Must-move
Also: must move game, feeder table
A feeder table whose players are obliged to move to the main game as seats open there. It keeps a popular cash game full, and it removes the player's ability to choose which table they sit at.
A room with one well-populated game and demand for more opens a must-move: a second table of the same stake whose players are called over, in order, whenever a seat comes free at the main table. The main game never breaks for want of players, which is the point from the house's perspective.
From the player's side it cuts both ways. A must-move table is often softer than the main game, because the strong regulars are already seated in the main game and because nobody chose to be there. But a player cannot stay: the seat they are enjoying evaporates the moment their name comes up, and refusing the move usually means leaving the game altogether.
It also quietly removes table selection, which for a winning player is one of the larger edges available away from the cards.
Related terms
Full glossaryFrequently asked questions
What is a must-move table?
A second table of the same stake whose players are required to move to the main game, in order, as seats become available there. It stops the main game from breaking.
Are must-move games softer?
Often, because the established regulars tend to be seated in the main game and nobody at the must-move chose their table. The trade-off is that a good seat cannot be kept.
Can I refuse to move?
Generally not. Declining the move usually means giving up the game, since the whole purpose of the table is to feed the main one.