When I ran the games at my Local Pub we had a limit of 8 players per table, There were times when we had the odd 9 or 7 players depending on how many register for the games, because there were some weeks that some guys just didn't turn up, We had one regular player who would miss a game when our Local Football team were playing at home.
But generally we closed the registrations at 7:55 and drew cards for table and seat position's, sat players and started at 8:00 pm. Any one turning up late was seated as the BB on a table that had fewer players but it was understood once the Cards were in the air, there was no way you were getting in the game.
On-line I like to play the 9 player Sit and Go Games, for two reasons, Firstly they pay out the top 3 players as opposed to two places in 6 player games, secondly, I want to play Poker! I don't care if the game goes on and on for more than an hour, I am not in the game just to win the money it's the Adrenalin rush of the all-in, and the pure pleasure I get from being involved and playing the game!
I liken the game to be similar to Fishing, You can sit on the banks of a pond or River for hours just watching a float bobbing about in the water, Then you get the sudden rush of Adrenalin went you get a bite, and wrangle the fish to shore, only to take a photo and return it to the Water. It's not about the prize at the end, more about the tales you can tell about the one that got away,