I think that Players that sit out in tournaments should be kicked out of the tournament EXSPECIALLY in Sit and Go’s . In the bigger tournaments maybe sit out 3 .But its not playing sitting out . I have seen players that have not played several hands end up in the money .They should be kicked out of !!! That is my opinion!
Hi lusssty, 
I believe that once a player has paid their registration fee (buy in) they are entitled to choose which hands they want to play and it is completely within the rules to fold every hand if that is what they want to do. The difference between folding every hand and sitting out is that after a certain number of missed hands a player sitting out will be removed and their buy in forfeited.
The following is from the help page:
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Are players allowed to sit out during tournaments?
Yes. Sitting out (essentially folding every hand) is a legal tactic in both real money and play money poker.
Think of it this way: After a tournament has started, a player cannot decide to pick up their chips and leave. Similarly, we cannot decide to arbitrarily remove a player and their chips from a tournament once it has started. All chips at the start of a tournament must also be at the final table in order for the game to be fair to everyone.
A player who is sitting out actually puts his opponents at a significant advantage. The player who is sitting out is still forced to pay his blinds and antes, and is never able to build his stack. It’s best to think of a player who is sitting out as simply folding every hand. This is a completely legal tactic, as it is up to any individual player to decide his own best strategy. For this reason, almost every online poker room allows entrants to sit out indefinitely during a tournament.
We do what we can to discourage this sort of behavior, but once a player has paid their entry, they are entitled to play their chips any way they like within the rules of the game.
Tournaments and no-shows
Since we are a play money site, our priority is to ensure the best possible experience for all of our players, which sometimes means doing things slightly differently than they would be at a live poker tournament.
Given this, we have implemented the following No Show Policy:
In all Sit & Go and some Freeroll tournaments, players that have not taken their seat and played a hand by the END of the second blind level, will be removed from the tournament and their buy-in forfeited. In all Multi-Table Tournaments requiring a buy-in fee, however, players have until the END of the third blind level to take their seat and participate in a hand. Blind levels can vary from tournament to tournament, but a typical blind level is 5 minutes, in which case a no show would be removed after 10-15 minutes of inactivity.
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I do not know the time limit foe a player that sits in for one hand and then sits out, but my impression is that is similar to the policy for no shows.
It seems your idea of a sit out limit would unfairly penalize a player who looses his connection to the site for more than a couple of hands.
I know it can be frustrating and seems unfair to see a player sit out and then pop back in just in time to make the money after you have been grinding the whole time bit it is within the rules, rules which have developed and evolved over time to be pretty fair for all concerned and personally, I do not see the rules changing any time soon.
Hope this helps…
Peace!
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yes it is unfair!
I completely agree with lusssty.
If you haven’t played a single hand, you don’t earn any sitngo points or chips in my opinion.
pls kick them out of the game after 10 hands.
This interests me very much… I only play tournaments and given my circumstances - carrying for a sick loved one - I often have to “sit out” because she needs care, I don’t often know this before the start.
I recognize that this can be misinterpreted as a strategy. It’s not. some times I’m unable to make it back. I know it holds up the game and I wish we could have the option of withdrawing- forfeit chips extra, because I don’t want to hold up the game,
So my choice often is to not play or know I could be called away. I wish this forum would take into consideration the human element. We all have complicated lives, can we be gentle with each other while we’re trying to win?
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Das32343 gave the only cogent response. If you don’t think you should have the right to force other players to call instead of fold at any point—and surely no one thinks they do—then you must accept that players have a right to sit out.
If you feel they are gaining an advantage by doing so, guess what—you can do it too!
But if you are complaining about others sitting out, presumably you don’t do it yourself—suggesting you understand that playing the game is more beneficial than sitting out and hoping everyone else busts you into the money.
So why complain? Because it feels bad when you put in effort, and lose, only to see someone else who did nothing end up cashing.
But neither the site, nor the rules, are responsible for making sure you never feel frustrated about a result 
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On this topic, tournaments I mean, if I want to sit out for a bit, what’s the problem I don’t slow the game up so ?
Lots of reasons why one would sit out, crisis, doorbell, phone call, busted, cat, dog, etc
In live play you can take a bit time out if you wish, only losing the blinds.
3 Likes
Agree my friend! I’ve had to sit out, many times for various reasons.
Good example is in a freeroll, you can’t get out and they are where I see the largest sit out issues.
I do think it would be a good idea, to rebalance tables after so many hands & place all sit outs at the same table. That would not affect the folks that want to play with even a semi full table & loosen the burden on those that simply cant be in the game for whatever reason.
People will intentionally sit out 90% of a sit and go tournament. It is unfair and cheating. Why are they not kicked out after missing four or five hands? They use it as a strategy now.
First, they are kicked out and their chips removed if they do not take their seats after a certain amount of time (I think 10 mins).
Second, it is not cheating at all. It is not strategic. There is nothing gained by sitting out. It is the same as if they sat in their seat and folded every hand. You would not have a problem if they did that.
Third, it is ALWAYS good for us (and everyone else at the table) if someone sits out.
Think about it. Who would you rather play against, someone who folds everything pre except for AA KK or AKs, or someone who folds everything INCLUDING AA KK and AKs?
Fourth, even better if the sitter-outer is on your left. You will get position post flop for an extra hand per orbit (sweet!!) and you will get a free steal whenever it fold to you on SB (nice). It is also one less player to call you when you are down to your last 8bb and you jam your A-rag.
Fifth, if the sitter-outer is the short stack near the pay bubble, you can blind down and they will bust before you and you can get paid by simply folding everything.
The only disadvantage that an absent player can give you is if the sitter-outer is on the left of someone else (and on the right of us). Even then it’s not really bad for us, but just less good for us than it is for our opponent.
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Probably the best response to a sitting out complaint I have seen yet. Bravo! 
well if anyone feels the way I do and we end up on the same table. we can take turns taking the pot until they are booted
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I am not trying to make anyone play ,not tryin to attack anyone. But my opinion is , It is cheating in a sit n go. To sit out until your in the money. Everyone has their own opinions ., and they are allowed to . I did find out though playing if that person sits out for to long they get booted which they should , Don’t join a sit n go which you know is a fast especially like the sprints now and sit there until 2 players are knocked out. I know **** happens but that’s different. But like I said if anyone feels the way I do and we end up on a sit n go table and someone decides to sit out we can drain um until they get booted just taking turns claiming pot 1 bet the other fold . Next hand opposite. They will get booted and when I see it it makes me happy as hell !!! 
I used to do just that at the real money tables when I played, if you click quick enough with a like minded soul on the same wave length, the blinds add up very quickly 
was a good start in some tournaments
There are players who do that (sit out) structurally and it is incredibly annoying, I know from my own experience, maybe i should use this tactic myself it works
Yes it can be, but you can use it to your advantage at the start of a tournament, the free rolls on full tilt were much the same as here with many people sitting out at the start, if there were only two of you playing at a full table you could just take turns raising quickly and take the blinds in turn. Even better when you were the only one playing.
usualy is always one guy )
and i see you never played sitn en go tourneys ;( (every point counts)
I’m specifically talking about “sit and go” here
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I don’t play holdem, and hard to get sit and goes for the games I play, hardly anyone plays them in sit and goes so take forever to fill up, I would play more of them if I could
I played in 1 week between 80-100 games (to end up First), there was only 1 persoon from the begin sit outed every game 15 min. ( usually there were 2 or more ppl busted then from the 9, so easy points if you do nothing )
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Please explain just how it is cheating. Just what is the angle being shot here? What is the advantage gained?
It does not work. What advantage is gained that you would not get by simply folding everything?