Dealer button, small/big blinds go where?

If the small blind is knocked out in no limit Texas Hold'em (and would have been the next dealer), where does the dealer button and the small and big blinds go on the table for the next hand? Some of my friends I play with say just slide down to the next people which allows a player to skip the big blind. Others say nobody should skip the big blind so the person who was the dealer when the small blind player was knocked out gets to be dealer again. Which is correct?

You can't skip your BB, but I think in that situation the big blind from the previous hand becomes the dealer and there is no SB for the hand.

Thanks thegreatbuddha for your response. We've tried that but then we're in the same dillema for the next hand - there will be no small blind again. If we put the small blind back in, then someone skips the big blind.

This hasn't been a big source of arguement so far as we just make sure to be consistent in the way we handle the situation for our games and it's a very friendly game but we just want to make sure we follow the "real" rules. I just can't seem to find this situation addressed anywhere.

There are several ways to handles this.

Let someone skip the blind - which I disagree with. I've made in ITM in several tourneys at Pacific just because I got out of paying blinds 2-3 times in a row.

In the case where the SB gets knocked out, you could have a dead button. Move the button to where the guy just got knocked out, just don't deal it any cards.

A trickier way to sort it out that ensures each person always pays two blinds. This is the "official" way from the place I work, but different rooms may handle it differently:

Advance the button to the guy that was going to have the SB next. Get him to post his SB on the button, the next TWO players will post big blinds.

On the next hand, advance the button, then have two SB's, one on the button, the normal position, and then one large blind. After this hand is over the blinds will be correct again, and everyone has paid 1 SB and 1 BB.

This is the way we do it at my B&M. We have a forward moving button, so the blinds are kinda tricky to sort out in these situations. It gets really fun when 3 people leave the table all at once. If the 3 players were going to be the button, SB and BB, then the button would move to the next seated player and there would be 3 BB's. On the next hand , there would be 3 SB's and 1 BB. Weird.

allright; I'm going to give names in thsi situation, so that I don't get confused.

first hand. Paul is the dealer. Greg is the small blind. Bob is the big blind. Andy is the first player to act after the big blind.
Greg gets knocked out this hand.

Dealer button moves to Bob, since Greg is now gone. Andy pays the big blind. There is no small blind on this hand.

That's how party does it and that's how royal vegas poker does it...so I'm inclined to believe that's how it works.

The most commonly followed rule is the dead button rule. It is used in ever casino I've played at and is the easiest to follow. If the sb is eliminated, the button will move to his now empty seat and the person who dealt last will get the advantage of being in dealer position again. There will be both a sb and a bb on this round.

If the bb is eliminated, the button moves to the player who posted the sb and the player to the left of the former bb assumes the bb. There is no sb for that hand. On the following deal, the button moves to the now empty seat (the seat vacated by the eliminated bb player) and the two players to the left post the normal blinds. This will result in the same player having the advantage of being in dealer position again.

This will result in the same player having the advantage of being in dealer position again.

That's why I posted the forward moving button option. It's what we do in the cash games where I work, although it is a little more confusing.

Originally posted by lonnie
That's why I posted the forward moving button option. It's what we do in the cash games where I work, although it is a little more confusing.

The dealer advantage twice in a row in the dead button rule is less of an advantage than advantage of someone missing the bb in the forward moving button rule. Another advantage gained in the forward moving button rule is that sometimes the button is on a blind. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but overall I'd say the dead button rule is more fair and easier for everyone to follow.

The dealer advantage twice in a row in the dead button rule is less of an advantage than advantage of someone missing the bb in the forward moving button rule.

Noone ever misses paying a BB or SB. Each player will always pay a BB and SB with the forward moving button.