Sit-out or All-in? Leaving a tourney while still stacked

This is something that I've thought about often, mostly because the way most folks seem to do it is so damned annoying. I'm curious what folks think about this.

So, you're in a tourney (say, a CC freeroll or $5.50 tourney) and your best friend from high school calls to say he's in town and wants to meet up at the local pub. You're tempted to tell him to bugger off because you're doing well in this freeroll and stand to win 35-cents, but you decide that having a drink with a friend you haven't see in 20 years is more important (although, admittedly, it's a close race because even if he was your best friend, he could sometimes be a bit of a pisser even back then).

You have to leave the tourney. What should you do?

Seems like most folks just go all in until they bust out (or build up a stack that they think might carry them to the 17-cent minimum payout). I know it's just perception, but it sure seems like that person gets awful lucky, knocking out and/or seriously damaging players who are taking it more seriously and trying to make it far enough to play their end game.

I generally will just tell everyone "sorry, I have to go and I'm going to sit out" or at worst ask the table if they would rather (1) I tell them my cards and go all-in; or (2) just sit out.

Thoughts?

I see it best to sit-out--you will get blinded--but usually spread the wealth--rather than give it to one lucky caller.(Who then uses it to muscle everyone else on the table.) Also you don't have the chance of knocking somone out who calls you, with say pockets A's, and you catch a straight with your 4 7 off.
Also if you sit-out and get ready to go out--then your friend doesn't show--you can jump back in the tourney.

tell him you have free beer and smokers and womenzzz at your place and he will come there til your done. then you can go out. but if you really need to go?...then yas sitting out and getting the best position possible is the way to go. "IF YOU BURN IT THEY WILL COME" - FIELD OF GREENS

I'm ashamed to admit that I've been one of those all-in jerks, but for now on I will just sit out. I never considered the poor sportsmanship playing this way was. But by just sitting out I fairly enrich the pot for all of the players.

This annoys me to no end. Especially when they already have a stack that might carry them into the money/satellite seat. These all-in guys disrupt the table, and usually double-up the first couple of times, busting people who only called with their JJ because they knew the guy was pushing with ATC.

But, it's their seat and they paid for it, so they can play it any way they want. If it's me, I just sit out.

i hade people who sit out the should be banned played a 1k freeroll today whit on my tabel half the people where sitouts thats so much bull that i get angry about it

That's a different situation. They never started the freeroll and ya, I don't like that either. But OP is talking about when he legitimately started and now someting came up an needs to go.

How can you dislike freeroll sitouts? They're free chips.

I have had this problem before to. Everyone does ...Thats, online poker.And I never seem to be able to give my chips away even telling them what I have .. I draw out and always wind up with a huge stack ... and decide its worth sitting out since you have almost tripled your original descent sized stack. And this is annoying when on the other end I have been there too .. its that Dam addictive Online POKER ..So much stress and we crave it...over and over again...But friends are worth having ..Sitting Out is what I would do ...Unless I paid for it then Hell with him .. lol j/k...
....xBecca

I would just sit out because a lot of peope annoyed when someone keeps going all in.

Definitely 2, as the first option can get you banned from poker networks.

From Doyle's Room...

16.07 COLLUSION.
A player shall act only in his own-self interest, and shall make no action for the benefit of another player. The following actions shall be considered collusion, and any player participating in a collusive effort may forfeit all interest in the pot and is subject to ejection from the game and even being barred from the establishment:

1. Imparting information about one's hand to a player in the pot.
2. Advising someone how to play or suggesting a particular betting action.
3. Rendering a verbal opinion about a player's holding when he bets.
4. Agreeing to check out a hand when a third player is all-in.
5. Agreeing to save a certain amount of money with another player if either wins the hand, when there is potential betting remaining for one or both of the players and other players are involved in the pot.
6. Encouraging another player to turn his hand over face-up at the showdown so that he has a claim on the pot.
7. Soft-play agreements not to bet or raise another player when head's up.
8. Refunding money won to a player, such as the last bet.

16.08 DISCUSSING CARDS IN PLAY.
A player shall not make any statement that could unfairly influence the play of the hand, whether or not the offender is involved in the pot. (IE Two queens flop and a player whispers to the person next to him "I had a Queen" or slaps the table in disgust indicating he had a queen.)

its the right thing to do to sit out but of course there are dummies who like to do the kamikaze and go all in. I usually dont play too many hands early in a tourney to avoid those type of players

Sitting out is the less obnoxious choice. I will sit out if I have a big stack and think there is a chance I can cash.

If I have a small, meaningless stack, I'll just go all-in and late luck decide my fate. I know people get upset when they get a big hand cracked my someone doing this, but they really shouldn't. I'm doing you a favor by playing this way, because I am getting my money in bad.

Sit out, in a CC freeroll a couple of weeks ago, there were like 13 of us left and I had to leave for university, so folded everything except AA or KK as everyone was playing loose, I thought I'd move up aplace and win more...well I guess I was blinded out on 8th and got like $4.50ish.

Also last week I forgot I'd registered for a tourny, and when I came home and saw I'd sat out the whole thing, blinded out on 7th and got paid.

I usually just sit out and hope that I squeak into the money...but that's never happened lol....also I think it's very respectable that you tell the people your cards and then go all in

Sitting out would be my choice as well. I think mr3window's post would be my explanation as well.

I think getting upset with people who sit out is stupid. lets think about this for a second, why do you hate them? there is no guarentee that SM will get the chips, also...is it cause we are short stacked to a player that is not even there and we sit and salivate just thinking of how to get them? should folding be Illegal also? cause basically thats all it is. "auto mated folding".

Just sit out. As stated, your chips will be spread equally..also, as for telling the players your cards...don't do this.

Wow! I've actually had that happen to me! Not the best friend from high school part as he's dead, but the having to leave un-expectedly--I just said on chat---'Sorry gang--gotta go--who wants my chips?' Tell 'em what I got an' let 'em fight for it! (KInda fun to watch! ) AND, I've tried the 'sit-out' thing, too! But fer whatever reason, the site wouldn't allow me to sit out the entire rest of the game! I would hear these wierd noises comin' from my 'putor when I got back, an' the whole screen would be just flashin' away! Until I clicked the mouse again an' got back in the game! Wierd!

I had a player ask should she sit out or go all-in if she told us her cards. I told her "wait for someone who leads out with a big bet, match them and then fold on the river". Four of us doubled up as she had a huge stack (chips that is, lol) and she was out in 5-6 hands.

I normally just sit out, but it's rare I ever leave a turny.

Yeah, most go all-in, I guess I would do the same. You give out chips or if you win, you can actually place and win some money. So, win win basically, go for it

I won't sit out, and usually go all-in a few times, or at least play ultra aggressive for a 5 -10 minute period; unless I know i can get blinded into the money. If i don't think I will make it to the money, then i might as well open up play. And yes, you can say it's disruptive, but if someone really has to go, and they get no callers for a few hands, they'll have to leave. And if not, then someone should bust them with a dominant hand.

Players may go all in often just to throw off a table with a big stack, regardless of if they want to leave. No point fretting over it.

I have just sat out anytime I had to leave, things do happen as even internet poker players have lives. Hard to believe. The thing with sit outs in these big freerolls is when you get to a table that is 6 sit outs and 3 players. You end up playing hands you don't want to play and it ends up being showdown and luck pays the biggest part in your success or failure.

"the site wouldn't allow me to sit out the entire rest of the game"

...what site was this? I don't see how they could NOT let you sit out. This means they made everyone wait for your return?!?!

ive been to freerolls where at the begginning just bout the whole tble sat out maybe 2-3 ppl playing and i found that i like it cuz u have more of a chance to take a lil bit of a lead in the begginning so i think sitting out is the correct thing to do

1. If you are in the money just sit out and hope that when u come back u have placed couple pay outs higher.

2. If you think that u can't make it to money anyway with current stack I prefer going all in, Double or Out.

3. lets say there is 500 people left and 50 gets payd and you have under avarage stack. I might just give me chips away by sitting out