Weird

[William]

It's sometimes hard to get enough players together for a poker night, and I have set a minimum of 4 otherwise I'm cancelling the game.

We also play for league points, and one of the players offers to pay for a phantom stack to be blinded off. That way we have 4 players even though there are only three live players present.

Result is a bigger prizepool, and more points to be won for the poker league.

What would you do? Welcome it, or just say no?

[Detroitdad]

No

[holdemholmes]

I'd allow it if it was acceptable with everyone else. The person paying for 2 stacks has no way of gaining an advantage, and is only hurting themselves IMO.

[Dr. Neau]

It's sometimes hard to get enough players together for a poker night, and I have set a minimum of 4 otherwise I'm cancelling the game.

We also play for league points, and one of the players offers to pay for a phantom stack to be blinded off. That way we have 4 players even though there are only three live players present.

Result is a bigger prizepool, and more points to be won for the poker league.

What would you do? Welcome it, or just say no?

I think if you're only able to get 3 players for a "league" event, it's time to fold the league.

[William]

It's like having an unnamed player who bought in and doesn't show up. And though there are more points up for grabs, this is only true when you outlast the phantom stack. If you finish below the phantom stack you actually get fewer points.

Without phantom	With phantom
Player 1: 10.54	Player 1: 12.48
Player 2: 5.93	Player 2: 7.19
Player 3: 4.12	Phantom Player
Player 4: 3.16	Player 3: 3.89
	Player 4: 3.16

Most of the time we get plenty of players, but it just happens sometimes that most players can't make it.

[Dr. Neau]

It's like having an unnamed player who bought in and doesn't show up.

It's like letting someone buy league points with money.

[austin5string]

Nope, wouldn't allow it. 

I'm assuming the intent of your minimum is minimum number of players, not chipstacks..  With the phantom stack, you don't have 4 players, no matter how you want to spin it.

To use the extreme example, say you were the only person that could play one week.  Would you allow yourself to pay for three phantom stacks and just take the first place points with no competition?

Yeah.. don't like it.. not one bit..

~A5S

[William]

I agree with your points.

Just saying no.

[R-Ho]

No.

[Motobaka]

Nope, wouldn't allow it. 

I'm assuming the intent of your minimum is minimum number of players, not chipstacks..  With the phantom stack, you don't have 4 players, no matter how you want to spin it.

To use the extreme example, say you were the only person that could play one week.  Would you allow yourself to pay for three phantom stacks and just take the first place points with no competition?

Yeah.. don't like it.. not one bit..

~A5S

Could not have said it better.