Poker – chopping the blinds II
The rules of poker game don’t see chopping the blinds as illegal and has no binding against its common usage, but some players consider the practice unethical, mainly in those poker games which are short-handed. The main reasons why chopping is looked upon as a practice which it would be better not to follow are that it makes it seem that the decision was deliberate. Chopping the blinds also make the game less exciting and more drab whereas a tight-styled poker player gets the benefit to play without having to pay his ante wager. Games with lower hands of play get severely affected by use of this practice and all these or a combination of some of these reasons damage the spirit of the game. The cheating form of collusion becomes apparent when chopping the blinds happen too frequently as players have the tendency to chop rather than continue when most players have folded. This creates confusion among players and much respect and trust among them get affected as collusion in this case is more often unintended.
All this has led to some accepted norms before chopping the blinds can take place. For example, it is accepted that before a hand of play begins with dealing of the cards, it should be decided among the players whether chopping would be allowed if the need arises with the condition that strength of hands would not be a parameter for chopping so that anyone paying a blind and getting a weak hand do not become predisposed to chopping. Moreover a consistent chopping policy is called for which must be announced and adhered to with the condition that any player wishing not to follow it must make it clear beforehand. A case in point is a community card poker game like Texas hold ‘em where players often agree to allow chopping only when there are six or more players in the game. Those who change their chopping policy on basis of game situation and thus are unpredictable in each hand of play are considered behaving unethically.
