Post-mortem poker play

Quote: buzzpaff

State of DENIAL.

Didn't know they had casinos in Egypt.

Quote: DrJohn

Didn't know they had casinos in Egypt.

I got gypted in LV on more than one occassion.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

As I recall, almost this exact scenario was part of the rules for an online poker site.

Such a rule is now fairly common, although not universal, called "disconnection all-in protection". Specific limitations vary, it can be 1 or 2 in 48 hours for cash games, in tournaments a set limit per tournament.

Quote: Wizard

1. The body at least is still in the seat.

Spoken like a true poker player.

Quote: Wizard

What are the odds?

Well - poker isn't traditionally a young man's game, and it's one of the few activities you can stay good at and enjoy till your very death.

Quote: Wizard

2. It seems rather heartless, since the player obviously didn't intend to die.

I actually laughed out loud at this comment. I'm picturing some scrupulous player faking a death so he doesn't have to commit his remaining chips to the pot. Before you know it, it will become part of the game, kind of like bluffing.

I guess, you know what, I don't know what the right protocol is. I pray I'm never at the table when such a thing happens. It's bad enough when they call the paramedics in for a 300+ pound guy who thinks he may be having a heart attack... that's rather scary... but to have someone DIE while playing poker... that's pretty bad.

So to add fuel to the fire, what happens if that player's hand caused the Bad Beat Jackpot to hit... what do you do then?

Now for the expired player it brings new meaning to the word Bad Beat Jackpot.

Quote: Tiltpoul

I actually laughed out loud at this comment. I'm picturing some scrupulous player faking a death so he doesn't have to commit his remaining chips to the pot. Before you know it, it will become part of the game, kind of like bluffing.

I guess, you know what, I don't know what the right protocol is. I pray I'm never at the table when such a thing happens. It's bad enough when they call the paramedics in for a 300+ pound guy who thinks he may be having a heart attack... that's rather scary... but to have someone DIE while playing poker... that's pretty bad.

So to add fuel to the fire, what happens if that player's hand caused the Bad Beat Jackpot to hit... what do you do then?

I actually asked a unscrupulous dead player if he had planned to die, and he did not deny it.

Quote: Tiltpoul

I actually laughed out loud at this comment. I'm picturing some scrupulous player faking a death so he doesn't have to commit his remaining chips to the pot. Before you know it, it will become part of the game, kind of like bluffing.

Absurdity calls to like, so:

You remind me of a Daffy Duck cartoon where he presents an amazing show, but one that can only be done that once...

And of one of the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy books, where an incidental character is spending a year dead "for tax purposes."

Realistically, I think everybody at the table would be fine with all betting action being stopped.. and everybody treated as all-in.

I also would imagine that if the table was regulars... if the deceased was heads up with another player and ruled all-in and won the pot... that say a month of so down the road, people would rag on the losing player as, "the player so bad that he/she lost to a dead man"

I asked a friend of mine who used to be with the Gaming Control Board and later casino president of a large Vegas casino. Here was his reply.

Quote:

Well, besides attending to the person and dealing with the actual death issue, the poker protocol is pretty simple. It would be treated as an all-in situation and the hand would be played out. I guess this would be the ultimate all-in.

The money in the pot is already committed and would be paid to the winner - including the deceased's estate.

I don't play poker much, so didn't see things like this.
But I did see a slot player died on the slot machine while playing.
Of course, his body eventually slided to the floor.