Aria Afternoon Tournament #5: final table ethics question: heads up -- would you ask for a chop just to get information?
Final table at the Aria afternoon tournament. I am heads up with 55% of the chip stack. The guy across from my is a local (Las Vegas) pro in his late twenties.
About 10 minutes into our heads up play he asks: "do you want to chop?"
I shrug my shoulders and say "sure what the heck." The difference between first and second is $1,000 so my cut is about $550.
The guy then says "I don't want to chop."
It was clear that he was only fishing for information to find out if i was weak (or using this as a methodology for making me weak). [Note: I actually asked him if that is why in fact he did ask. He said "yes."
In the end I called his all in with KJ suited against A6 off suit. And lost.
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My question to you, my fellow poker players, is whether or not his actions are According to Hoyle, or not?
Please leave comments with your opinions.
I think he was being a jerk. But I don't think there is anything to enforce here.
He shouldn't have asked you If he had no intention of agreeing to a chop. But I don;t think he gets any useful info from you here. Maybe he tilted you.
The reason that there is nothing to enforce here is that its not like he offered you any particular terms. Despite what some people think chopping doesn't mean dividing the prize equally nor is that the default.
If he offered you specific terms .... such as .... do you want to chop by chip count, or chop evenly..... then there might be a basis to hold him to it if you accept ..... though even there I don;t think a floor should force the chop unless you act to your detriment based on the deal (such as mucking the current hand after you apparently agreed to his terms)
mj you should have just decked him, i know i would have.
I have this happen many times. Of course he is an angle shooter but so what. You just play you best heads up game and move on. Unusually when you get down to three or four players someone asks if anyone wants to chop. Its funny there is always one guy who thinks he has an edge in heads up. If the blinds start getting big you have to loosen up your starting standards. I have rolled over many guys playing small pocket pair against AK. Its so funny when they get knocked out and look at you like you are an idiot for playing small pair. Never take anything personal at a poker table.
Think if this ever happened to me. I would reply "What terms are you offering"
If he says something like "even chop"
Then its a done deal if you agree. I would expect the casino to enforce it.