Seating Charts and Player Movements

[bmontana33]

I'm going to be hosting my first multi-table tourney (2 tables) as oppose to my normal 1 table and have a few questions.

1. (I'm guessing this one is simple but can't seem to figure it out). I set up my layout so that my seating charts for both tables are displayed on my pre-tournament screen with the countdown to tournament timer. I have that set, but for some reason I can't seem to figure out how to have both first and last names displayed for each player, and with 20 players as oppose to 10 there is a greater chance to have more than 1 player with the same first name playing. So if I have 3 Mikes playing, without there last name how do I know which Mike goes where?

2. My next question is in regards to the player movement/table balancing. Is it possible (or there might be an easier way), that when tables become unbalanced and a player needs to be moved, instead of having the generic player movement screen appear (which appears to be the default when balancing tables...I'm not sure if it only displays for a period of time before going back to your normal touranment screen) setting up an event or something so that a status message appears (say for 60 or 90 seconds) over a portion the tournament screen stating that player x in current seat 3 at secondary table needs to move seat 4 at feature table?

Also to add to (2.) that incase players are into a hand and aren't aware that someone ones knocked out at the other table and a player has to move to have audio trigger stating something (tables unbalanced, players need to move...) I'm not sure if there are any high quality sounds out there for something like that or what everyone else does? Or if I'm just overthing things and making things more difficult than they need to be.


I know there is a pre-defined event of "table balance suggestion" which is what I was originally thinking, but wasn't sure what would be needed for condition (if any) or what to put for display message. If there is an audio clip that someone could point me to I know how to play a sound.

Hopefully these questions make sense. Thanks in advance 

[Stuart Murray]

Hi,

1) Preferences Tab > Name Format > Select Which Way you wish it to display.

2)  I do indeed think you are making this an over complicated way of keeping tables balanced.  If you wish to make it "proper" you should avoid using software suggestions for balancing tables, any current rules which are worthy of mention require the Big Blind of a new hand to be moved to the worst position available (ie as near to the big blind as possible clockwise) at the short table, with only two tables on the go, you can merely shout to the other table "Give us your next big blind if no-one goes out in this hand" who can then move across, this is all done without pausing the clock or displaying who's moving on screen.  You can update the tables when you get a chance.

If you are going to use the movement suggestions the TD makes you need to set the dealer buttons in the correct seats each time before you accept the movement suggestion, otherwise you will ne moving the wrong player which can often cause a small blind or button to be moved.

Regards
Stuart

[bmontana33]

Hi,

1) Preferences Tab > Name Format > Select Which Way you wish it to display.

Thanks, I knew it was simple I just couldn't remember. I don't actually remember ever having switched it it just first name.

As for (2.) that is a good idea. I was or should say I am in a debate about that. The 3 ideas that come to mind is letting TD3 handle it, but as you said the dealer button has to be correct. Or using the next big blind and the table with more players as you mentioned, or lastly, find the player at the larger table that corresponds to the seat that was knocked out at the smaller table in relation to the dealer. So if the a player is knocked out 4 spots to the left of the dealer, then the player 4 spots to the left of the dealer at the larger table switches to the appropriate spot of the smaller table.

The 2 options not involving td3 are pretty simple, especially considering I am only talking about 2 tables. When combing to 1 table though, would you recommend a complete seat re-draw or just draw cards for the remaining spots of the feature table?

Thanks

[Stuart Murray]

Next Big Blind is the industry standard, and works perfectly well, it is not open to interpretation, nor abuse.  I for one have used it in the industry for 10 years, from tournaments with 2 tables to tournaments I have ran with 300 tables.

Taking seat 4 to seat 4 presents the same issues as allowing the software to chose, taking the next Big Blinds means that the players position can never get worse, it can only be the same or better (ie they move further away for the big blind) which is exactly why is has been used since flop games were refined.

As for the re-draw for the final table, yeh, just use the software - providing you keep the correct names in, if you aren't using the software to keep track of names then you use your seat cards if you use them or a simple draw of cards for seating.

Regards
Stuart

[bmontana33]

Thanks Stuart, I appreciate the help. I plan on using the next big blind...it does seem the simplest and most fair; and then a redraw for the final table (most likely handled by TD3)

Just out of curiosity as you mentioned that you have ran tournaments with 300 tables (I have played in larger tournaments at the casino but have never hosted anything like that or paid that close of attention) how do you select which table a player is moved from to fill a table when there are so many tables to choose from? For example, 300 tables and in the first round 2 players are knocked out of the tournament on table 167. I can think of a handful of options, just not sure if there was a standard.

Thanks again.

[Stuart Murray]

Closest Table gets balanced, but usually we don't need to balance very much, in larger tournaments we will run 2 short on a table if we are close to breaking a table, which is predefined by what mdirection the tournament will go in the cardroom (ie the tournament goes into one corner to clear one area for another tournament and/or dealers who need a break or are finishing.