[R Deckard]

I might be hosting a 13-16 player tournament this weekend, which will require it to be on two tables (first time running a multi-table for me) and I think one table (the one I will be dealing/playing) will be running through hands much faster than the other table.

Questions:

1. Is this a problem?
2. If so, what are the concerns, and are they significant enough to bother synchronizing the deals?
3. Or should I not deal at all but just let the deals rotate amongst the players (mostly newbies), so both tables will be equally slow?

[hachkc]

I understand your issue but I think the solution is worse than the problem especially if plan on playing while being the host/director.

If you are playing with a bunch newbies and are concerned about them running the game on the other table. Maybe you could sit out the first round (strategically not a bad idea) and deal for the table you are concerned with till they pick it up.

[Wylecoyo]

You could also just play and let the new players figure things out for themselves. There is no better inspiration to learn than to bleed money like a stuffed pig and I'm sure the experienced players at the table wouldn't mind accomodating thier learing experience by taking thier money. Just a thought.

[smoore]

I vote rotate deal and let it go slowly. Perhaps extend the time of the first few rounds so that people can catch on. It's definitely a problem if one table is getting more hands per round than the other. I'd suggest the two deck per table method.

[jldecarlo]

IMO (and I have never run a multi-table tourney, either) your choices are:

Best - find a player who knows what is going on and put them in charge of the other table (the one you're not on).

Otherwise - Let both tables play slowly.


Mistakes I have seen at two-three table tourneys include:

not synchronizing the blinds. If you just say increase every 20 min, someone will complain "but we've only played three hands", next thing you know, the blinds are WAY different.

not keeping the number of players equal at each table. Every time someone busts out, you need to shift a player if there is a difference of two or more players between tables. One tourney I played in, my table shrunk to two players before the tables were combined. Nice, since I had about 5x the average chip stack at the final table (and went on to win), but not very equitable.

All of this is easier if the tables are in the same room. Also easier if the Tourn. Director is not playing

Good luck.

L

[smoore]

Good point about the table balance. I do it by moving the people in relation to the button... i.e. the button busts the SB, giving him/her the button again if no one moves... I pull the player that will be the button on the very next hand on the other table over to keep the blinds/button fair.

EDIT: I'm a moron, the TDA has a much better solution:

25 Moving players: In flop games, players will be moved from the big blind to the worst position.

(I interpret worst position to mean "first to act after the flop", so the BB *may* get a free hand by being placed into the SB. This is neccesary for proper dead-button movement that both I and the TDA use. That lucky bastard...)

me = kerduhhhhhhh

[dad604]

If any meaningful amount of money is involve, I say synchronize them. With 13-16 players, it shouldn't be too long before you can combine to table of ten.

[hachkc]

I play in 1 fairly formal home tournament that usually has between 2-4 tables (15-32 people). The host runs it as follows:

- Dr. Neau's TM with multiple networked monitors showing blinds, etc.
- TM handles assigning players to tables and reassigning them as other players bust out.
- Each table has 2 dedicated dealers that are players sitting across from each other. These 2 dealers alternate dealing each hand. After each round or two, the table rotates 1 seat to the left and 2 new dealers start up.
- By the final table, the host (if he hasn't busted out as usual ), will be a dedicated, non-playing dealer. If he's playing, usually someone else volunteer's to take over dealing.

In any of the MTT tournaments I played in, no one has ever commented on the fact that they didn't play as many hands as the other table. If you have a lot of newbies, make arrangements to have someone(s) you trust handle the dealing to start at the other table as described above. Just randomly assign the remaining seats around this person and yourself at each table. Nobody should have a problem with this especially if they are unsure of what they are doing.