Councilman's Corner - Side Pots and Unwritten Rules, What's the Deal?

To Randy, thank you for taking the time to write this article. Your efforts are appreciated.

Misfits Poker League: Side Pot Strategy & Player Conduct

Understanding the All-In Side Pot Scenario

A player is seated in a Misfits Poker League (MPL) tournament. A shorter stack goes all-in. That player looks down at a playable hand — say, A♠ J♦ — and decides to call. Then a third player also calls. The table now has one player all-in and two players competing for both a main pot and a side pot. How should the remaining players proceed?

This is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — scenarios in MPL tournaments, and it is the single greatest source of anxiety and bad will between players at the table.

The "check it down" theory — that players on the side should always check to eliminate the all-in player — is not always correct, and is often the wrong play. Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson addressed this directly in Card Player Magazine, writing: "I'm here to tell you that it's OK to bet at a side pot — even a dry side pot. Please don't misunderstand me, it isn't always correct to bet at a side pot. In fact, sometimes it's catastrophic”. However, the blanket rule of always checking it down is simply wrong. Here is how to think through it properly.

Three Factors to Consider Before Acting

1. What is the ratio of the side pot to the main pot?

In the most basic version of this scenario — where Player A (short stack) goes all-in for 500 chips, Player B calls 500, and Player C calls 500 — there is a dry side pot: zero additional chips are at stake between Players B and C beyond the main pot. However, if there was prior action (blinds, preflop raises, earlier streets), the side pot may already carry significant value — possibly more than the main pot itself. The size of the side pot relative to the main pot should directly influence how Players B and C proceed.

2. Where are players in the tournament?

Linda Johnson notes that earlier in a tournament, it makes even more sense to keep betting even if a player is all-in and even if there is a dry side pot. Eliminating Player A when 18 players remain has virtually no meaningful impact on either Player B's or Player C's payout position. At that stage, accumulating chips is the priority. Jonathan Little, two-time WPT champion and founder of PokerCoaching.com, reinforces this: in the early money stages of a tournament, the focus should be on accumulating chips and playing close to chip EV. However, at a final table where each elimination represents a pay jump, checking it down to secure a money bump may be a reasonable and justifiable decision.

3. Stack size and position on the other remaining player always matter.

Player B, holding A♠ J♦ and acting first, must always factor in Player C's stack size and position relative to their own. Checking down when Player C is a chip leader who could become a major threat is a very different decision than checking down against a short stack.

The "Never Bluff a Dry Side Pot" Rule

One near-universal principle applies: do not bluff into a dry side pot.

As Linda Johnson explains in Card Player Magazine, if there are two or more active players in the pot, a bet into a dry side pot only improves a player's prospects if the all-in player wins the hand and another active player calls the bet. Getting an opponent to fold accomplishes nothing except increase the all-in player's chances of survival — which is the last thing anyone except the all-in player wants.

Consider this hand: Player A is all-in for 500. The main pot is 1,500. Players B and C have each put in 500. The side pot between B and C is zero. Player B holds 9♣ 8♣ — a speculative hand. The board runs out K♦ Q♠ 2♥. Player B has nothing. Firing a bet here to push Player C off the hand backfires completely: Player C folds, Player A wins the main pot uncontested, and Player B gains nothing — effectively gifting Player A a triple-up.

If, however, Player B holds K♠ J♠ on that same board and has flopped top pair, continuation betting to isolate or build value is absolutely correct — regardless of side pot size, and regardless of what it means for Player A's tournament life.

When the Side Pot Exceeds — or Approaches — the Main Pot

When the side pot is near or greater than the main pot, the all-in player becomes secondary. Player B and Player C should simply compete for the side pot using sound poker strategy — including bluffs where appropriate. As one strategy guide puts it, there is nothing in the side pot rules that dictates players must slow down just because one player is all-in and no longer involved in the action. Winning the main pot and eliminating a player in that scenario is a bonus, not the goal. The primary objective in any tournament is chip accumulation — winning the tournament requires winning every chip in play, and every opportunity to grow a stack should be pursued.

A Note on Collusion

Some players rationalize checking down not on strategic grounds, but on preferential ones — "I'd rather see Player A triple up than let Player B get more chips" or "I don't want Player B to win a bounty." This is a form of soft collusion: altering one's play to benefit one specific player over another. It runs counter to MPL's rules and the spirit of fair play.

A Word on Player Conduct at MPL

MPL has recently seen an increase in players verbally directing — or pressuring — others for

not checking it down in side pot situations. The league includes many new, recreational, and casual players who may be unfamiliar with advanced side pot strategy, and they are under no obligation to follow unsolicited advice from other players at the table.

If a player genuinely wants to learn and welcomes coaching, that conversation is welcome, AFTER the hand in question is complete and not during sad hand. If a player has shown — through repeated behavior or direct words — that they are not interested in being coached, the matter should be dropped immediately. MPL dealers and hosts are not mediators for disputes arising from players feeling harassed or pressured by others at the table, they are in place to deal the game and enforce the rules as they are written and apply to the MPL.

Always Remember…

MPL is, at its core, a free, casual social poker league. It considers itself a learning environment, but it cannot compel players to be students. Every player retains the right to play their chips however they choose — within the boundaries of MPL rules.

May the cards be with you, always.

Remember folks, these blog posts are about you and what you want to talk about, so feel free to hit me up at any of our venues, via text, messenger, or email. I am always willing to entertain your thoughts. Doesn’t guarantee that your idea will get used, but I can use what you don’t suggest.

Until next time, may all your cards be gems and may you never get stacked.

~The Councilman

You can reach the Lance at lance@misfitspoker.com or via FB messenger @lancejpalmer.

Catch him at a venue (our Locations) and ask for his number, he’ll give it to you.

Primary Source:

• Linda Johnson, "Betting Into a Side Pot (and Why That's OK)" — Card Player Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 24 (November 30, 2006). Johnson is a WSOP bracelet winner and 2011 Poker Hall of Fame inductee. Full article: cardplayer.com

Supporting Sources:

• Jonathan Little, PokerCoaching.com — Two-time WPT Champion, WSOP bracelet winner, $9M+ in tournament earnings

• David Sklansky, The Theory of Poker — Three-time WSOP bracelet winner, widely considered one of the most influential poker theorists in the game's history

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