Should You Chop?

I don't chop. I don't think you should chop, either, but I am glad you do. In this column, I will highlight the reasons why you should play the blinds, review some reasons why you don't, and tell you why I am happy when you chop. (Chopping is defined as everyone folding around to the blinds, who agree to take their blinds back.)

For the record, I chopped blinds until Jan. 1, 2000. For the new century, I resolved to stop chopping. On Jan. 1, 2100, I plan to re-evaluate that decision.

Here are some reasons why you should not chop blinds:

• You will have more fun.

• You can use the shorthanded practice.

• You will learn to evaluate hands.

• You can play longer.

• You will avoid arguments.

• You might even win.

I will also try to explore some of the reasons why you chop. They include:

• You think chopping is sociable.

• You think the rake is high.

• You think you might lose a big pot.

You will have more fun: You go to the cardroom to play. Then, when you get an opportunity to do so, you throw your hand away and take back your money. I know you want to be selective and play only good hands, but occasionally playing the blinds will break up the monotony of sitting around waiting for A-A and A-K. After all, your chances are as good as your opponent's.

You can use the shorthanded practice: Playing heads up gives you the opportunity to practice your shorthanded play. Getting used to evaluating hand strength with less-than-premium cards serves to improve your skill when the table gets shorthanded or when you are playing in a tournament and reach the final table (or are playing a shootout). After all, you can't win a tournament if you don't win the heads up battle!

You will learn to evaluate hands: I really like this reason. Skillful poker play requires that you be able to tell when your hand is the best and when it is the second best. It forces you to make close decisions in marginal situations. Many players try to avoid these situations by playing only premium cards, and then frequently play them cautiously. I am in favor of playing premium cards, but even then you need to be able to judge when your hand is beat.

By playing out the blinds, you learn how to evaluate marginal hands. Is your second pair good? Can you raise early and get a "free showdown"? Playing out the blinds forces you out of your comfort zone, and requires you to think your way through a hand. Inevitably, your judgment and skill will improve, as will your profit.

You can play longer: Eventually, in most cardrooms, the number of players slowly dwindles in the wee hours (and sometimes sooner). If you are one of the people who requires at least seven or eight opponents to feel comfortable, you have to go home then. But, if you develop more confidence in your shorthanded play, you can stay and play in these very profitable games. Of course, you can't gain all of the necessary skills just by occasionally playing your blinds, but every little bit helps. Starting with some blinds play will help you to adapt to other shorthanded situations.

You will avoid arguments: During the years I chopped blinds, I heard many comments: "I chop if he chops." "I always chop with the player on my left, but I never chop with the player on my right." (Yes, this was actually uttered by a Las Vegas professional.) "Oh, yes, I chopped last round, but I had a bad hand. Now, I have a good one. I raise." "I chop if there are X players, but not if there are X-1 players."

Occasionally, these comments caused arguments when some player took exception to the (perhaps revised) policy of another: "But we chopped last week!" "When I chopped last round, I assumed that was forever." "I don't care if he doesn't chop. We have always chopped and I refuse to play. I am taking my blind back and mucking my hand!" "Floorman!!!"

Notice how much easier your life gets if you simply never chop. You always know what you are going to do, and you never get into an argument about what someone else said or promised. You can concentrate your mental energy on something more useful to your poker results than remembering with whom you chopped, how many players she said needed to be dealt in, and so on.

You might even win: If you actually learn to enjoy playing the blinds, you will achieve a comfort level with heads-up play that many players never will. You will gain experience every time the other players fold to the blinds, while many of your opponents rarely get to play in this situation. You do not need to be a professional or great heads-up player to gain this advantage. Simply resolving not to chop will provide you an edge against people with less experience in this type of play. A few extra bucks never hurts.

There are other technical reasons why you should not chop, but these are mine. Overall, I think playing the blinds makes you a better player, and one who has more fun.

Of course, people have many reasons for chopping. Let's take a look at some of them.

You think chopping is sociable: It seems neighborly to chop. "I play the blinds" or "I don't chop" sounds mean-spirited to some people. But does that make logical sense? It is just another poker hand; there is money on the table and the best hand (or play) should win it. Why should playing for the money in the blinds be any different from playing for any other money? If you like your hand, you can call or raise; if not, you can fold.

Nevertheless, there does seem to be some resentment when I tell people I play the blinds. In Las Vegas, lots of people play the blinds, and this disconcerts some tourists who apparently never play them in their home games or cardrooms. I prefer that people enjoy themselves, so I try to say something friendly when I tell them I like to play. "I came here to gamble" seems to be most effective. After all, playing the blinds is gambling, and who can complain that someone wants to gamble in a casino?

Sometimes, I try a joke: "I used to chop blinds because I wanted people to like me. Then, I discovered they didn't like me anyway, so I decided to play the blinds out." At least I hope it's a joke.

Playing poker is a sociable activity in itself. But, you can enjoy the game and each other's company, and still play the blinds. After all, you do it in all of the other hands.

You think the rake is high: Actually, in this case you might have a point. In raked games, the house rakes every pot, so why should this pot be different? If this is the only time everyone has passed to the blinds in hours, and there is usually spirited multiway action, and the rake is huge and fast, I can understand chopping. But, typically, the rake is reasonable, and the amount of money that might be won by playing is large enough that this should not be a primary consideration. But, if the rake approaches 10 percent for small pots, you really should chop.

You think you might lose a big pot: Sometimes, when a player says he does not chop, he goes on to lose a large pot. This sort of thing can happen when you play poker. Others at the table then chime in, chuckling, and point out that he had an opportunity to chop. Of course, when the non-chopper wins a big pot, there is no such comment. I have never heard someone say, "Wow, you never would have won all that money if you had chopped the blinds."

I mentioned in the opening paragraph that I am happy you do chop. The reason is that it speeds up the game, so I get more hands in.

Summary: In a ninehanded game, you spend 22 percent of your time in the blinds. Of course, many times you do not get a chance to play out the blinds. When you do get the chance, though, I believe you can have more fun, learn more poker, and make more money if you simply learn to say, "I don't chop."