Skipping Small Blind

[shpaget 0]

I don't think I've ever seen this before, and I am wondering if other people have, and if anyone might speculate as to why one would do this.The other night I played 4/8 live for about 5 hours, and there was one guy who almost never played his small blind.After playing his big blind he would leave the table..get a smoke, drink, take a walk, whatever, so there'd be a dead small.When he came back to the table he would, as per the rules, have to pay the $2...but that, of course, goes into the pot...it's not a post.And he did that probably 9 out of 10 hands.And, funnily enough, the one time I know he did play the small blind he was getting 18:1 to call his $2, he folded Q3, and flopped 33Q.Then, about four hours later another guy shows up...and for the remaining hour I was there, he also skipped his small blind.I didn't bother asking. All it meant for me was that when I was UTG+1 and the cutoff there was a dead small.Has anyone seen this before...and is there any reason why you would want to do this? I just can't figure out why you would want to throw away cards that are half price, and then later pay that fee to get dealt two more cards that you will have to pay full price if you want to play them?The only thing I can think of is they just hate playing out of that position.For me, if that was the case, wouldn't it be smarter to pay your small blind and then just fold your cards without looking at them?

[antistuff 0]

I don't think I've ever seen this before, and I am wondering if other people have, and if anyone might speculate as to why one would do this.The other night I played 4/8 live for about 5 hours, and there was one guy who almost never played his small blind.After playing his big blind he would leave the table..get a smoke, drink, take a walk, whatever, so there'd be a dead small.When he came back to the table he would, as per the rules, have to pay the $2...but that, of course, goes into the pot...it's not a post.And he did that probably 9 out of 10 hands.And, funnily enough, the one time I know he did play the small blind he was getting 18:1 to call his $2, he folded Q3, and flopped 33Q.Then, about four hours later another guy shows up...and for the remaining hour I was there, he also skipped his small blind.I didn't bother asking. All it meant for me was that when I was UTG+1 and the cutoff there was a dead small.Has anyone seen this before...and is there any reason why you would want to do this? I just can't figure out why you would want to throw away cards that are half price, and then later pay that fee to get dealt two more cards that you will have to pay full price if you want to play them?The only thing I can think of is they just hate playing out of that position.For me, if that was the case, wouldn't it be smarter to pay your small blind and then just fold your cards without looking at them?

no. if you are going to fold every small blind but have to pay it anyway, you would rather have the extra $2 in the pot when you have the button. he is definitely giving an edge to his opponents by doing this. exactly how much i am not sure, but i do not think that its trivial.

[shpaget 0]

no. if you are going to fold every small blind but have to pay it anyway, you would rather have the extra $2 in the pot when you have the button. he is definitely giving an edge to his opponents by doing this. exactly how much i am not sure, but i do not think that its trivial.

OK, that makes sense.So, he's saving his small blind to build a pot where he can play in position.I tend to agree with you, about giving that edge.

[TheCinciKid 0]

As anti said, obviously it's better to have your dead money in the pot when you have position, but IMO, there is absolutely no reason a rational player would behave like this guy. I'm pretty sure we can safely assume this guy's just a moron, has some donkey reason for playing his SB this way and move on with our lives.

[RISEorFall 0]

basically, he's paying $6 to play 9 hands (assuming the game is 10 handed) while the rest of you are paying $6 to play 10 hands. he's also giving up some value on hands he could play for 1/2 price (like the Q3 hand) but chooses instead to pay 1.5 bets to play a hand he likes in better position. i assume this guy thinks he knows more about the game than he really does.