Ratholing is a frowned-upon practice in cash games where a player wins a big pot, leaves the table, and then comes back with a smaller stack—usually the minimum buy-in. The goal is to protect their winnings while still playing, often against the same players they just beat.
For example: You buy in for $200, run it up to $600, then leave the table and rejoin with $100 to limit your future risk. That’s ratholing.
While not always against the official rules, most casinos and online poker rooms discourage or prevent it with rules like:
Ratholing is seen as poor etiquette because it messes with the flow of the game and avoids the natural risk/reward of poker. If you win big, either stay in or walk away entirely—but don’t cherry-pick the safety of a short stack.
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