, and each additional person who joins would have to wait for the BB. Obviously software can quickly create tables and seat people unlike a live game.

It really depends on the house rules. Casino I play at you don't have to post when you sit down. You just get cards and pay your BB when it comes to you. People will even come and skip there big blind and wait until the button passes and then get dealt in in the cutoff without ever paying a blind.

Logicaly:
[\list][*]If he in front of the button (i.e. among the players who have not payed the blinds), he does not have to post and can play.[*]If he sits behind the button (i.e. among the players that have already payed the blinds), then he should have to post. [list]

This I think is to hard to keep track of. So most card rooms apply one of
the following three rules

1. players can enter during the first orbit without paying the blinds.
2. New players must always post the blinds (or wait until the button)
3. New players never need to post the blinds