You Left the Table
If you miss your blinds while away from a live cash game table you cannot get cards dealt to you until you either make up the missed bets or wait for the big blind position to reach you again. When the blinds pass your seat, the dealer will place a "Missed Blind" button in front of your chips.

Why You Don't Get Dealt In
In a live cash game, the dealer will automatically skip your seat and will not deal cards to your position if you are away from the table, even if your chips are sitting right there. Dealers cannot deal cards to an empty chair because those cards would be exposed, unprotected, and unable to be acted upon.

Poker Etiquette
The golden rule of poker etiquette for taking a break is to step away after your Big Blind hand has finished. When you leave at this exact moment you maximize your time away from the table. You can sit out for an entire orbit in a cash game and return just in time to take your Big Blind again without missing any forced bets. Never leave when you are the Small Blind or Button. Leaving before it is your turn to pay the blinds makes it look like you are trying to dodge forced bets.

Keep an Eye on the Clock ("Third Man Walking" Rule)
Keep an Eye on the Clock ("Third Man Walking" Rule). Most casinos enforce a strict time limit for how long a seat can remain empty, especially if there is a waiting list. A common rule is that if you are gone for more than three full orbits the floor staff will pick up your chips, bag them, and give your seat to a waiting player. Furthermore, if two players are already away from the table, a third player leaving ("third man walking") often faces a much stricter time limit sometimes just one orbit before forfeiting their seat.

Long Break
Tell the dealer if you are taking a long break. If you are leaving the room for a long break like dinner, let the dealer or floor manager know. They will often place an "Absent" button on your chips, which signals to the staff that you are on an approved extended break and prevents your stack from being picked up prematurely.

Missing Multiple Orbits
You never have to pay double or accumulate multiple penalties for missing the blinds for more than one orbit. Whether you miss the blinds once, twice, or for ten rounds while sitting out a cash game, the rule remains exactly the same when you re-enter.

Re-entering the Game
When you return to your seat and see a Missed Blind button, you cannot simply be dealt a hand. You must tell the dealer you want back in, and you will be given two options:

• Option 1: Wait for the Big Blind: You can sit without getting cards until the natural big blind position rotates all the way back around to your seat. This is free but takes time.
• Option 2: Post the Blinds Immediately. If you don't want to wait, you can pay the amount of the blinds right away to get dealt into the very next hand. How it is paid: If you missed both blinds, you must place the equivalent of both the Small and Big Blinds into the pot. The Big Blind amount is live (it counts as your bet for that round), while the Small Blind amount is dead (it goes directly into the center of the pot and does not count toward calling future bets).

"Buy the Button" Exception
The "Buy the Button" Exception If you return when the button is on your right, you can "Buy the Button” by posting both blinds from the Small Blind position. The Big Blind is live, the Small Blind is dead, and you get dealt a hand. On the very next hand, the dealer button moves directly to you, giving you the best position at the table immediately.

Tournaments are Different
In a poker tournament, you never owe missed blinds because the game does not stop for you. If you leave the table, the dealer will automatically take your blinds and antes from your chip stack and immediately fold your cards when it is your turn.