'Sitting out' in poker is when a player is taking a break from the action temporarily but is continuing to 🔔 hold on to their seat at the table.
In a cash game players will not pay any blinds while they are 🔔 sitting out whereas in a poker tournament the blinds will continue to be deducted for players who are sitting out. 🔔 In this guide we’ll learn the following:
What does it mean to ‘sit out’ in a poker cash game?
When should we 🔔 sit out in poker?
How long can we sit out for in poker?
What should we do if our opponents are sitting 🔔 out in poker?
Is it ok to sit out in a poker tournament?
Is it ok to sit out in a poker 🔔 cash game?
What Does It Mean To Sit Out In A Poker Cash Game?
Sitting out simply means we are taking a 🔔 break from a poker game but we are continuing to reserve our seat. We won’t be dealt in to any 🔔 of the blinds but we will be required to post the blinds when we return if an orbit has been 🔔 completed while we were away. Players may prefer to wait until they will be dealt into the big blind position 🔔 before returning from sitting out. There is usually a time limit on ‘sitting out’ at which point our seat will 🔔 no longer be reserved.
When Should We Sit Out In Poker?
We can sit out from a poker cash game at any 🔔 time when we need a short break (5 minutes or so). If we require a longer break it will usually 🔔 make sense to leave the table and rejoin when we are ready to restart the action. We should usually avoid 🔔 sitting out of a poker tournament unless absolutely necessary because it could hinder our chances of achieving a good result. 🔔 Poker tournaments will have scheduled breaks where the action on all tables is paused for a period of time.
How Long 🔔 Can We Sit Out For In Poker?
In a poker cash games the amount of time we can sit out for 🔔 will depend on the room, but it’s usually not more than 15 minutes. Sitting out is usually for short breaks 🔔 only. For longer breaks we should leave the table and rejoin the action when ready. In tournaments we can sit 🔔 out for as long as we desire provided we still have a stack. However, unlike in cash games, blinds will 🔔 continue to be taken from our stack in poker tournaments. If we sit out for too long, we’ll have no 🔔 stack when we return!
What Should We Do If Our Opponents Are Sitting Out In Poker?
In a cash game, players sitting 🔔 out essentially means the action has become more short-handed. Strategically this requires us to loosen up our starting hand requirements. 🔔 In tournaments, the blinds are still posted by players who are sitting out. This means that we should be aware 🔔 of opportunities to pick up extra blinds. For example, if a player who is sitting out posts the big blind 🔔 behind us, we should be looking to open raise wider than usual since we know that the big blind will 🔔 always fold preflop.
Is It OK To Sit Out In A Poker Tournament?
We should avoid sitting out in poker tournaments where 🔔 possible since the blinds and antes will continue to be deducted from our stack even when we are not at 🔔 the table. As much as possible we should try to take our breaks during the designated tournament break so that 🔔 we get as much table time as possible. Of course, we may sometimes have a genuine reason for sitting out, 🔔 in which case we should try and return to the action as soon as possible.
Is It Ok To Sit Out 🔔 In A Poker Cash Game?
There is no negative consequence associated with sitting out in a cash game. The only thing 🔔 to keep in mind is that it’s best to sit out right before posting the big blind. If we sit 🔔 out mid orbit we’ll be missing out on hands that we could have played for ‘free’ since we have already 🔔 paid the big blind that orbit. If we rejoin the table in a new orbit we’ll be required to post 🔔 the blinds again in order to rejoin the action. The best option is therefore to sit out right before posting 🔔 the big blind, and rejoin the action directly in the big blind position.
Summary
Sitting out while on a poker table simply 🔔 means we are taking a temporary break from the action but intend on returning. Whether or not we continue to 🔔 pay the blinds while sitting out will depend on whether we are playing a cash game or a tournament.
Sitting out 🔔 is designed for short breaks. If we require a longer break we should generally think about leaving the table and 🔔 rejoining the action when we are ready.
Sitting out in poker tournaments should generally be avoided since it eats into our 🔔 chances of securing the best possible result.
