A 'must move' table is an overflow table for when the main table in a casino is full. When a seat at the main table clears up, players must move from the ‘must move’ table to the main table. This means that the main table will always be full to capacity.
In this guide we’ll learn the following -
How do ‘Must Move’ Tables Work?
‘Must Move’ tables are basically a waiting list for the main table. They allow players to play poker against each other while waiting for a seat at the main table. Once a spot clears up on the main table the person who has been at the ‘must move’ table the longest will be moved to the main table. This helps to ensure that the main table will always be full to capacity.
Why Do Casinos Have ‘Must Move’ Tables?
Players don’t generally like to play at half empty tables. The ‘must move’ table ensures that the main table always stays at maximum capacity. The ‘must move’ table also allows players to play poker while on the waiting list for the main table rather than sitting around or trying their luck at the slots.
What Order Do Players Move From the ‘Must Move’ Table?
Think of it like a waiting list. The person who has been at the ‘must move’ table the longest will be given the first opportunity to move on up to the main table.
Can I Stay Seated at the ‘Must Move’ Table?
In general the casino doesn’t care too much who leaves the ‘must move’ table, so long as someone does. It could be that a player feels that the ‘must move’ table is especially lucrative and requests to stay, in which case the casino will offer another player at the table the opportunity to take his place. However, someone must move, so if no player wants to move the casino will typically enforce that the player who has been there the longest must move up to the main table.
What Would Happen if There Was No ‘Must Move’ Table?
The ‘must move’ table ensures that at least one table (the main table) remains full to capacity. If there were instead two regular tables there would be the risk of both tables becoming half empty and the casino potentially looking into merging both tables to create a full table. Although this isn’t unheard of (and not all casinos have ‘must move’ tables), it is considered logistically more difficult than just having a ‘must move’ table.
Must Move Tables Summary
A ‘must move’ table is an overflow table for the main table. It essentially allows players on the waiting list for the main table to play poker against each other rather than sitting around or playing slots/blackjack. It also helps to ensure that the main table remains full to capacity at all times.
