Snatchers in Replay

Suggestions & Feedback
1

I would like to introduce a new player category in Replay Community, because someone has to do it, since in the lobby it is not a rare presence: the “snatcher”.

  • Who are snatchers?
    Snatchers are players who look around in the lobby, targeting those players who have joined a empty table, waiting for players(i call them “waiting players”) in order to steal their big blind.

  • How do snatchers operate?
    Once they have chosen their target accurately, they sit in the table, and, as soon as the hand starts, either call or miniraise, in order to steal a big blind from the waiting player.
    Once the hand is over, usually(always) they run away; if not right away, in a matter of few hands.

  • Why this behaviour? Can you explain its causes?
    Its strenght relies on the likelyhood (of the player that is waiting) of timing out (because the chances of her/him of not being ready is high). Thus the likelyhood of these “take 1bb and run” players, of winning 1bb increases sooo much, thus the Expected Value for executing this operation is sooo high.
    To be brutally clear, I don’t blame them for doing it, as long as it’s accepted as not breaking the rules.

  • Where is it usually executed?
    Generally in top stakes: of course a 1ml chip is much more appealing than a 1k chip.
    on the other hand, the subjective value of chips is related to the bankroll of a player.
    So even starting from middle stakes this can be(and, for experience, is) a thing.

  • What’s the matter of this behaviour?
    The matter is simply the following: “waiting players” get constantly “robbed” by these “snatchers”, and slowly but consistently demotivates them to open tables. Potentially to a point where they totally stop.
    For me it is not a issue, since i can cover the losses.
    But it doesn’t surprise me, noone tries to open top stakes tables anymore, and even if someone does, in a span of 24hours almost noone joins to really play the game. Mostly just our loved “take 1bb and run” players. (Topic aside, funny enough, when the players at table are 3, in a matter of minutes(usually 1minute) it fills up.)
    Among all the reasons which would explain why tables do not run in top stakes, this might be a solid additional one.

  • How do we deal with this problem?
    I don’t expect snatchers to become well mannered players in a blink of an eye
    (not even in a lifetime span, if i had to make a bet on that).
    To prevent this behaviour, at least one of these implementations might be taken:

  1. Once a player joins, The waiting player (has the right to) get a 1-3minute time added when it’s her/his first action.
  2. Players, once joining the table, must play at least 20consecutive hands, before leaving. The ones who don’t, get a penalty, either in chips or time play restriction.(starting from 1minute, then 5minutes and increase exponentially up to a day)
  3. Other idea that prevents this behaviour to be profitable.

I understand this is not a priority, but these kind of repeated interactions slowly but consistently kill the chances of tables to be opened, because “waiting players” are aware of this and even if they don’t care, I bet at some point they get tired of it and stop opening tables because of the repeatedly executed interaction explained above.

p.s.
I wish you can find a simple solution to this problem(if you ever consider it a problem).
I won’t see the answers to this post since I am quitting.
Why is that?
I got to a point where,
most of top players are online but very few dare to sit in the table where i am waiting, at highest stake.
of these few that do join, most of them are these snatchers.
The only thing that could keep me in the site right now would be challenges, but I don’t expect such thing to ever be officially possible, not in the proximity for sure.
I guess I got to a point where, i need to move up in levels. Since it’s not possible in replay, the upper level is going to be real money games.
I hope my contributions in the forum have been, are and will be helpful-positive, and I wish you all the best luck at tables!!
And, spank snatchers for me if you see them around!! :smiley:

If you read this Rob, thank you very much for talking internally, sharing your insights with community and, at the end, adding some elite stakes tables in the lobby.
If it wasn’t for them, I would have already quitted much earlier.
And my longer presence at the tables was just a way of saying, thank you.

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2

ROFL. Hilarious. I think some folks are here just to play. As in have a little fun. Not everybody that plays online poker thinks it is a scientific life endeavor.

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3

You can open a new table and then sit out. Sit back in only after you see someone join. Genuine players might be less likely to join if they see you’re sitting out, but it is an option that prevents snatching.

4

Wait this is your solution??

You’re telling people how they can play?

I think this is a much better one. It’s already in place.

Or if you have to leave for a while just close the table and reopen another one when you return.

Do you (we) really want another unnecessary program coding adjustment?

5

It looks a great idea @lihiue, if only the table would stay open for long: unfortunately once you sit out, in a matter of (maximum) minutes it stands you up and table closes.
Whereas if you don’t sit out, it remains opened for 1h/90minutes, before the server autostands your account up and closes the table.
Thanks for sharing it, very appreciated.
Your idea though is very good when, you’re 2-3 player but don’t want to play heads up/short handed: if one player sits in and the other/s sit out, it is a great way to get other players to fill the table and start playing full ring. Only problem would be for the player in “sit out mode”, he/she would need to join the table every 5minutes.
About genuine players, in this precise “era”, probably best approach would be for them to keep in private contact and set a range time for mutual availability in game.

6

I’m pretty sure the table does stay open if nobody joins. Maybe I’m not remembering correctly but I believe that’s how it’s always worked for me. If you’re at a table where hands are actually getting dealt then it will automatically stand you up, but I don’t think I’ve had that happen at an empty table. At least that’s how it should work imho.

7

Thank you for your feedback, i appreciate :slight_smile:
Let’s assume you won’t touch a single button after joining: to stand you up while being “active” at the table, takes about 60-90minutes, whereas “inactive” aka sit out mode, about 5minutes. Maybe 10 at most most.
Try by yourself to believe it :slight_smile: I’m not 100% sure I admit, since I’ve never actually used a timer to calculate. It’s all just by experience, aka rough estimation.

8

Why are you being so rude? I did not expect such a response from you. Keeping my composure, I reply to all your messages.

It’s pokerstars solution.

I’m sharing a interaction that, in my opinion (not really mine, because real money sites have implemented measures since years), gives unfair advantage.

If it starts raining, open a umbrella. Yes ok.

Of course not, this is why 3. was added.
And I’m not sharing this in order to make actions going. I’m just sharing concepts in the community. A better understanding leads to more harmonic community.
The problem has been defined, one day the solution will come naturally.

9

I try not to be rude towards anyone with my replies. And I don’t know how other poker websites operate.

I just don’t like it when someone tries to tell people how to play i.e., once joining a table, they must play at least 20 consecutive hands before leaving.

Sometimes the Mojo just isn’t there which you realize, and you need to leave.

10

You’re right. Seemed like about 10mins, but I didn’t time it either. I wonder whether sitting back in and the out again resets the timer. I suspect it probably does, so you’d only need to check on tables every 5-10 minutes instead of watching them diligently.
I’d try that except I had someone join almost immediately when I was testing sitting out and I ended up playing heads up for over an hour, which was not really part of my plans for today.
I also think people will probably leave if you don’t sit back in pretty quickly too, so you’d probably have to be paying close attention to all open tables anyway.

11

This is a huge nothingburger IMO. It’s play money. Nobody should give a hoot about 1bb.

And those who do should not sit at tables without being actively present.

Personally, I never “snatch” on purpose. But when it happens I consider it a tax for wasting my time.

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12
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You do KNOW -this is not real money, right:):slight_smile:

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14

I understand your interpretation of what you were thinking I was doing.
Just to make it clear again, maybe I should write this intro for every post?
The whole post is informational, not claiming changes or making complaints.

It is an idea massively developed from sites, that not only mitigates this type of unfair advantage, but also another one, named table selection. A procedure that Darlinggirl has developed very well, expecially against me. But this is a play money site so, I don’t even bother talking about this.
In particular, it was not to tell how people should play. I guess I have to developed a more in depth explanation, to make it further clear(i thought it was clear enough)

[in order to prevent players to take and run], once a player joins the table, they either play at least 20 consecutive hands, or get some kind of penalties, when this action is repeated over and over. It is clear that sometimes some urgencies get you off the table very quickly(this explains why penalties are exponentian and not linear), but in general if you’re really here to play and have fun, I expect you to play at least for 3-5consecutive minutes

.

Is this expectation too much? Does a poker session last 30seconds in average in a play money site? This is the message i’m receiving from the responses i see in the post. I’m sorry I didn’t know about this. I’m learning new things too!!" I guess MTTs should adapt to these measures as well, from an average of 2hours duration to 30seconds.(I’m being badly ironical, i add these brackets to prevent a new reply of me trying to kill MTTs)

I summaries my whole post in 2lines:
Some players, have no intention of playing, but farm chips the way i described.
(If you care about this, these are the most common measures taken, but for a play money site, softer ones would probably fit better)
I don’t mind them doing it, they are in the rules. But be ware. This type of interaction may reduce chances of opening tables in long term. Joke while saying bye and, The end!!

But again, I didn’t know about the 30seconds average game sessions, my bad!!

I guess the fun in a play money site is jumping from one table to another repeatedly!!
I should change this post name with “Super Mario Bros fever in Replay”.

15

depends on the value of 1bb. 1ml bb is a joke amount for me. Again the value of chips is subjective. For us having amounts around the bilion chips, it’s nothingburger. But is it to everyone though?

In fact they should not open tables at all. Which is something I see being more and more common

Don’t take it personal, you are one of the few who don’t. I could list all the players that do and don’t, but this is not about me. And neither am I here to reveal who does this. Not a virtuous thing to do imo

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16

Yes exactly, sit in and sit out resets the table.
This is what i used to do with open tables, every hour.
I usually have 12 tables open, and get a real game going(lasting 15minutes++) every 4hours in average.

I’m so sorry about that!!! You might tell them you’re testing things out, they might understand

Absolutely, some even don’t even bother sitting, if they see you’re away.
Or leave as soon as they see your account sitting out(average haps)

17

OMFG this is SO accurate :rofl:

18

I’ve had this happen. its because I wasn’t paying attention to table. that’s on me, not the other player. pay attention to table and this won’t happen

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19

I totally expected it.

20

I read your OP and understood it very clearly. my response suggested two realistic solutions to it. Everyone has to accept some responsibility when playing instead of placing the burden on the poker site.
Your interpretation of “Snatching” is probably incorrect. You even acknowledge that players won’t stick around especially when the only other player is away because they joined to play not to “Snatch” your blinds. I suspect this is what is really happening because they won’t even know you’re away until the hand is over.

So, you’re saying several real money websites have implemented something similar to requiring players who join a table will have to play a minimum number of hands?

This sounds like a BS rule requirement.

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