In poker, maintaining the integrity of the game is essential for a fair and enjoyable experience. One practice that is prohibited is "ratholing." This guide explains what ratholing is and how our rules are designed to prevent it.
Ratholing refers to the practice of a player intentionally removing a portion of their chips from a table after winning a large pot, only to return to the same table with a smaller stack. In online poker, this typically involves a player leaving a table and then quickly rejoining with a new, minimum buy-in.
Why It's Frowned Upon: This practice is considered unethical because it disrupts the natural flow of the game. A player with a large stack is a valuable target for others at the table. By "ratholing," a player avoids being a target, essentially "cashing out" a portion of their winnings to protect their profits while still participating in the game. This goes against the spirit of a fair cash game.
To ensure fair play and prevent ratholing, ClubWPT Gold has a specific rule in place for all our Ring Games.
The Rule: If a player leaves a Ring Game table and then attempts to rejoin that same table, they are required to sit down with a stack that is at least equal to the amount of chips they had when they left.
Duration: This rule remains in effect for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes has passed since they left the table, the player is then permitted to rejoin the game with a lesser amount of chips.
Purpose: This policy ensures that a player cannot use a hit-and-run tactic to protect their winnings. They must either stay at the table and risk their full stack, or if they choose to leave, they must be willing to bring that stack back for a set period if they want to rejoin the same game.
This rule is designed to protect all players and maintain a consistent, competitive environment at our tables. If you have any questions about this policy, our Customer Support team is here to assist you.