Ugh, more bugs.

BrianBoyko

We're three handed. I've got $50,000, Claptrap has 30,000, and Sam has 10,000.

I raise to $4000 preflop.

Claptrap re-raises to $9000. (5000 on top)

Sam shoves for $10,000. (1000 on top)

I call.

Claptrap shoves for $30,000...

That's an illegal move. Sam's raise was less than 1/2 the size of the previous raise. (This is only allowed if you go all-in.) A call of a raise of less than 1/2 the size of the previous raise is not considered a "legal" raise, and only a "legal raise" can re-open the betting. Claptrap's options in that spot are to either call $1000 or fold.

And yes, I have video of this in case you want to reproduce it.

Raelser

I haven't heard of this rule before. Hell, I always see someone going all in like this, and I do it myself to scare away Claptrap and Sam. Or am I misunderstanding something?

furrykef

Yes, that is in fact a rule -- almost. It has to be the full size of the previous bet or raise before betting is reopened, not just half.

Just to be clear, what's illegal here is the betting being reopened after Sam shoves all-in. Claptrap isn't allowed to raise (for any amount) because he already acted in that round and nobody made a raise of the minimum size (in this case, $5000) before it was his turn to act again. His only legal options are to call or fold. If Claptrap hadn't acted yet, or if somebody had made a raise of the minimum size, then the $30k shove would have been legit.

According to Robert's Rules of Poker:

Robert's Rules of Poker wrote:

3. All raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise on that betting round, except for an all-in wager. Example: Player A bets 100 and player B raises to 200. Player C wishing to raise must raise at least 100 more, making the total bet at least 300. A player who has already acted and is not facing a fullsize wager may not subsequently raise an all-in bet that is less than the minimum bet or less than the full size of the last bet or raise. (The half-the-size rule for reopening the betting is for limit poker only.)

(Emphasis mine.)

This is a fairly standard set of rules, and some casinos use it for their official rules, either modified or as-is.

It's not as bad as unpatched Poker Night 1, though, where the lower limit on raising was the size of the big blind (or was it the small blind?). You could bet $1000 and be raised $100.

EDIT: I'd quoted the wrong rule. Fixed now.